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Introduced on February 13, 2025 by Teresa Leger Fernandez
This act settles water rights in parts of New Mexico for the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna (Rio San José) and the Pueblos of Jemez and Zia (Jemez River). It approves agreements that spell out the pueblos’ water rights and sets up funding to carry out the deals. The United States holds these rights in trust. The rights can’t be lost just because water isn’t used, and pueblos can allocate or lease water (with federal approval for off‑pueblo use) to meet community needs .
To make this work, the act creates settlement trust funds for each pueblo (and a shared fund for Acomita Reservoir work) and provides major federal funding, with adjustments for inflation. New Mexico must also chip in for local water projects and to help offset impacts on non‑pueblo domestic and livestock wells. Money can pay for water systems, wells, irrigation upgrades, watershed work, environmental compliance, and running pueblo water programs. Some funds are available right away for new groundwater wells to meet near‑term needs .
Who is affected
What changes
When it takes effect
What claims are waived or kept