Sponsors (3)
The bill provides large federal funding and clear legal protections to secure Zuni Tribe water rights, lands, and environmental safeguards—but does so at substantial federal cost, with mandated tribal waivers, administrative exclusions for allotments, and land‑use restrictions that limit some local economic activities and tribal autonomy.
Zuni Tribe and residents on tribal lands will receive $655.5M (plus $29.5M for O&M) to build and repair water infrastructure, improving drinking water, irrigation, and system reliability.
Zuni Tribe and local water users gain clarified, quantified, and enforceable tribal water rights (including protection from loss by non‑use) and a defined settlement that reduces litigation uncertainty.
Zuni Tribe and nearby communities gain stronger land and cultural-resource protection through acquisition of Tribal lands into trust and a federal withdrawal/reservation of roughly 92,364 acres to protect Zuni Salt Lake and sanctuary values.
Taxpayers and the federal budget face large new spending obligations (approximately $655.5M + $29.5M) and the program’s benefits are contingent on future congressional appropriations, creating fiscal cost and risk that promised actions or funds could lapse.
Zuni Tribe members and descendants give up many past claims and damages up to the Enforceability Date as part of the settlement, limiting future recovery for historical harms.
Tribal governance could be constrained because the Secretary has broad authority to approve amendments and control trust approvals and withdrawals, reducing tribal autonomy and increasing federal oversight.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Ratifies a U.S.–Zuni Tribe water‑rights settlement, establishes a trust fund, directs Interior to implement the Agreement, and withdraws and protects Zuni Salt Lake Federal lands.
Introduced February 18, 2025 by Gabriel Vasquez · Last progress February 18, 2025
Ratifies and implements a negotiated water-rights settlement between the United States and the Zuni Tribe, creating a trust fund and authorizing the Interior Department to carry out the agreement and related actions. It also withdraws roughly 92,364 acres of Federal land around Zuni Salt Lake as a protected sanctuary, sets management rules to protect water and cultural resources, and limits certain uses such as new wells, expanded grazing, new rights‑of‑way, and off‑route vehicle use. The law defines key terms, confirms Tribal water rights identified in the settlement and a Partial Final Judgment, allows limited post‑execution adjustments by the Secretary of the Interior, and authorizes funding needed to implement the settlement and land‑protection provisions.