Sponsors (2)
The bill delivers large federal funding, legal certainty, and land/water protections for the Zuni Tribe and the basin, but it requires the Tribe to waive many past claims, accepts federal oversight and conditional funding, and imposes restrictions that limit some local economic uses while increasing taxpayer obligations.
Zuni Tribe and tribal communities receive $655.5 million for water projects plus a $29.5 million operations/maintenance account to build, repair, and sustain domestic, municipal, irrigation, and livestock water infrastructure.
Zuni Tribe and state/federal water users gain legal certainty: the bill ratifies and implements a court-approved settlement and provides statutory definitions and protections that clarify Tribal water rights and guard them against loss by non-use, reducing future litigation.
Tribal members, local communities, and downstream users benefit from withdrawal of ~92,364 acres (Zuni Salt Lake area) from mining, leasing, and new development and from prohibitions on new wells—protecting water quantity/quality, cultural sites, and habitat.
Zuni Tribe must waive many historical claims and damages up to the bill's Enforceability Date in exchange for the settlement funds, foregoing potential past‑damage remedies.
If Congress or the Secretary fails to meet formal conditions or deadlines, the settlement title and appropriated funds could expire or be returned/offset, creating significant implementation risk and uncertainty for planned Tribal projects.
The large federal appropriation increases taxpayer liabilities and could crowd out other federal priorities, and continued funding is subject to indexing and future appropriations.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Ratifies a settlement that quantifies Zuni Tribe water rights, creates a settlement trust, withdraws ~92,364 acres around Zuni Salt Lake from development, and directs federal implementation.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Martin Heinrich · Last progress February 13, 2025
Ratifies and implements a 2023 settlement that quantifies and protects the Zuni Tribe's water rights in the Zuni River Basin, establishes a settlement trust, and directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the agreement. It withdraws about 92,364 acres around Zuni Salt Lake from public land entry, mining, and leasing, sets management and use limits to protect the lake and cultural resources, and authorizes funds needed to implement the settlement and related measures. The law defines key terms, confirms a nonappealable partial final judgment to resolve the Tribe's water-right claims, limits new wells and certain land uses in the sanctuary, requires Bureau of Land Management management in consultation with the Tribe, and creates exceptions (for replacement wells and valid existing rights) while reserving the withdrawn lands for protection of water quality, quantity, and cultural values.