Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-644
Sponsor: Rep. Bishop, Rob [R-UT-1]
Introduced: 2019-01-17 in the House
Policy area: Native Americans
Subjects: Federal-Indian relations
Government trust funds
Indian claims
Indian lands and resources rights
Lakes and rivers
Utah
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2019-01-17
text: 

Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2019

 
This bill ratifies and modifies the Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Agreement negotiated between the Navajo Nation, the United States, and Utah. The agreement gives the Navajo Nation the right to use water from sources located within Utah and adjacent to or encompassed within the boundaries of the Navajo Reservation resulting in depletions not to exceed a specified amount annually.
 
The Navajo water rights shall be held in trust by the United States for the use and benefit of Navajo Nation and shall not be subject to forfeiture or abandonment.
 
The Navajo Nation shall have authority to allocate, distribute, and lease the water rights for any use on or off its reservation in accordance with the agreement.
 
The Department of the Interior shall establish and manage the Navajo Utah Settlement Trust Fund, with amounts available for withdrawal by the Navajo Nation for planning, designing, constructing, operating, maintaining, and replacing Navajo water development projects.
 
The bill also specifies waivers and releases that must be executed in order for the settlement to be binding and effective.

action_date: 2020-12-18
text: 

Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 

2020

 
This bill ratifies and modifies the Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Agreement negotiated between the Navajo Nation, the United States, and Utah. The agreement gives the Navajo Nation the right to use water from sources located within Utah and adjacent to or encompassed within the boundaries of the Navajo Reservation, provided that depletions do not exceed a specified amount annually.
 
The Navajo water rights shall be held in trust by the United States for the use and benefit of the Navajo Nation and shall not be subject to forfeiture or abandonment.
 
The Navajo Nation shall have authority to allocate, distribute, and lease the water rights for any use on or off its reservation in accordance with the agreement.
 
The Department of the Interior shall establish and manage the Navajo Utah Settlement Trust Fund, with amounts available for withdrawal by the Navajo Nation for planning, designing, constructing, operating, maintaining, and replacing Navajo water development projects.
 
The bill also specifies waivers and releases that must be executed in order for the settlement to be binding and effective.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-12-18
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 557.
action_date: 2020-12-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 116-673.
action_date: 2020-12-18
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 116-673.
action_date: 2020-02-12
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2020-02-12
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2020-02-12
text: Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Discharged.
action_date: 2019-06-26
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2019-02-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.
action_date: 2019-01-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2019-01-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-01-17
text: Introduced in House