Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
Introduced
Summary
Would create and fund Pueblo-specific trust funds and a targeted program for Taos Pueblo water projects. The bill would set rules and deadlines for building groundwater, surface-water sharing, and mutual-benefit infrastructure tied to the Taos Pueblo settlement.
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- Taos Pueblo: Would get two new Treasury trust funds for groundwater development and surface-water sharing, managed by the Secretary and limited to settlement-approved uses, funded at $190 million and $16 million respectively.
- Eligible non-Pueblo entities: Could apply for supplemental grants for planning, design, permitting, and construction of mutual-benefit projects including water treatment. The program is seeded with $161 million and imposes phased spending and completion targets such as 10% spent within 3 years and full completion within 8 years for most projects; mitigation well systems have faster timelines.
- Federal oversight and rules: The Secretary must manage the new trust funds, the Commissioner of Reclamation may not hold title to funded property, and the bill allows clawback and reallocation of unexpended funds under specified conditions.
*Would mandate indexed appropriations totaling $367 million, adjusted for construction-cost changes since July 2025.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Big federal funding for Pueblo water
This bill would require Treasury to deposit about $161 million for mutual‑benefit water projects, $190 million into a Taos Pueblo Groundwater trust, and $16 million into a Taos Pueblo Surface Water Sharing trust. Those amounts would be adjusted for construction‑cost changes using the Bureau of Reclamation index from July 2025 until fully paid. If enacted, the Secretary of the Interior would manage and invest the Pueblo trust funds under existing trust rules and limits.
New deadlines and rules for water projects
This bill would let Eligible Non‑Pueblo entities and the Pueblo get supplemental awards to plan and build mutual‑benefit and offset projects. Applicants must meet 90‑day and 180‑day windows after enactment to be eligible for the supplemental awards. For non‑mitigation projects, at least 10% must be spent in 3 years, substantial completion in 6 years, and full completion in 8 years. For Mitigation Well System projects, at least 15% must be spent in 3 years, substantial completion in 4 years, and full completion in 5 years. The Commissioner could claw back, reassign, or reallocate returned funds, hire third parties with State and Pueblo consent, allow Pueblo on‑Pueblo projects with no non‑Federal cost share, and would not take title to property bought with these funds.
Keeps prior findings and implementation clarity
This bill would preserve the Secretary's October 7, 2016 finding that conditions precedent were satisfied. It would also say the Secretary does not need to amend the Settlement Agreement or Partial Final Decree to carry out funded alternative or interim offset infrastructure, and that the Agreement's Article 13.3 process need not be used for those projects.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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