Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Martin Heinrich
Introduced
Summary
This bill would _settle and fund Zuni Tribal water rights_ in the Zuni River system and protect the Zuni Salt Lake through federal land withdrawals and a new Secretary‑managed trust fund. It would set out how Tribal water rights are held, allocated, and leased, require environmental compliance, and tie waivers and releases to an Enforceability Date based on court approval and funding.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Rules for Tribal water rights and leases
If enacted, the bill would recognize Zuni Tribal Water Rights as held in trust by the United States and protect them from loss for non‑use or forfeiture. The Tribe could not permanently give away those rights. The Tribe could allocate and lease water on Zuni lands and, with Secretary approval, lease water for off‑Zuni use for terms up to 99 years. Under the Agreement, New Mexico would give $750,000 for monitoring plans and deposit $500,000 to mitigate impacts to non‑Indian domestic and livestock groundwater users.
Large Zuni water trust fund
If enacted, the bill would create a Zuni settlement trust fund and require the Treasury to deposit $655.5 million to a Water Rights account and $29.5 million to an Operation, Maintenance, and Replacement account. $50 million of the deposit would be available to the Tribe on the date of deposit for planning, wells, urgent repairs, land or water rights, and setting up a water resources department. The Secretary would manage and invest the funds, approve Tribal spending plans, and can enforce plan compliance. Deposits would be adjusted for construction costs and market volatility, and federal payment duties would depend on Congress providing appropriations.
Waivers and settlement expiration risks
If enacted, the bill would require the Tribe and the United States to waive and release pre‑Enforceability Date water claims and damage claims in the Zuni River Stream System. Those waivers would take effect on the Enforceability Date. The bill also says the title would expire if the Secretary does not publish required findings by July 1, 2030 (or a later agreed date). If the title expires, waivers would end, many contracts would be void, and unspent federal funds and some rights could return to the United States.
Protect Zuni Salt Lake lands
If enacted, the bill would withdraw about 92,364 acres of federal land to protect the Zuni Salt Lake and ban new mining, leasing, and many new rights‑of‑way, subject to existing rights. The Secretary would publish maps and limit motor vehicles to designated routes, bar most new wells and grazing increases, and stop casual collecting or timber sales. On the Enforceability Date, land in the Tribal Acquisition Area would be taken into trust for the Tribe, with existing contracts and permits continuing and BIA taking on related obligations.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Martin Heinrich
NM • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/13/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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