Another tribal water rights settlement bill introduced

(The Center Square) — Members of Arizona’s congressional delegation this week introduced a second tribal water rights settlement bill to help a central Arizona tribe.

A House and Senate version of the Yavapai-Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement Act will give the Native American nation over $1 billion to fund its water agreement. According to a news release, the billion would help with the Cragin-Verde Pipeline and a facility and rights to nearly 5,000 acre-feet of water each year of the Verde River.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly introduced the Senate version of the bill and Republican Rep. David Schweikert introduced the House version. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and Reps. Debbie Lesko, Juan Ciscomani, and Greg Stanton are all co-sponsors.

“In Arizona, there are few things more important than water rights”, Lesko said in a statement. “I am pleased that our state congressional delegation has united in support of the Yavapai Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement Act to codify this agreement into law. This was a significant achievement for all parties involved.”

Stanton also suggested that the deal was a long time in the making.

“This landmark settlement honors our federal trust responsibility to the Yavapai-Apache Nation and protects the Verde River for generations to come,” Stanton said in a statement. “I’m grateful for the Tribal Council, Salt River Project, and many others that worked tirelessly over 50 years to negotiate this agreement, and I look forward to securing these critical investments in the Verde Valley’s water future.”

Earlier this week, a water rights settlement bill that would provide $5 billion and increase water rights in the Colorado River to the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe was introduced, which also had bipartisan support. As many tribes continue to deal with water rights issues, the movement on the federal level is considered a major step forward for the tribes impacted.

“This is a critical milestone, not only for the Yavapai-Apache Nation, but also for the future of the Verde River,” said Yavapai-Apache Nation Chairwoman Tanya Lewis said in a statement thanking the senators.

“We are proud to have finally reached this moment and appreciate how hard each of the settling parties worked to achieve this comprehensive water rights settlement that will provide water certainty for the Nation and support a healthy Verde River that is cherished by so many people in the Verde Valley and across the state,” she added.