Luján, Heinrich Applaud Passage Of Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act Out Of Committee

U.S. SENATE News:

Senators Luján and Heinrich Applaud Passage of Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) applauded the passage of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act, as amended, out of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, to amend an existing water rights settlement enacted for the Navajo Nation.

Without further authorization from Congress, all work on the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project (Project) will come to a halt after Dec. 31, 2024, due to statutory deadlines and resource caps.

The Project was first authorized by the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which settled the Navajo Nation’s water rights in San Juan Basin of New Mexico to bring piped water to nearly a quarter million people by the year 2040. On the Navajo Nation, approximately 15,500 Tribal households live without running water, including nearly 6,000 in New Mexico.

The Project will help to close this acute water access gap, providing for the permanent homeland that Congress promised when it signed its 1868 Treaty with the Navajo Nation. Upon completion, the Project will deliver water from the San Juan River to roughly 43 Chapters on the eastern Navajo Nation, the southwestern portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City of Gallup, which currently rely on a rapidly depleting groundwater supply of poor quality.

Importance of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments Act

Sen. Luján expressed his pride in the passage of the legislation, emphasizing the importance of ensuring access to safe, clean, and reliable water for the Navajo Nation, Jicarilla Apache Nation, and City of Gallup in New Mexico. He highlighted that failure to pass this legislation would jeopardize water security for hundreds of thousands throughout the region and endanger the completion of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. Sen. Luján also mentioned his amendment, which has received support from all water settlement parties and committee members.

Sen. Heinrich also emphasized the significance of the committee vote, stating that it was an important step forward for the communities in northwest New Mexico, the Navajo Nation, and the Jicarilla Apache Nation. He acknowledged the substantial funding already delivered towards completing the project but stressed the need to extend the project timeline, make more funding available, and reduce the cost burden on local governments and communities.

Key Changes in the Amended Legislation

1. Increases the Project funding authorization to match updated construction costs;
2. Extends the Project timeline beyond 2024 to 2029 to provide additional time for completion;
3. Establishes trust funds for operations and maintenance costs for the Navajo Nation and the Jicarilla Apache Nation once Project construction is complete;
4. Incorporates certain cost-saving measures, such as renewable energy and San Juan Generating Station water storage facilities;
5. Allows the Project to expand its service area to reach Navajo communities without running water in Lupton, Ariz;
6. Permits Project facilities to treat, store, and convey 2,000 acre-feet-per-year of non-Project water to Utah through an Indian Health Service (IHS) Sweetwater pipeline that runs through New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, which is needed for successful implementation of the as part of the Navajo-Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2020, provided Project costs and timelines are not affected. Construction on the Sweetwater pipeline is mostly complete and funded by the IHS as part of the $3.5 billion provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; and
7. The Navajo Nation, State of New Mexico, Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City of Gallup support the legislation.

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