Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act
This bill proposes technical corrections to two long-running federal efforts dealing with water rights settlements in northwestern New Mexico. It authorizes additional “adjusted interest” payments to three purpose-specific funds: (1) the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund (created under the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009), (2) the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund (established by the Claims Resolution Act of 2010), and (3) the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos’ Fund (also under the Claims Resolution Act of 2010). For each fund, the bill specifies new sums to be appropriated for deposit as adjusted interest payments, intended to support the costs of operating, maintaining, and replacing water facilities and related infrastructure. It also includes a provision waiving certain interest payments owed to the United States and includes a disclaimer ensuring these corrections do not disturb previously satisfied conditions precedent. In short, the bill finances additional interest-like funding to support ongoing water projects and settlements for Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and Aamodt Pueblos.
Key Points
- 1Section 2 modifies the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 to allow for adjusted interest payments and adds a new authorized amount of $6,357,674.46 to be deposited into the Navajo Nation Water Resources Development Trust Fund.
- 2Section 3 adds a new Section 514 to the Claims Resolution Act of 2010, authorizing $7,794,297.52 to be deposited into the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund for adjusted interest payments.
- 3Section 4 adds a new Section 627 to the Claims Resolution Act of 2010, authorizing $4,314,709.18 for adjusted interest payments into the Aamodt Settlement Pueblos’ Fund, with a waiver of certain U.S. interest payments earned prior to September 15, 2017.
- 4Section 5 provides disclaimers clarifying that the bill does not affect satisfaction of key conditions precedent or the validity of related federal determinations.
- 5Overall effect: the bill formalizes additional federal funding (adjusted interest payments) to support the costs of operating and maintaining water facilities associated with these settlements.