S564-119

What This Bill Does

The Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act resolves Zuni River Stream System claims and adds land protections tied to the Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary. It ratifies the May 1, 2023 settlement agreement, confirms tribal water rights, establishes a Zuni Tribe Settlement Trust Fund with separate water-rights and operation-maintenance-replacement accounts, appropriates $655.5 million and $29.5 million respectively with cost adjustments, requires New Mexico to contribute $750,000 for monitoring plans and $500,000 for mitigation of non-Indian domestic and livestock groundwater impairment, requires waivers and releases of claims, withdraws and manages federal land to protect Zuni Salt Lake water and cultural resources, restricts wells, grazing increases, rights-of-way, timber, and casual collecting, and directs Interior to take the Tribal Acquisition Area into trust.

Who Benefits and How

The Zuni Tribe benefits from confirmed water rights, $685 million in federal trust-account funding, and land transfers into trust. Zuni water infrastructure and water-resource projects benefit from the $655.5 million settlement trust account and indexed construction funding. Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary benefit from federal land withdrawals, BLM management consultation, and restrictions on wells, grazing, rights-of-way, timber, and collecting. Non-Indian domestic and livestock groundwater users benefit from a $500,000 mitigation account tied to new tribal water use. Allottees and trust-land holders benefit from provisions preserving allottee rights and handling existing rights, leases, permits, and revenues.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Treasury Secretary must transfer $655.5 million and $29.5 million to the Interior Secretary for the two trust accounts. The Interior Secretary, Bureau of Reclamation, BLM, and Bureau of Indian Affairs must implement the agreement, trust funds, land withdrawals, land transfer, and existing-rights administration. The State of New Mexico must contribute monitoring and mitigation funds under the settlement. The Zuni Tribe must execute waivers, submit expenditure reports, manage trust-funded projects, and assume operation, maintenance, and replacement costs. Grazing users, mining interests, rights-of-way applicants, timber users, and casual collectors face restrictions on withdrawn federal land protecting Zuni Salt Lake.

Key Provisions

• Ratifies the Zuni Tribe water-rights settlement and confirms tribal water rights in the Zuni River Stream System.
• Appropriates $655.5 million for the Zuni Tribe Water Rights Settlement Trust Account and $29.5 million for operation, maintenance, and replacement.
• Requires New Mexico monitoring and mitigation contributions and establishes enforceability and waiver conditions.
• Protects Zuni Salt Lake and Sanctuary through federal land withdrawal, BLM consultation, and restrictions on wells, grazing, rights-of-way, timber, and collecting.
• Transfers the Tribal Acquisition Area into trust and directs BIA to assume benefits and obligations under existing rights.