WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the March 11 hearing with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Navajo Nation President DBuu Nygren joined tribal leaders to speak directly with Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski about the progress made toward advancing the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act.
President Nygren was joined by Speaker of the 25th Navajo Nation Council Crystalyne Curley, Hopi Tribe Chairman Lamar Keevama, and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe Vice President Johnny Lehi Jr. The leaders discussed the years of behind-the-scenes work required to bring the three tribes together around a shared agreement and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration as Congress considers the legislation.
President Nygren noted that the settlement reflects decades of effort by tribal leaders working to secure a stable future for their communities.
“I know this has been in the making for decades, and over the past three years the three tribes have come together because we realized that in order to be economically stable and plan for the future of our communities, we need reliable water,” Nygren said.
During the meeting, President Nygren also discussed the economic impacts tribes experienced following the early closure of the Navajo Generating Station. He noted that the investment requested through the settlement is significantly less than the economic losses associated with the plant’s closure. Tribal leaders agreed to provide additional figures to help further illustrate the impact as the legislation moves forward.
Chairwoman Murkowski spoke about the cooperation demonstrated by the tribes in reaching the agreement and reflected on the cultural importance of natural resources for Indigenous communities. She noted that Alaska Native communities often speak about ice in the same way Southwestern tribes speak about water, recognizing both as essential to sustaining culture, communities, and future generations.
