Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, Salt River Indian Community President Martin Harvier and Ak-Chin Indian Community Chairman Robert Miguel gathered on Dec. 11 to discuss the way the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will benefit their communities. /Photo via Gila River Indian Community
By Debra Utacia Krol | Arizona Republic
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland laid out plans Tuesday for using infrastructure money to fund Indian water rights settlements, including several in Arizona.
Haaland met with Arizona tribal leaders Monday and visited the Gila River Indian Community Tuesday morning. She is expected to formally discuss the plan and other funding to address water infrastructure and drought resilience in Arizona Tuesday afternoon with other federal and state officials.
In a statement, Haaland said tribes across the United States would receive $2.5 billion to fund Indian water rights settlements, with the first $1.7 billion being allocated in 2022 to finalize settlements with existing federal obligations. The funding applies to settlements enacted by Congress as of Nov. 15, when President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Several tribes in Arizona have long had to deal with inadequate water supplies, tainted waters from uranium or arsenic, and outdated sanitation systems. The White Mountain Apache Tribe has waited about 40 years to build a new water system, while an estimated 30 to 40% of Navajo homes lack running water.
