Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today introduced legislation to settle Taos Pueblo’s water rights claims in the Rio Pueblo de Taos, a tributary to the Rio Grande.

The legislation, called the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement, would settle a nearly 40-year-old dispute.  It codifies an agreement signed in 2006 by officials from the Pueblo, State and other interested parties.  Specifically, the bill will resolve the Pueblo’s water rights claims in a manner consistent with federal responsibilities to the tribe.  The settlement also protects the interests of local acequias, the Town of Taos, and other domestic water users. 

“As with any water rights settlement, this bill is crucial to New Mexico’s future.  In an arid state such as ours, the legal system is poorly equipped to allocate water and create the infrastructure needed for its efficient use,” Bingaman said. “This bill represents a common-sense set of solutions that all parties to the agreement have a stake in implementing.”

“I am proud to join with Senator Bingaman to introduce a bill to finalize the Abeyta water settlement, legislation that represents a major milestone in the resolution of Taos Pueblo’s water rights claims in the Rio Pueblo de Taos,” said Udall. “Years of work and negotiation have gone into this settlement, and I am pleased that the tribes, village, city, county, acequias, and community groups involved were able to come to an agreement that is mutually beneficial to all the users of water in the Taos Valley.”

Implementing the settlement requires funding a number of small projects to help improve water use efficiency; groundwater management; and improve water quality in the Taos Valley.  The pueblo will also receive direct funding to manage its water resources.  In total, the Taos settlement is expected to cost the Federal government approximately $120 million.  The state of New Mexico is expected to contribute approximately $15 million to the effort.

The recently enacted Omnibus Public Lands Bill, which Bingaman helped shepherd through Congress, contained a provision that will help pay for the implementation of the settlement in the event that appropriations fall short.