Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025

H.R. 1444 would recognize and settle water rights disputes involving the Zuni Tribe in New Mexico. The bill would ratify a water rights settlement agreement covering the Zuni River Stream System and establish the Zuni Tribe Settlement Trust Fund with federal funding to carry out the agreement's terms. It would specify the Zuni Tribe's water rights and outline what claims would be waived or retained by both the tribe and the federal government.

The bill would also protect the Zuni Salt Lake by withdrawing certain federal land in New Mexico from mineral development. The Bureau of Land Management would manage this land to protect the salt lake, its water supply, and associated cultural resources. Additionally, the Department of the Interior would take surrounding land into trust for the Zuni Tribe's benefit. If enacted, these provisions would resolve longstanding water rights disputes and provide the tribe with greater control over water resources and lands important to their community.