Tribal leaders and U.S. senators spoke out in support of a measure that would solidify access to water for three tribes with land in Arizona during a Wednesday hearing at the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. The Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement, or NAIWRSA, would settle claims to water by the Navajo, Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute tribes, and provide $5 billion to build new water delivery systems and help the tribes access their water. The settlement would need to be authorized by congress to go into effect. At Wednesday’s Senate committee hearing, impassioned pleas to bring water to tribal communities ran up against federal concerns about the cost of a settlement, and talks of hesitation from some states that use the Colorado River.

Related articles:

• E&E News by Politico: Senators mull water settlement’s hefty price tag
• Tribal Business News: Interior warns of funding gap as tribes back $5B Arizona water settlement
• Navajo Times: Water fight returns to Congress
• KJZZ (Phoenix): Arizona tribal leaders look to sway lawmakers on water settlement at Senate hearing
• Law360: Ariz. tribes’ water rights act faces funding hurdles, DOI says
• Navajo Nation Pres. Buu Van Nygren: News release: President Nygren urges swift passage of water rights settlement to end generational water crisis