Technical Corrections to the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act, and Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act

# S. 640: Technical Corrections to New Mexico Water Settlement Acts This bill makes administrative corrections to three existing water rights agreements in northwestern New Mexico involving Native American tribes and pueblos. Specifically, it allows the federal government to deposit unpaid interest into three trust funds that were created to help the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and other pueblo communities develop their water resources. Originally, these funds—established in 2009 and 2010—were not permitted to earn or accrue interest, which meant they didn't grow over time.

The bill fixes this limitation by authorizing interest payments to be added to the accounts. The bill primarily affects the Navajo Nation, Taos Pueblo, and several other pueblo communities in New Mexico that are parties to long-standing water rights settlements. By allowing interest to accumulate in these development funds, the bill aims to increase the resources available for these tribes and pueblos to invest in water infrastructure and management projects. This is considered a technical correction rather than a major policy change, as it simply addresses an oversight in the original legislation. **Status:** The bill has passed the U.S. Senate and awaits action in the House of Representatives.