Bill > S3242

This bill amends the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act to facilitate the implementation of the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement by establishing three new trust funds: the Taos Pueblo Water Development Fund, the Taos Pueblo Groundwater Development Supplemental Trust Fund, and the Taos Pueblo Surface Water Sharing Supplemental Trust Fund. The bill provides mandatory appropriations totaling $367 million, with provisions for adjusting these amounts based on construction cost changes and market volatility. It also creates a new framework for funding mutual-benefit projects, including a Mitigation Well System designed to offset surface water depletion effects, and establishes detailed funding and construction timelines for eligible non-Pueblo entities. The bill includes provisions for alternative or interim offset infrastructure if original project timelines are not met and clarifies that these amendments do not require changes to the existing Settlement Agreement or Partial Final Decree. Additionally, the legislation defines new terms like "Mitigation Well System" and "Pueblo Trust Funds" and provides guidelines for the management, investment, and use of the newly established trust funds, with the goal of supporting water infrastructure development and water rights implementation for the Taos Pueblo.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3242/all-info