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Senator Hinkins presents Navajo water‑rights negotiation account, cites federal settlement steps
Summary
Senator David Hinkins told the Senate HB127 would create a Navajo Water Rights Negotiation Account to support planning and a state contribution tied to a broader federal settlement; he cited prior intergovernmental agreements and outlined proposed use for drinking‑water projects on the Navajo Nation.
Senator David Hinkins presented House Bill 127 to create a Navajo Water Rights Negotiation Account and to position Utah in ongoing federal negotiations over water rights affecting the Navajo Nation.
Hinkins summarized a long‑running process that began with a 2003 executive agreement between the governor of Utah and the president of the Navajo Nation. He said that agreement and subsequent negotiation work allocated significant shares of Upper Colorado River consumptive use and identified funding for projects that would serve Navajo residents in Utah.
Key sponsor remarks
"On 08/13/2003, the governor of Utah and the president of the Navajo Nation agreed to resolve the water rights dispute," Hinkins said, outlining allocations and the need for planning funds. He described that about 81,500 acre‑feet of water had been assigned to culinary use in negotiations and that the Navajo Nation had identified projects ready for federal approval (presentation: SEG 1702–1710; SEG 1716–1726).
Hinkins said monies in HB127 are intended solely for planning, designing and constructing drinking water projects that will serve residents of the Navajo Nation in Utah and that appropriations in the bill reflect items already in the governor’s budget.
Funding and federal negotiation context
On the floor Hinkins referenced federal negotiation steps and figures discussed in the negotiations: he cited an approximately $154,000,000 federal allocation and an $8,000,000 state contribution described as part of the broader settlement mechanics referenced by the state engineer (SEG 1714–1716).
Floor action
Senators heard the presentation with no extended floor opposition; the bill was placed at the bottom of the third‑reading calendar after a recorded vote (SEG 1768–1771). Senator Van Tassel subsequently moved to table the bill on third for fiscal consideration; the motion to table carried (SEG 1775–1784).
