Navajo Attorney General Harrison Tsosie Endorses Water Rights Settlement

Native News Network Staff in Native Challenges. Discussion »

WINDOW ROCK – In the midst of much pushback from many Navajo citizens, Navajo Nation Attorney General Harrison Tsosie released a letter this week endorsing the Little Colorado River Water Rights Settlement.

Harrison Tsosie Speaking
before Congress

In the letter, Attorney General Tsosie urged the Navajo Council to expedite their approval of the agreement.

“The Settlement Agreement offers certainty and finality, and includes many benefits that could not be obtained through litigation,”

Tsosie wrote.

“I urge you to do everything in your power to make the introduction of legislation to approve the Settlement Agreement a high priority for the Council.”

The settlement guarantees that generations of Navajo citizens will have clean, reliable drinking water, and there will be additional water to develop vibrant communities with businesses, hospitals and schools. It also helps bring drinking water to countless Navajo homes that currently don't have this lifeline. In addition, it provides hundreds of millions of dollars to fund the construction of wells and pipelines so the Navajo Nation can access muchdžneeded groundwater.

The Water Rights Commission unanimously voted in support of the agreement. Commissioners have made numerous public presentations throughout the Navajo Nation to educate residents about the myriad benefits of the agreement.

posted May 18, 2012 6:50 am edt