Notice2025-17778
Statement of Findings: Navajo-Utah Water Rights Settlement
Primary source
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Published
September 15, 2025
Effective
September 15, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior Department
Abstract
The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) is publishing this notice in accordance with the Navajo-Utah Water Rights Settlement Act (Settlement Act). The publication of this notice causes the settlement agreement executed in accordance with the Settlement Act to become enforceable and causes waivers and releases of claims executed pursuant to the Settlement Act to become effective.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 176 (Monday, September 15, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 176 (Monday, September 15, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44392-44393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-17778]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of the Secretary
[25XD4523WK\DS10100000\DWK000000.000000\DP10020BOR25000]
Statement of Findings: Navajo-Utah Water Rights Settlement
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) is publishing this
notice in accordance with the Navajo-Utah Water Rights Settlement Act
(Settlement Act). The publication of this notice causes the settlement
agreement executed in accordance with the Settlement Act to become
enforceable and causes waivers and releases of claims executed pursuant
to the Settlement Act to become effective.
DATES: This notice is effective September 15, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Address all comments and requests for
additional information to Sarah LeFlore, Acting Director, Secretary's
Indian Water Rights Office, 1849 C St. NW, Mail Stop 3045, Washington,
DC 20240, (202) 208-5436, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#63100211020b3c0f06050f0c1106230a0c104d070c0a4d040c15"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="85f6e4f7e4eddae9e0e3e9eaf7e0c5eceaf6abe1eaecabe2eaf3">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Settlement Act, section 1102 of Public
Law 116-260, was enacted to resolve certain claims to water of the
Navajo Nation in the State of Utah as set forth in the Navajo Utah
Water Rights Settlement Agreement (Settlement Agreement) and the
Settlement Act, including all claims or defenses in and to the
adjudication commonly known as the Southeastern Colorado River General
Adjudication, Civ. No. 810704477 (09-1) (Utah Jud. Dist. Ct., Grand
Cnty.). The Settlement Parties include the Navajo Nation, the State of
Utah, and the United States.
The Settlement Act and Settlement Agreement, inter alia, recognize
and protect the Navajo Nation's rights to surface and groundwater
within the boundaries of the Navajo Reservation in Utah as defined by
the Settlement Act and Settlement Agreement and establish a Trust Fund
to be used for water development projects on the Navajo Reservation in
Utah.
Statement of Findings
In accordance with section 1102(g)(1) of the Settlement Act and
section 11.1 of the Settlement Agreement, I find as follows:
(1) To the extent the Settlement Agreement conflicts with the
Settlement Act, the Settlement Agreement has been revised to conform
with the Settlement Act;
(2) The Settlement Agreement, as amended, including waivers and
releases of claims set forth in section 12 of the Settlement Agreement
and section 1102(h) of the Settlement Act, has been executed by the
parties, including the United States;
(3) Congress has fully appropriated, or the Secretary has provided
from other authorized sources, all funds agreed to in subsections 5.4
and 5.5 of the Settlement Agreement and authorized under section
1102(f)(1) of the Settlement Act;
(4) The State has enacted any necessary legislation and provided
the funding required under subsection 5.5 of the Settlement Agreement
and section 1102(f)(3) of the Settlement Act; and,
[[Page 44393]]
(5) the court in the Southeastern Colorado River General
Adjudication has entered an interlocutory decree that confirms the
Navajo Nation water rights consistent with the Settlement Agreement and
the Settlement Act and, with respect to the Navajo Water Rights, is
final and nonappealable.
Doug Burgum,
Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2025-17778 Filed 9-12-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4334-63-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 15, 2025.
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