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<br />t <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />interests in southern Arizona and against the city of Tucson by a negoti- <br /> <br />ated settlement that culminated in Public Law 97-293, the Southern Arizona <br /> <br />Water Rights Settlement Act of 1982. Besides an exchange of certain of its <br /> <br />unsuitable lands for agricultural acreage, the Papago Tribe was given <br /> <br />$15,000,000 for a tribal trust fund, $3,500,000 for construction of an <br /> <br />irrigation system, an additional $5,250,000 for its so-called Cooperative <br /> <br />Fund - all this from the Federal Government. In addition, the state of <br /> <br />Arizona had to contribute $2,750,000; the City of Tucson, $1,500,000; and <br /> <br />private corporations, $1,000,000 <br /> <br />a grand total of approximately <br /> <br />$29,000,000. My point is that settl ing I ndian water rights disputes is an <br /> <br />expensive undertaking, particularly if the issue is allowed to ferment and <br /> <br />fester for many years before action is ta ken. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Senator Gary Hart included the following comment in his remarks <br /> <br /> <br />before the United States Senate on June 20, 1985, in regard to the <br />Animas-La Plata Project and the water rights of the Southern Ute, Ute <br /> <br />Most important, this project will assist in addressing <br />and fulfilling the longstanding entitlements of the <br />Southern Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, and Navajo Indian <br />Tribes. By proceeding with this project, the U. S. <br />Government has an opportunity to rectify years of <br />social and economic injustice to these tribes. The <br />Federal Government helped create this situation ,by <br />waiting over a century after the reservations were <br />established before making any attempt to quantify the <br />rights to which the tribes are entitled. Fulfilling <br />these Indian rights is a national obligation which must <br />be dealt with by the Federal Government. <br /> <br />I <br />, <br />, <br /> <br />Mountain Ute, and Navajo Indian Tribes: <br /> <br />In closing, I ask this audience to give an awakened consideration of <br /> <br />this extremely important issue as a factor of justification for proceeding <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />without delay in the construction of the Animas-La Plata Project. <br /> <br />0161 <br /> <br />12 <br />