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<br />001739 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The Agreement is a lengthy and meticulous document. A <br />summary of it is appended to this statement. The full <br />Agreement has been submitted separately for the record. <br /> <br />The Agreement provides a comprehensive settlement of the <br />Tribes' claims for water which will enable the economic <br />development of their reservations. It has six major components: <br />(I) The Tribes will receive specified amounts of water <br />from the Animas-La Plata and Dolores Projects and <br />additional rights to certain quantities of water from <br />various streams which pass through their reservations. <br /> <br />(2) The manner in which these water rights will be used <br />and administered is prescribed. <br /> <br />(3) In exchange for these water rights. the Tribes will <br />waive all of their reserved rights claims and any <br />claims which they may have against the United States <br />for breach of trust in the United States' capacity as <br />the Tribes' trustee. <br /> <br />(4) $60.5 million will be placed in development funds for <br />the Tribes to enable them to develop their water <br />resources and to otherwise make their reservations <br />economically self-sufficient. <br /> <br />(5) Non-federal parties will contribute money to the <br />financing of the settlement in two regards: <br /> <br />(a) For the financing of the Animas-La Plata Project. <br />and <br /> <br />(b) For the tribal development funds. <br /> <br />(6) Repayment of certain of the costs of the Dolores and <br />Animas-La Plata Projects which are allocable to the <br />Tribes will be deferred. and the Tribes' share of <br />operation and maintenance costs will be borne by the <br />United States. until the Tribes put their water to use. <br /> <br />Purpose of S. 1415 <br /> <br />Federal legislation is required to implement selected <br />provisions of the Agreement. That is why S. 1415 has been <br />introduced. An identical bill. H.R. 2642. has also been <br />introduced in the Senate. Attorney General Woodard's statement <br />provides details about what the bill does. <br /> <br />Let me simply note that the proposed amendments to the bill <br />which have been agreed to with the Departments of the Interior <br />and Justice. and to which the Attorney General will address <br />himself. have my support. With these changes. we are pleased <br />to have the support of the Administration for this legislation. <br /> <br />-3- <br /> <br />~,;~, <br />