WSPC06164

• File Number: 8064
• Description: Federal Water Rights - Colorado Indian Negotiations
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 6/10/1987
• Author: Various
• Title: Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Agreement - Animas-La Plata
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: News Article/Press Release

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STATEMENT OF BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL
JUNE 10, 1987

TODAY, I AM INTRODUCING ON BEHALF OF THE COLORADO AND NEW
MEXICO HOUSE DELEGATIONS, WITH THE CO-SPONSORSHIP OF OTHER HOUSE

MEMBERS, LEGISLATION ENTITLED "THE COLORADO UTE INDIAN WATER

RIGHTS SETTLEMENT ACT OF 1987." THIS LEGISLATION WILL ALSO BE

INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE BY THE COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO SENATE

DELEGATIONS.

AS YOU KNOW, THIS LEGISLATION HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING,

AND REPRESENTS THE CULMINATION OF YEARS OF EFFORT AND HISTORIC

COOPERATION BETWEEN INDIAN AND NON-INDIAN WATER INTERESTS OF

COLORADO, NEW MEXICO, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I AM
PARTICULARLY PROUD AND HONORED, GIVEN MY LONGTIME INTEREST IN THE

ISSUES GIVING RISE TO THIS LEGISLATION, TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE A PART OF THIS EFFORT AND TO INTRODUCE THIS BILL.

, THE COLORADO UTE INDIAN WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENT ACT REPRESENTS

AN HISTORIC AND EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT BY THOSE CONCERNED TO AMICABLY

RESOLVE, IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION AND RESPECT, LONGSTANDING

NATIVE AMERICAN WATER RIGHTS. ON DECEMBER 10, 1986, AFTER YEARS
OF NEGOTIATION, A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED BY THE FEDERAL
DEPARTMENTS OF THE INTERIOR AND JUSTICE, THE STATE OF COLORADO,
AND VARIOUS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, WATER DISTRICTS, DITCH AND CANAL
COMPANIES, AND THE SOUTHERN UTE AND UTE MOUNTAIN UTE INDIAN TRIBES.
THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION REPRESENTS, CODIFIES, AND IMPLEMENTS
THAT EXTRAORDINARY AGREEMENT. LEGISLATION IS NECESSARY AS A

PREREQUISITE TO FINAL JUDICIAL APPROVAL OF THE SETTLEMENT AND

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