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<br />JUL-ll---SI -l~:"'t:l ,t"MOM=M.t:l.::s.::s. <br /> <br />10,970 247 8827 <br /> <br />PAGE <br /> <br />8/27 <br /> <br />"*""",,ORfCtOR. <br />~l_ <br />.~ c,II1CA'nON~GDClNT <br />(DOOlOIIfI& <br />~~Ik. <br />,>Ot...... <br />_ " .,}:.1lkb1 <br />.tJll)ONm <br />w.a...~fctlo.~ <br />T4tyA.Latoift <br />-~~ <br />"""......... <br />......c._ <br />""'-'d"- <br />L4WOfFIC!ACMINlSTUtoI: <br />000"'_ <br /> <br />Native American Rights Fund <br />1 S06 8rOO<l....y. 6ots1der. G>l"",do 80302-6296 . (J03) 447.$760 . Fa:< (3031 443-7776 <br /> <br />WASHlHC1'ON oma <br />1712 N. SlJa:t. NoW. <br />W~ 0.<:. 2~" <br />C202) 78$-&1" <br />FAX C2lm 8:2.oo6a <br /> <br />OII!CICJII': OF DfVSOfWfhT <br />-"'........ <br /> <br />Statement of John Echohawk <br />Native American Rights Fund <br /> <br />~ <br />-- <br />.-..... ""-' <br />JUles ~ ~.Il.ua" <br /> <br />"~.a OffICE <br />]'0 C ~ See 7mI <br />~ AX.99SOI <br />"""27W6l1O <br />FAX t9Q7) 11~ <br /> <br />AJt08NE\'S <br />~wtalCe A. AKheabre"~ <br />lo4e&rJIer~loMiller <br /> <br />.....tal:dif'WiQrql,a~ <br /> <br />ClWtTWIIIDla:>ltO< <br />...- <br /> <br />My name is John Eehohawk. I am the Executive Director of the Native AIru:rican Rights <br />" <br /> <br />o <br />~ <br />N <br /> <br />Fund ("NARF"), a non-profit law fum dedicated to protecting the legal rights of Indian tribes and <br /> <br />t'7:) <br />10 <br /> <br />individuall11dians. For the last fifteen years, NARF has encoUIaged its client tribes and tribes in <br /> <br />general to engage in negotiatiotlS to resolve m"bal. claims to the right to use of water on their <br /> <br />reservatiotlS. We have beenjoined in that effort by the Western Governors' Association which <br /> <br />has encouraged western stares to join in such discu~sions.. Those of you familiar with western <br /> <br />water law know that under the Winters Doctrine.. tribes have rights under federaliaw to the <br /> <br />substantial amount of water needed to make their reservatiOtlS the permanent homp'"nil<: <br /> <br />promised when those reservatiOtlS were created.. 1be Supreme Court has constantly and <br /> <br />repeatedly recognized such rights, even when the tribal rights interfere with the water rights of <br /> <br />non-l11diantoWtlS, farmers and ranchers. <br /> <br />Negotiated settlements oftbe Tn"bal claims are beneficial to both the affected tribes and <br /> <br />to the surronn,;;ng non-Indian commUDities n,.,."",.... such settlemeIIlS can. provide the Tribes with <br /> <br />the means to put their water to use which is frequently not possible through litigation; <br /> <br />settlements also commonly avoid the disruption to the non-h,,;;:,," community """"",rf by the <br /> <br />assertion and ackDowl~grn""t of In"bal water rights. <br /> <br />JGbD Ecboba..k Stalel8e11t <br /> <br />heel <br /> <br />.. <br />