Press Releases

Gosar Sponsored Water Rights Settlement Unanimously Passes Resources Committee

Washington, DC, November 19, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after his sponsored legislation, H.R. 4924, the Bill Williams River Water Settlement Act passed the House Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent:

For Immediate Release
Date: Nov. 19, 2014

Contact: Steven D. Smith
Steven.Smith@mail.house.gov

Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after his sponsored legislation, H.R. 4924, the Bill Williams River Water Settlement Act passed the House Natural Resources Committee by unanimous consent:

“I am very pleased to see this important, bipartisan water rights settlement pass unanimously through the House Committee on Natural Resources. Thousands of Arizonans, including the Hualapai Tribe, are one step closer to benefiting from this legislation which will result in a significant net water benefit to the region. In addition, this bill allows for additional public access for hunting and fishing while the local counties benefit from the good paying jobs and tax revenue associated with continued use of the Bagdad Mine.

“Water is critical to our continued economic stability in Arizona and is a limited resource on which there are many existing demands that need to be met. This settlement sets a positive example for public/private partnerships to advance a cooperative resolution for long-standing water disputes. Furthermore, it will provide clarity and certainty of water resource availability to other water users in the State of Arizona. This bill clearly has overwhelming support and I will continue to push for this legislation to be brought to the House floor for a vote as soon as possible.”

Background:

H.R. 4924 would facilitate the achievement of a fair and equitable settlement of certain claims within the Bill Williams River watershed among the Hualapai Tribe, the U.S. Department of the Interior acting on behalf of itself and as trustee for the Tribe, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, and Freeport McMoRan Minerals Corporation. The bill would ratify the Big Sandy River-Planet Water Rights Settlement Agreement and the Hualapai Tribe Bill Williams River Water Rights Settlement Agreement.

The Congressional Budget Office has determined that the bill costs nothing to the federal government. Additionally, The Hualapai Tribe benefits from this legislation by securing certain water rights from two non-federal contributions by Freeport-McMoRan for an infrastructure fund and an economic development fund.

Congressman Gosar has posted a fact sheet for H.R. 4924 on his website which can be found HERE.

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