Wednesday,
May 9, 2007
N.M. Senators Gain Support
for Plan to Involve Pueblos in Key Water Projects
Source: US Senator Pete Domenici
The provision, put into the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2007 at the Senators’ urging, would make it possible for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to enter into cooperative agreements with New Mexico pueblos, allowing the pueblos to play a greater role in assisting the Corps with operation and maintenance activities on flood control projects.
"With New Mexico’s tenuous water situation, it’s necessary that federal officials in the state have the authorization to work with Indian tribes to efficiently and effectively maintain important civil works programs,” said Domenici. “This provision will make it possible for the federal government to work directly with pueblos in our state on key habitat restoration projects and water operations, which will help improve the overall condition of the Middle Rio Grande,” Bingaman said.
WRDA authorization of the Corps’ Tribal Partnership program expired last year. The Tribal Partnership program allows the Corps to perform watershed assessments and study flood damage reduction and environmental restoration projects on tribal lands that will substantially benefit New Mexico’s tribes and pueblos. In a letter to the leaders of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee – the panel that wrote WRDA – Domenici and Bingaman last month jointly recommended a number of provisions be included the bill that would address significant water resource needs both nationwide and in the state of New Mexico.
“We are hopeful that other recommended provisions, such as appropriations for the Albuquerque levees, Rio Grande Watershed Study reimbursement funds, and further tribal partnership efforts, are included in the WRDA bill, so that New Mexico’s water resources and development can be best managed,” Domenici continued.
“This bill has a number of provisions that are very beneficial to New Mexico. I look forward to trying to improve it further and hope we can get broad support for its passage,” Bingaman said.
WRDA authorizes appropriations for water resource projects, study authorizations and policy modifications for the Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works program. Domenici is chairman of the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee that provides funding for WRDA-authorized projects.