Facebook Twitter Email
DECEMBER 15, 2000

Soon to depart from his top position in the Clinton administration, Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt on Thursday praised the increased involvement of tribes and tribal governments in settling water rights and other environmental disputes in the West.

"I take great satisfaction in the way we have, in recent years, brought tribal governments into the mainstream of Colorado River Basin policy and administration," said Babbitt at the the annual meeting of the Colorado River Water Users Association. "Prior to Arizona v. California, tribal governments were relegated to watching from the sidelines as other parties negotiated."

Historically, tribes indeed been left out of water talks in the West. In 1922, when the seven member states of the Association entered into a compact addressing their water rights on the Colorado River, the ten tribes in the basin were excluded.

Now, as Babbitt pointed out, the tribes have taken key roles in resolving disputes. But Babbitt's reference to the Arizona v. California case emphasizes the fact that states in the West are often at direct odds with tribes.

This year, for example, the states of Arizona and California, the original parties in the case, attempted to argue that the Quechan Nation wasn't entitled to seek additional water rights on the Fort Yuma Reservation in Arizona. The Supreme Court, however, disagreed, ruling in favor of the United States and the tribe.

Still, Babbitt noted that the Congress has been successful in settling the water rights of the Shivwits Tribe in Utah and the San Luis Rey Band of Indians in California. He also expressed hope that Congress would soon pass the Colorado Ute Settlement Act.

"This legislation will enable us to at last meet the commitments to the Ute tribes made by the United States long ago," said Babbitt.

At the same time Babbitt said there is still more work to do, particularly with legislation affecting the Gila River Indian Community, the Tohono O'odham Nation, and the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona. He also said the water rights of the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe of Arizona, and Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico still have to be addressed.

Eventually, Babbitt said the rights of all tribes in the basin will be settled.

"We should take special note of this remarkable transformation that we are well on the road to completing," said Babbitt. "Indian water issues, once viewed as an insurmountable obstacle or a threat to the economic well being of non-Indian communities, have now been worked out and accommodated within the framework of the law of the river."

Read Babbitt's Speech:
Remarks by Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt Colorado River Water Users Association Meeting (December 14, 2000)

Get the Arizona v. California 8 ruling:
Syllabus | Opinion | Dissent

Related Stories:
Water project may pass today (ENviro 12/15)
Ute settlement held up in Congress (Enviro 11/06)
Cost of Ute settlement questioned (Enviro 11/2)
Campbell changes Ute bill (Enviro 11/1)
Vote on water project stalled (Enviro 10/20)
Ute settlement threatened, fears Campbell (Enviro 10/13)
Court upholds water rights (Enviro 06/20)

Relevant Links:
Colorado River Water Users Association - http://crwua.mwd.dst.ca.us/