Omnibus Public Land Act benefits several tribes

From Native American Times:

The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 was signed into law last week and includes several beneficial provisions for American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes. The bill aids tribes by addressing several key water rights issues, placing land into trust and funding key infrastructure projects.

Specifically, the bill carries an expenditure of $870 million for the Navajo and the Tribe’s water rights to the San Juan River in New Mexico. Federal funds will assess and repair irrigation infrastructures that will impact the entire regions’ efforts at water conservation and includes a pipeline that will serve communities on and off the reservation.

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, Jr., and Navajo Code Talker Frank Chee Willeto of Crownpoint, N.M., were present at the White House for the bill signing. President Obama explained that this new law addresses the future challenges in regard to water issues.

“It’s hard to overstate the real and measurable impact this will have on people’s lives. People like Frank Chee Willetto, a Navajo Code Talker in World War II, who’s joined us today. And because of this legislation, Frank, along with 80,000 others in the Navajo Nation, will have access to clean running water for the very first time,” President Obama stated.

Mr. Willetto attended the bill’s signing as a representative of nearly 80,000 Navajo residents standing to benefit from the water agreements and construction of the Navajo-Gallup pipeline.

There are other benefits to Indian tribes as well. Read more from Native American Times by clicking here.

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