WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wednesday, Senator Kyl joined Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly, and Hopi Chairman LeRoy Shingoitewa at the Department of the Interior to discuss the path forward with regard to resolving the tribes’ water rights claims to the Little Colorado River. Senator Kyl released the following statement on the current state of negotiations:
“I commend the Navajo and Hopi leaders for their continued efforts to resolve important water-rights issues. An opportunity exists to address the significant needs of the Navajo and Hopi people by working on a collaborative solution that would bring much-needed drinking water infrastructure to their reservations. I encourage the tribal leaders to work with each other, the U.S. government, and the state parties to find a path forward. While there are no easy answers, I believe that the needs of the Navajo and Hopi people are far too great for the parties to simply wait for the state courts to issue a paper water decree.”
The parties were also joined by Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes, Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn, Navajo Nation Speaker Johnny Naize, and several members of the Hopi Tribal Council and the Navajo Nation Council.
