Doesn't the law provide for the waiver of these regulations in an economic emergency, and why isn't the Department following through on that?

I have no further questions, Madame Chairwoman.

I am strongly in favor of additional water development. I believe that the projects contemplated by this legislation will be a boon to the entire region.

Well, the Federal trust responsibility is to assign water rights to the reservation; it is not to pay for the project for the reservation.

If the Pueblo has surplus water, what does the Pueblo do with that? It is up to your discretion, right?

why should United States citizens outside of the Pojoaque Basin pay for 'a local water settlement' such as the proposed Aamodt settlement?

You are taking money in for it, but the taxpayer, who has financed the project, isn't getting it.

Right. But given the fact that we are advancing funds, and we are assigning rights before the settlement is in place, and knowing that there is significant opposition, makes me a little hesitant.

The citizens of our county have no control or oversight over tribal representatives, development, and countless other issues.

I have always believed that local water projects should be financed by local revenue bonds that are redeemed by local users of the water in proportion to their use.

There will be demand in the future from non-Pueblo residents to connect to the system, and that it would be a very unfortunate outcome if those people were told no, you cannot connect, this is a Pueblo-only system.

But the decisions are going to be made in part by sovereign entities, over which the voters don't have any control.