releases: https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=13d78c78-8d36-4043-b769-d093d6aa8859
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.flake.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=13d78c78-8d36-4043-b769-d093d6aa8859 | Senate Approves Gosar-Flake Bill Williams River Water Rights Settlement | 2014-12-02 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Republican | House | AZ | Jeff Flake | F000444 | www.flake.senate.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today approved H.R. 4924, the Bill Williams River Water Rights Settlement Act. The bipartisan bill - introduced by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and cosponsored by the entire Arizona U.S. House delegation - would codify agreements that would settle a water-rights dispute in the Bill Williams River Watershed, providing certainty to both Indian and non-Indian water users. An identical companion bill (S. 2503) was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and John McCain (R-AZ). “Senate passage of the Bill Williams River Water Rights Settlement marks yet another positive step forward in Arizona’s long history of proactive water management,” said Flake. “If signed by the president, this settlement will help to foster economic growth in northwestern Arizona, while safeguarding the Hualapai tribe’s culturally significant water uses in the Big Sandy River basin.” Background: Freeport Minerals Corporation owns and operates a copper mine and townsite in Bagdad, Ariz. The water for that operation comes from a series of wells along the Big Sandy River (a tributary of the Bill Williams River) in what is known as the Wikieup Wellfield. Because the Hualapai tribe also owns parcels in the area that could be impacted by Freeport’s pumping, the United States, on the tribe’s behalf, objected to Freeport’s applications to transfer water rights from Planet and Lincoln ranches to the Wikieup Wellfield. As part of this settlement, Freeport will agree to cap its use of water from the Wikieup Wellfield and recognize the water rights of the tribe and allottees on nearby parcels. The tribe and the United States on behalf of the tribe and the allottees further agree to waive claims and drop their objections to Freeport’s severance and transfer request. Finally, Freeport will transfer portions of Planet Ranch for use in the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program (MSCP). In September 2014, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission voted to make payments in lieu of taxes to Mohave and LaPaz counties for land that will be transferred to the MSCP. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |