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Download Initial expenditure plan for settlement funds focuses on water
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 13, 2016 MEDIA CONTACTS Jared Touchin (928) 221-9253 Jolene Holgate (928) 380-4174 [email protected] Initialexpenditureplanforsettlementfunds focusesonwaterprojectsforNavajocommunities WINDOWROCK–Followingmonthsofdiscussions,publichearings,andmeetingsthatincluded recommendationsfromtheNavajopeople,chapters,andmanyofficials,legislationwasofficially introducedonTuesday,whichseekstoadoptaSÍhasinFundBulkWater&Wastewater DevelopmentExpenditurePlan–thefirstofseveralexpenditureplansthatoutlinestheuseofa portionofthe$554million,lessattorneyfees,receivedfromasettlementagreementwiththe federalgovernment. LegislationNo.0015-16sponsoredbyCouncilDelegateLeonardTsosie(Baca/Prewitt,Casamero Lake,Counselor,Littlewater,OjoEncino,PuebloPintado,Torreon,WhitehorseLake),outlinesan expenditureplanthatallowsforapproximately$101millionforlargewaterprojectsoverafiveyearperiodandcallsfortheuseoffundingfromfederal,state,orprivateentitiesthroughmatch funding,jointfunding,contributionfunding,cost-sharefundingorotheragreementstosubsidize thecostsofthewaterprojects. TheproposedplanwasdevelopedbytheSÍhasinFundSub-committee,whichwasestablishedin April2015andtaskedwithrecommendinganexpenditureplanforthefundsreceivedfromthe federalgovernmentthroughasettlementagreementinwhichtheNavajoNationreceived approximately$554million. DelegateTsosiechairsthesubcommittee,whosemembershipalsoincludesCouncilDelegates SethDamon,NathanielBrown,WalterPhelps,JonathanPerry,OttoTso,NelsonS.BeGaye,Kee AllenBegay,Jr.,MelR.Begay,LeeJack,Sr.,TomT.Chee,andDavisFilfred. Theplandevelopedoverthecourseof12meetingsheldbytheSÍhasinFundSub-committee, whichconsideredpubliccommentsfromsevenpublichearingsthatwereheldacrosstheNavajo Nationin2014,andmanypresentationsandrecommendationsfromnumerousentities. In2014,theCounciladoptedtheNavajoNationBreachofTrustSettlementActthatcreatedthe SÍhasinFundandmandatedthatthefundsfromthesettlementagreementbeusedfor1)the planninganddevelopmentofregionalinfrastructuresupportingeconomicandcommunity developmentand2)educationalopportunitiesformembersoftheNavajoNation. “Morethan80-percentoftheNavajopeoplestatedthattheywantinfrastructuredevelopment withthetrustsettlementfund.TheSÍhasinFundSubcommittee,onbehalfoftheNavajoNation Council,followedthisinstructionfromtheNavajopeople.Developingaplanforthiskindof developmentishardandcomplicatedworkandthesubcommitteeisproudtofinishthisphase,” statedDelegateTsosie,chairoftheSÍhasinFundSubcommittee. The“BulkWater&WastewaterDevelopmentExpenditurePlan”isajointproposalsubmittedby theNavajoTribalUtilityAuthorityandtheNavajoNationWaterManagementBranchthatlists over40projectsthattargetfiveinterrelatedprojectcategoriesincluding: 1) Theestablishmentofbulkwatercapacityandthetreatmentandtransmissionofthatbulk watertothedeliverysystems. 2) Theimprovementofexistingwatersystemsthroughrenovation,upgrade,andcapacity increasetoaccommodatethedeliveryofnewbulkwater. 3) Theconstructionofnewplants,aswellastheupsizingorreplacementofexistingplants, toprocessnewbulkwater. 4) Thedevelopmentandconstructionofbridgewaterprojects,suchasnewgroundwater wells,tobridgethecapacityuntilthelargercapacityreachescertainareasthatare farthestfromthebulkwatersources. 5) Theinterconnectionoflinesthatwillnetworkwatersystemstogethertomovewater fromsystemtosystemandeventuallycreatetheflowpathtomovebulkwatertothe farthestreachesandisolatedcommunities. Accordingtothelegislation,NTUAwouldreceiveapproximately$85millionandtheWMBwould receiveapproximately$16millionoverthefive-yearperiodtocompletetheprojects.Additionally, thelegislationstatesthatNTUAwillrepayitsfundingtotheNavajoNationthroughaloan agreementthatwouldrequiretheapprovaloftheCouncil’sBudgetandFinanceCommittee. DelegateDamon,whoplayedaninstrumentalroleinthedevelopmentoftheplan,alsonoted thatbondfinancingcouldbeanotheroptiontofinanceprojects. “ThisplanaddressesoneofthemostfundamentalnecessitiesforNavajofamilies,communities, andeconomicdevelopment–theneedforwaterinfrastructure.Inordertopromoteeconomic development,wefirstneedbasicinfrastructureandthisplantakesamajorstepinaddressing thatneed,”saidDelegateDamon. TheNationfinalizeditsveryfirstbondfinancingagreementinNovember2015,whichopened anotheravenuefortheNationtofinanceprojectsthatbenefitNavajocommunities. "ItisgoodtoseethesettlementmoniesbeusedfordirectbenefittoNavajopeopleand communities.Theplanincludesbulkwatertransportandwillimproveandupgradecurrentwater infrastructuresothatNavajorate-payerswillnotfootthebillforthiscostinthenearfuture,” statedDelegateTsosie.“TheplanalsoaddressessomewastewaterdevelopmentandSewage DisposalSystemprojectstobeginhelpingwiththeoperationandmaintenancecosttokeeprates down.” AccordingtoDelegateTsosie,theplanwillalsoallowtheNationtoworkwithCongresstohelp fundSewageDisposalSystemprojectsthatwouldprovidedirectwaterlinestoNavajohomesand begintofundtheNavajoNation'sownversionofwaterrightsinfrastructureandotherformof leveragingforwaterprojects. InAugust,theCouncil’sNaabik’iyátí’Committeeapprovedaninvestmentpolicythatallowedthe Nationtoinvestthesettlementfundsintoadiversifiedportfoliothatincludesstocks,bonds,real estate,andotherinvestmentvehiclesthathaveledtoareturnontheNation’sinvestment. TheNation’sinvestorshaveexplainedthatduetothevolatilityofthestockmarket,the settlementfundshavebeeninvestedinincrementsof$50millionpermonthsincetheinvestment policywasapprovedinAugust.Todate,theNationhasinvestedapproximately$200millioninthe stockmarketandwillcontinuedoingsountiltheentireamountisinvestedoruntilan expenditureplanisapprovedbytheCouncil. TheSÍhasinFundSubcommitteesaidadditionalexpenditureplanswillbeintroducedtoaddress economicandcommunitydevelopandeducationopportunitiesasmandatedbytheNavajo NationBreachofTrustSettlementActof2014. LegislationNo.0015-16isassignedtotheResourcesandDevelopmentCommittee,Budgetand FinanceCommittee,Naabik’iyátí’Committee,andtheNavajoNationCouncil.Thebillwillrequire two-thirdsapproval,or16supportingvotes,frommembersofCouncil. Toviewthelegislationandtheprojectlisting,pleaseclickhere.Publiccommentsmaybe submittedtotheOfficeofLegislativeServicesatP.O.Box3390,WindowRock,Arizona86515or [email protected]. ### Fornewsonthelatestlegislativebranchactivities,pleasevisitwww.navajonationcouncil.orgor findusonFacebookandTwitter,keywords:NavajoNationCouncil
