Luján Presses Bureau of Reclamation to Fully Fund and Complete the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project

Bureau of Reclamation Commits to Review Hold Up in Funding Following Luján Questioning

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, questioned Scott Cameron, Acting Commissioner at Bureau of Reclamation, regarding fully funding and completing the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. During the Committee on Indian Affairs hearing, Senator Luján's questioning focused on why the Bureau of Reclamation has not released $120 million in funding for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project from the Reclamation Water Settlements Fund and underscored the urgent need to fund and complete the project.

An excerpt of the exchange is available below. Full video is available here.

Senator Luján: Mr. Cameron, President Trump's budget request of FY27-I think you are aware of a letter that myself, House colleagues, Senate colleagues, Democrats and Republicans sent to the secretary. We included you on the letter advocating for support of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.

Now, we were all disappointed with the lack of funding requested from the administration on the project in FY2026, and I certainly hope we don't see that in the FY2027, which is why you have a group of Democrats and Republicans writing about this. So there's not a question.

Now, as a result, I was proud to work with the leadership and the staff in this room, and I want to commend them and thank them all for the work that was done to secure $55 million in CDS to keep the project moving.

In addition to that, the leadership on this committee also provided support, as did all of our colleagues, to provide use and access to the Bureau of Reclamation-$120 million from the Water Settlement Fund. As you're aware, I appreciate that acknowledgment. As you may know, this project is still waiting for the $120 million in funding to be assigned to the Navajo-Gallup Water Project.

Just as a reminder: if this project fails, it would be the first to fail. Once we know one fails, they all fail, and we do not want to see the first one fail. So, Secretary, I'm hoping I can get your commitment today that the funding will come through and that you will do everything you can to keep this project on track.

Mr. Cameron: I can't speak to the president's 2027 budget, but as you know very well, Senator, the Navajo-Gallup Project is the number one priority for the Water Settlement Fund, and we are doing everything we can to deliver on time on that project. It's the biggest construction project in the Bureau of Reclamation.

Senator Luján: Can you speak to the $120 million at BOR now in the Water Settlement Fund, which we know exists? That money exists. Can you give us a timeline as to when that will be transferred over, since it has already been approved by Congress?

Mr. Cameron: I will have to look into that, Senator. I frankly was not aware of there being a holdup on that. But that's the first thing I will do when I get back to the office.

Background:

Senator Luján has long supported efforts to fund and complete the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.Senator Luján introduced the original Navajo-Gallup Water Supply legislation in the House of Representatives when he represented New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. That original authorization was part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.

The Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project settled the Navajo Nation's water rights in the San Juan Basin of New Mexico and funded the design and construction of the waterline to reach an estimated 250,000 people by the year 2040. Upon completion, the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project will provide a long-term, sustainable water supply from the San Juan River to roughly 43 Chapters on the eastern Navajo Nation, the southwestern portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the City of Gallup, which currently rely on a rapidly depleting groundwater supply of poor quality.

In January 2026, Senator Luján secured $55 million to support the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project in the Fiscal Year 2026 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill. Senator Luján also raised the project's cost ceiling to allow the Bureau of Reclamation to release $120 million for Fiscal Year 2026 for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project through its Reclamation Water Settlements Fund.

In July 2025, Senator Luján pressed nominee for Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Billy Kirkland, on commitment to fund and complete the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.

In March 2025, Senator Luján passed the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project Amendments out of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The bill amends the Navajo Gallup Water Supply Project to ensure it has the resources and time needed to reach completion to deliver drinking water to northwestern New Mexico communities.

In January 2025, Senator Luján announced $120 million for Fiscal Year 2025 for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project using funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Reclamation Water Settlements Fund.

In August 2024, Senator Luján and the N.M. Delegation welcomed a $267 million Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project contract to design and build the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant in northwest New Mexico. The plant is the largest and most important feature of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project.

For more information about the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, click here.

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