WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, July 30, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell will sign an historic agreement at the Department of the Interior that will guarantee water rights for the White Mountain Apache Tribe of Arizona and provide water security for the City of Phoenix and other downstream water users. The ceremony will be live-streamed to the public.
Secretary Jewell will be joined by White Mountain Apache Chairman Ronnie Lupe, Former U.S. Senator John Kyl, U.S. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick and other federal, tribal and state dignitaries.
The White Mountain Apache Reservation includes more than 1.6 million acres in the headwaters of the Salt River basin in Arizona. The agreement to be signed on Tuesday will provide funding for design and construction of a rural water delivery system on the Reservation and secure water flow for the city of Phoenix which depends on the same river basin for basic water needs. The agreement is one of four Indian water agreements authorized in the Claims Resolution Act signed by President Obama on December 8, 2010.
WHO: Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior
Ronnie Lupe, Chairman, White Mountain Apache Tribe
Larry Roberts, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs
Jon Kyl, Former U.S. Senator, State of Arizona
Ann Kirkpatrick, U.S. Representative, State of Arizona
Other Federal, tribal and state dignitariesWHAT: Signing Ceremony for White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Agreement WHEN: Tuesday, July 30, 2013, 1 p.m. EDT WHERE: University of Washington
Haggett Hall
354461 Whitman Court
Seattle, WA 98195MEDIA: This event will be live-streamed for coverage at www.doi.gov/live ###