By Bill Donovan
Special to the Times
WINDOW ROCK, May 15, 2008

The long-proposed Navajo-Gallup Pipeline is one step closer to becoming more than plans on paper.

The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System Authorization Act passed the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on May 7 and is now headed to the full Senate for a vote.

The legislation reflects a 2005 agreement between the state of New Mexico and the Navajo Nation, which needs congressional approval.

The agreement allocates approximately 600,000 acre-feet of water per year to the Navajo Nation for agricultural, municipal, industrial, domestic and stock watering purposes.

It also authorizes federal funding for the Navajo-Gallup Pipeline project and various water conservation projects in the San Juan basin.

Maria Najera, an aide to Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., said it was unopposed in the committee. Bingaman, who chairs the committee, and Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., wrote the bill and are its chief sponsors.

She added that the bill does not provide funding for the pipeline but only authorizes it. The Senate must allocate funds, probably as part of the federal budget process or in a separate appropriations bill, in order for work on the pipeline to start.

The pipeline, projected to cost between $800 million and $1.2 billion, would originate near Farmington and transport water 90 miles to Gallup. The project would include spur lines to serve chapters in the Eastern Agency.