After a heated day-long meeting today, The Hopi Tribal council has voted to halt negotiations on a controversial water bill.
The 11-4 vote endorsed a resolution brought forth by former Hopi leaders.
The leaders objected to the bill by Arizona’s U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl that would have settled Hopi claims to the Little Colorado River in exchange for water development projects.
Former Chairman Ivan Sidney declared that Kyl’s bill is now dead, because without all parties agreeing to the water settlement, Kyl has said he won’t move it forward in Congress.
However, the current Hopi Chairman says the tribe will continue water settlement talks with the Navajo Nation, and other industrial users including Peabody Coal and the Navajo Generating Station.