Section 12 of the Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of...

Section 12 of the Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2022 may be why BLM is scratching its collective head about what to do with a parcel whose legal status has been upgraded since the drilling application was filed.

“SEC. 12. TRUST LAND.
(a) LAND TO BE TAKEN INTO TRUST.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—On the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary is authorized and directed to take legal title to the land described in paragraph (2) and hold such land in trust for the benefit of the Hualapai Tribe.
(2) CHOLLA CANYON RANCH PARCELS.—The land referred to in paragraph (1) is, in T. 16 N., R. 13 W., Gila and Salt River Base and Meridian, Mohave County, Arizona—
(A) SW1/4 sec. 25; and
(B) NE1/4 and NE1/4 SE1/4 sec. 35.
(b) RESERVATION STATUS.—The land taken into trust under subsection (a) shall be part of the Hualapai Reservation and administered in accordance with the laws and regulations generally applicable to land held in trust by the United States for an Indian Tribe.”

A quarter section is 160 acres (65 hectares). The first parcel of 160 acres is the location of Hakamwe Spring. The second parcel of 200 acres is just southwest of the first one. It includes a segment of the Big Sandy River.

The December 2022 law provides,

“(c) VALID EXISTING RIGHTS.—The land taken into trust under subsection (a) shall be subject to valid existing rights, including easements, rights-of-way, contracts, and management agreements.”

I haven’t looked closely enough to figure out if any AZL mining claims are included in the 360 acres now given reservation status. But would they be a “management agreement”? I haven’t seen that term used with any BLM activity, but you would have to ask a government lawyer. That might be what the geologists in Kingman are doing now.