S. 134, Mescalero Apache Tribe Leasing Authorization Act
Cost Estimate
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on June 28, 2012
S. 134 would authorize the Mescalero Apache Tribe of New Mexico to enter into a lease or other temporary conveyance of its water rights for up to 99 years. The bill would prohibit the Mescalero Apache Tribe from permanently forfeiting their water rights.
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on June 28, 2012
S. 134 would authorize the Mescalero Apache Tribe of New Mexico to enter into a lease or other temporary conveyance of its water rights for up to 99 years. The bill would prohibit the Mescalero Apache Tribe from permanently forfeiting their water rights.
Based on information from the Department of the Interior, CBO expects that the legislation would have no significant impact on the agency’s administrative costs. S. 134 would have no effect on direct spending or revenues because any income resulting from additional leases would be paid directly to the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
S. 134 conatins no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. Enacting this legislation would benefit the tribe.
On October 31, 2011, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 1461, the Mescalero Apache Tribe Leasing Authorization Act, as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on October 5, 2011. The two bills are similar and the CBO cost estimates are the same.