If U.S. Rep. Deborah Haaland is confirmed as interior secretary, the Native American from New Mexico could make a huge difference to Arizona and the West when her background and outlook are translated into policy.
Experts in Native American affairs and Democratic Party congressional leaders including Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Tucson and Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico offer predictions for how Haalandâs tenure could affect federal lands and waters:
Water rights. Tribes have made a lot of legal headway in establishing claims to water rights, including those from the Tohono OâOdham, the Gila River Indian Community and several other Arizona tribes. But other claims are yet unfulfilled.