Why it matters: A House Natural Resources Committee subcommittee held a legislative hearing Sept. 16 on eight water, wildlife and public-access bills, spanning California water, tribal settlements, invasive species, Florida wildlife and Yosemite access.

The big picture: The hearing included opening statements from Chair Harriet M. Hageman (R-WY) and Ranking Member Val T. Hoyle (D-OR-4).

The bills included the Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act, the Golden Mussel Eradication and Control Act of 2025, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Water Rights Settlement Act, and an amendment to the Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act.

The package also included the Pechanga Band of Indians Water Rights Settlement Technical Amendments Act, the Restore Florida Water Independence Act of 2026, the SAFE for Manatees Act and the GATOR Act of 2026. The hearing record contains conflicting titles for H.R. 9017, listing both the Restore Florida Water Independence Act of 2026 and a Pechanga water-rights bill.

What they’re saying: Hoyle said tribal leaders had worked to uphold tribal sovereignty and secure reliable water access for their communities.

  • Chair Hageman said Florida’s Section 404 permitting program was vacated after challenges to the Environmental Protection Agency’s delegation of the program to the state.

The witnesses represented tribal governments, water agencies, energy, environmental policy and state regulation. They included Jeff Grubbe of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Mark Macarro of the Pechanga Band of Indians, Christopher Moquino of San Ildefonso Pueblo, and Dave Miko of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Other witnesses included Brett Barbre of the Yorba Linda Water District, Michael Sole of NextEra Energy, George Roberts of the Northwest Florida Water Management District, Amber Crooks of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, and John Truitt of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Political stakes: H.R. 5935 would authorize the Agua Caliente water-rights settlement and establish a $500 million settlement trust fund for water infrastructure and conservation. H.R. 8546 would make technical updates to the Pechanga settlement, while H.R. 6869 would let parties extend the deadline for completing the Pojoaque Basin Regional Water System.

H.R. 9017 would codify an Endangered Species Act biological opinion for Florida’s Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting program, while H.R. 10117 would study public-safety effects involving American alligators and invasive Cayman species.

The bottom line:

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