New five-year plan for uranium contamination on Navajo Nation

TSE BONITO, N.M. - Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye and Vice President Jonathan Nez met with representatives from federal agencies to continue discussion of the impacts of uranium contamination on the Nation and outlined five objectives for a second five-year plan.

The president and vice president met with representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and Indian Health Services.

The meeting was a continuing discussion of federal action to address the impacts of uranium contamination on the Nation. As the first five-year plan comes to completion, the tribe and the EPA are entering the second five-year plan with five major objectives.

"We want to administer and have oversight on how these funds are expended," Begaye said. "This would ensure that our Navajo people affected by uranium contamination will receive all funding and no pass through."

Dr. Donald Benn, director for the Navajo Nation EPA, asked about the possibility of creating a Navajo Region.

"I understand EPA Region 9 also provides services and consultation to 150 other tribal nations," he said. "We are a large Nation and there is no comparison to a small tribe with only 400 members. Therefore, we need our own region."

Benn said the Navajo Nation wants decision-making authority for tribal members and to become more independent.

The EPA presented information on the progress for abandoned mines cleanup on the Nation from 2008-2016. Nine mines had emergency cleanup action taken for the provision of safe drinking water for 3,013 homes and remediation for protection of tribal members at 47 homes containing radioactive material.

Nez said the Nation has a high unemployment rate and that one of the four pillars of the Begaye-Nez administration is job creation for the Navajo people.

"As we sit here, under formal consultation, we are expressing a great need for you to employ our Navajo people and Navajo-owned businesses to assist with this cleanup process," Nez said.

Begaye said large national and international companies are asking the Nation to assist with the cleanup process.

"Their only concern is the money they will be earning through this deal," he said. "We must hire our own Navajo businesses to do this work because there is a sincere commitment to do this job correctly and safely for our people."

Begaye and Nez urged the EPA to work within the parameters of the Navajo Preference Act provisions and employ Navajo people and Navajo businesses for the cleanup process.

"Keep the dollars on the Navajo Nation," they said.

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