Dine' Solid Waste Management receives New Mexico award

Photo by Ford Ashley
Clockwise from top are Frederick Bitsui, principle engineer technician; Cherri Yazzie, intern; James Benally, senior environmental specialist;  Violet Tsosie, intern;  Angie Roan, senior office specialist; and Jim Littlesinger, engineering technician.

Photo by Ford Ashley Clockwise from top are Frederick Bitsui, principle engineer technician; Cherri Yazzie, intern; James Benally, senior environmental specialist; Violet Tsosie, intern; Angie Roan, senior office specialist; and Jim Littlesinger, engineering technician.

WINDOW ROCK -- The Division of Community Development's Solid Waste Management Program was awarded 2006 Tribal Recycler of the Year for addressing solid waste and recycling issues. The SWMP was awarded during the New Mexico Recycling Awards, which are presented every other year, this year held June 14, at the Hotel Albuquerque in Albuquerque, N.M.

The awards were presented as part of the "Managing Waste in the Wide Open Space" conference hosted by the New Mexico Recycling Coalition, the Road Runner Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America, the New Mexico Environmental Department and the Solid Waste Bureau.

"Our aim with the Recycling Awards is to encourage organizations, businesses and individuals to continue the great work.É The Navajo Nation Solid Waste Management Program and [Senior Environmental Specialist] James Benally has shown incredible enthusiasm É with long-term planning and involvement," said English Bird, executive director of NMRC.

Year-round, the SWMP conduct training and outreach to communities, providing training to Navajo Local Governance Support Center staff, chapter officials, chapter Community Service Coordinators and offer other public education efforts.

Benally said that the award would not have been possible without the recycling campaign efforts by former SWMP employee Debra A. Yazzie.

The SWMP is supported by the DCD Administration with its budget priority to establish tribal solid waste authority to manage the solid waste management activities on the Navajo Nation.

Previous tribal recycling award winners are Pueblo of Laguna Environmental Division and Zee Recycling.

James Benally is an active member of the New Mexico Recycling Board.

(Ford Ashley is Public Information Officer for the Navajo Nation Division of Community Development.)

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