Concerned individuals and groups report to the Navajo Council Health, Education and Human Services Committee on the “imminent threat of uranium mining” at the Navajo Council chamber in Window Rock, Ariz., on April 2, 2014. (L-R) Becenti Chapter Vice President Jonathan Perry, Sierra Club representative Robert Tohe, and Dine’ No Nukes representative Leona Morgan. Sitting behind Perry, Tohe and Morgan is Navajo Council Delegate Danny Simpson. Photo by Marley Shebala

HERE AT NAVAJO COUNCIL HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE.

HEHS COMMITTEE MEMBER DELEGATE JOSHUA BUTLER
Get us copy of Delegate Edmund Yazzie’s Legislation 0091-14. I have never heard of legislation rescinding another legislation. And is there a moratorium on uranium? (NOTE – 0091-14 HAS 0373-13/RDC 69-13 ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT A)

BECENTI CHAPTER VICE PRESIDENT JONATHAN PERRY
Yes there is a law banning uranium mining and 0373-13/RDC 69-13 chips away at that law and that is why we are focused on 0091-14.

DINE’ NO NUKES LEONA MORGAN
According to Navajo Department of Justice, 0373-13/RDC 69-13 violates Dine’ Natural Resources Act and Radioactive Transportation Act and 0373-13/RDC 69-13 shouldn’t be carried out.

LEGISLATIVE ATTORNEY MARIAN KAHN
0373-13 was brought to Navajo Nation Legislative Counsel Office and legislation written as Right-Of-Way and attorneys asked why legislation needed to acknowledge that entity had ROW. It initially was written for entire Navajo Council. But delegate brought it back to Legislative Counsel and said that Resources and Development Committee

Council divided its powers among Committees but Council as whole can reexamine authorities and actions of one of its committees and it’s under that authority that Council reexamine this issue as a whole. And probably discussion here will be discussed at Council.

HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON JONATHAN HALE
So presenters and HEHS Committe member Josh Butler asking for support and understand that one little committee made decision impacting the devastating legacy of uranium mining. And 0373-13 is now raising issues over the power, authority and responsibility of individual committees.

HEHS COMMITTEE MEMBER DELEGATE WALTER PHELPS
Wonder if Navajo Water Resources and Indian Health Services has wells where uranium mining operation being done because aquifer flows in certain direction and there need to be precautionary measure by tribe on whether there is something to be concerned about or not. WE had similar issue with aquifer plume and it will eventually drift downstream and so we need monitoring of plumes by tribal Water Resources and Indian Health Services. Or have they been doing monitoring and testing.

LEONA MORGAN
There are some monitoring wells, there is Pine Dale, Becenti. Some clean up north eastern Church Rock but we don’t have data.

HEHS CHAIRPERSON HALE
the question is whether our caretakers, Navajo Water Resources and Indian Health Services, is monitoring and testing and collecting data. And that might be one of the loop holes so this is about bringing this issue to table and fix it.

LEONA MORGAN
Church rock contaminated and closest water source to Section 8 was contaminated and since closed and not being used, they are not being monitored cuz not being used. But testing still needs to be done.

HALE
that is what I was talking about.

JONATHAN PERRY
regarding information we discussed here, they are all on the disc.

HALE
presentation on rescinding legislation 0373-13 is needed. and i got mine.
anymore questions? None. Call for Vote

VOTE: 3 IN FAVOR, 0 OPPOSED on accepting report from Concerned Groups and Individuals about “imminent threat of uranium mining.”