NAVAJO COUNCIL RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE DEBATING RDC’S ACTIONS IN DECEMBER 2013 THAT CREATED CONTROVERSIAL SUBCOMMITTEE OF TWO MEMBERS, RDC MEMBERS DELEGATES LEONARD TSOSIE AND LEONARD PETE, TO DRAFT AGREEMENT BETWEEN NAVAJO NATION AND HRI FOR HRI TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE IN-SITU URANIUM MINING DEMONSTRATION PROJECT NEAR CHURCH ROCK, NM.

RDC CHAIRPERSON DELEGATE KATHERINE BENALLY
I’m the swing vote and I feel that since the RDC established Subcommittee, why is it taking so long? If negotiations are so difficult and I’m reading that. Why is it taking so long?
It sounds so simple and easy.
People saying minor 7 feet.
How much more time does Subcommittee need? Maybe if they can answer? Othewise it could be another three months.
$1.5 billion to cleanup Church Rock and I recall URI saying it wud cleanup Church Rock. Do they really have that kind of money.
I’m really hoping that Delegate Apachito’s legislaton is a compromise to another legislation that is headed to Naabik’iyati Committee to overrule RDC, which I don’t want to see happen.
And I hear uranium dust is flying all over the place but there would be no dust if the uranium had not been disturbed.

RDC MEMBER DELGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
Been only four months, we did two or three meetings and much of the time we spend arguing with the activists. Time allowed to talk, we discovered that cleanup standard had to be developed. NEPA doing with certain standard and HRI saying too strict and HRI will never be able to do.
NEPA testified at Subcommittee meeting that they need health based study before set tribal cleanup standard. And we asked about cost and much of that discussion will happen tomorrow. But I feel that substantial cost for health study.
So I say that Subcommittee will report to RDC in another three to six months.
Delegate Edmund Yazzie challenged us to go to Church Rock and we will go to cleanup sites and homes. If no uranium mining on Navajo land I would be on side saying no uranium mining.
What is happening is our former leaders are allowing this to happen. And former leaders need to be held accountable to what happened to Navajo land.
I think if Delegate Apachito seeking different way is that what is interesting is that Eastern Navajo Land Commission was going to do this over the hill with Delegates Edmund Yazzie, Danny Simpson, Apachito and Charles Damon II.
I texted Delegate Apachito to ask him why he was doing this without talking to me first.
Delegate Yazzie says he was never contacted is untrue. I asked him if he would sponsor. And if he is questioning Church Rock actions then he is criticizing his community.

DELGATE YAZZIE
I never said that.

RDC CHAIRPERSON SMITH
Stay respectful.

DELGATE YAZZIE
I question hearsay by Delegate Tsosie.
For the record, I respect my chapter.