Uranium Resources Incorporated (URI) is trying to cut corners
by avoiding the Temporary Access Agreement it signed with Navajo Nation in July 2012. URI agreed to submit to the “full …jurisdiction” of the Navajo Nation and to CLEAN UP CONTAMINATION in Churchrock, NM (Sections 17 & 8) prior to any ISL mining. To date, URI has not started work and does not agree to Navajo clean up standards. Legislation 0373-13 (passed in December by 3 Council Delegates) has created ways for URI to avoid Navajo law and its clean up responsibility.
The Legislation 0373-13 (Tsosie), did 2 things:
1) Acknowledged a Right of Way for URI to access its private land
2) Created an RDC Subcommittee to “negotiate” with URI
According to the Navajo Nation Attorney General, Navajo DOJ and Navajo EPA, Leg. 0373-13 contradicts existing Navajo Policies: the 2005 Diné Natural Resources Protection Act and 2012 Radioactive Materials Transportation Act and does not cite the Temporary Access Agreement at all. The DNRPA is the uranium-mining moratorium and the RMTA sets regulations on the transport of all things radioactive.
This RDC Subcommittee is doing the work of the upcoming Navajo Uranium Commission. The big difference here is that URI is at the table with Council Delegates negotiating and there’s no seat for community input. Let’s hold URI accountable to do the clean up it agreed to in the Temporary Access Agreement and get rid of Leg. 0373-13 altogether!
Please SUPPORT Legislation No. 0091-14 (YAZZIE) which will rescind Leg. 0373-13 at the next Naa’bik’iyati’ meeting on Friday, June 27th.
Call Navajo Nation Council Delegates at 928-871-6380 & ask to VOTE YES to 91-14 or attend the next Naabi meeting at the Council Chambers in Window Rock Friday June 27, 2014, Ahéhee’!
Reasons to Support Leg. 0091-14 (Yazzie) and Rescind Leg. No. 0373-13 (Tsosie):
1) The Legislation No. 0373-13 is considered “invalid” by Navajo DOJ & Navajo EPA because it conflicts with current Navajo Nation policy. It allows URI to have a “right of way” over trust land, to use it’s NRC license and to negotiate with the Resources and Development Committee or “RDC” Subcommittee, but does not cite the Navajo Diné Natural Resources Protection Act (uranium moratorium) and Radioactive Materials Transportation Act (regulates transports) or the Temporary Access Agreement (URI agreed to Navajo Jurisdiction and to clean up first).
2) URI needs to do clean up in Churchrock before any ISL mining according to Temporary Access Agreement, and they need to Clean Up according to Navajo EPA’s standards.
3) The land referred to in this legislation does not involve Navajo Indian Allotments, but the impact of Leg. 0373-13 challenges our Navajo DNRPA and RMTA, especially in the checkerboard area, and protects the interest of the mining companies over the People.
4) Community Opposition to NEW Uranium Mining is STRONG!! Several Chapter Resolutions (and 2 Agencies) have been passed opposing Leg. 0373-13. There are many reasons to keep new mining from happening, from our health and economy to the realities that we have no adequate EMERGENCY RESPONSE and NO NAVAJO PREFERENCE for hiring. The most important reasons are for the protection of Dinétah our WATER for the FUTURE GENERATIONS.
Thank you for your support!
WATER IS LIFE! 