Delegate Tsosie says Red Pond people want to relocate

Naabik’iyati Committee having very heated debate on Delegate Edmund Yazzie’s Legislation 0091-14 to nullify Resources and Development Committee legislation that created RDC Subcommittee to draft agreement with URI for in-situ uranium mining demonstration project near Church Rock, NM.

DELEGATE NELSON BEGAYE
to refer back to RDC is asking RDC to rescind and nullify December 2013 action that created Subcommittee and what we are doing here is proper and we need to listen to “outcry” out there.

Also say, we have sitting here all day and this is first legislation that we are addressing so maybe we shud place reports at end of agenda.

but in listening to colleagues it bothers me.

I’m ready to vote.

DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
We will be doing away with Navajo jurisdiction. I guarantee that by next week that there will be lawsuit to question Indian Country jurisdiction. WE lost the case involving Church Rock. We lost case in HRI. REad it yourself, dont trust NDOJ Taylor. I submit that have 20 percent change of winning case. Yes, URI has to cross 30 feet and what judge deny that. I was coming in this morning and look at Tse Bonito, NM, and we have no taxation. I want delegates who voted yes to admit they were wrong when we lose jurisdiction when federal court tells us that we have no jurisdiction. You cud say that land is Navajo but it’s checkerboard. And Navajo Chairman Paul Jones approved. I’m afraid that if we lose jurisdiction that they’ll go to regular uranium mining. by voting yes on this, you vote against jurisdiction.

Subcommittee is about talking things out with URI and that is Navajo way. what is so wrong about talking about it. we learned that NEPA and NDOJ not doing jobs. look at all 521 uranium studies and there is suppose to be health study but they haven’t done cuz of funding. I know why they support 0091-14 cuz they don’t want us to push them. And Church Rock passed resolution supporting us. 7 million pounds of uranium and some under allottments.

half of my constituents testified and they said they want uranium development. at church rock, red pond said they want to move. they want to move north but no power lines.

and we have chapter boundaries crossing each other at that site and they are asking us to fix that. so they are trying to deal with that. this Subcommittee has been dealing with issues other than URI. and what about settlement from former uranium companies? and Sierra working with activists and paying activists.

so what do when lose jurisdiction? between creator and me i tried to keep jurisdiction. those that vote yes you stand in front of bulldozer. go chain yourself to fense, camp out there otherwise not speak with mouth and not do anything. 80 percent chance we will lose jurisdiction and URI will do what they want. We were trying to push URI away from Crownpoint. WE wud have lost 42,000 acres.

Yes, NDOJ Taylor can say lawsuit but we wanted to talk out. I gave URI offer to NDOJ so not working alone.

RDC Chairman Benally gave deadline and now I am alerting delegates of consequences.

DELEGATE APACHITO
I do have legislation before RDC and Madame Chair wanted to give Subcommittee more time to come up with something. But we haven’t got anything from them. There is no commitment letter. Benally gave Aug. 27 deadline but she said i cud bring back anytime. When Delegate Tsosie says only 30 feet, that is still Navajo land and Navajo law applies. And this never went through process. even though 30 feet, those two laws still apply to those 30 feet. NDOJ has legal opinion about that. I don’t know why Delegate Tsosie so afraid of URI.

DELEGATE JOSH BUTLER
how many bills out there? i’m confused.
can there be a bill analysis of all of them, pros and cons.

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