NAVAJO COUNCIL RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE DEBATING RESCINDING OF ITS DECEMBER 2013 LEGISLATION THAT CREATED RDC SUBCOMMITTEE TO WORK WITH HRI…

RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER DELEGATE LEONARD TSOSIE
What will you do if we lose jurisdiction? If we lose, we will be on sideline. We will not be able to object. Your legislation will cause loss of jurisdiction because HRI won case and it involved Navajo Justice Department attorney Taylor.
Jurisdiction means the authority to control events.
I know ENDAM goes to all these Navajo Council committee meetings scaring everybody. Water is already contaminated. It’s not drinkable.
When look at this we need to look at facts and not scare tactics.
We looked at Radioactive Transportation Act and show me, Delegate Apachito, how violated.
Paul Jones already gave it and this is where chances of winning court fight minimal. If you read deed, you are telling company, we no longer want to talk to you and that is breach of deed. And I won’t be surprised if HRI in court tomorrow.
Lose 42,000 acres of land cuz HRI just buy back. DOJ says no but they are not court. Federal court, which is not Indian friendly, will do that. So attach your name, Delegate Apachito, to the loss of 42,000 acres of land.
When the Subcomittee went to work, we asked all parties to sit at table. First time HRI and DOJ at table.
If take Navajo uranium cleanup standard that US Environfmental Protectin Agency pulled out of the sky, to court, the court will overrule, overturn it and put it to the side. And this legislation is what that will cause.
I wanted to go to committees where ENDAM scaring committees.
The legislation does not allow uranium mining but for subcommittee to work on and bring back to RDC. We said if laws need to be changed then Council does.
At Subcommittee level, we are working on these issues and we are to work tomorrow. We asked HRI to withdraw its license from Crownpoint site. This is opportunity to take Crownpoint off site. Not do with this legislation.
I welcome delegates to meetings and we’ve had good meetings even with people facebooking me.
This will cause loss of Navajo jurisdiction.
What is wrong with talking?
Look at energy act and it conflicts with Dine Resources Protection Act, which attorney Taylor left out. Energy Act allows “new technology” for uranium mining. What we are talking about is not conventional mining.
You were not there. But I was there, Prez Shelly and maybe NEPA director Etsitty with USEPA and we were told that the cleanup would be picking up and putting nearby on private land.
And we will be told that we have no jurisdiction when on private land and the contaminated dust will blow over to Navajo land.
I’m not pro-uranium development. I’m worried about losing jurisdiction.
I’m really worried about jurisdiction. I’m really worried about Crownpoint. HRI will tell us they are going full scale in Crownpoint.
We got HRI to do health study for the first time. And you need money to do health study.
For me, I’ve already warned people, delegates, council, let’s figure out jurisdiction. For the first time we are asking company to take uranium off reservation. Take it to Texas cuz Navajo people don’t want it here. And we have all this uranium dust blowing around.
I disagree with you, delegate Apachito.
And Church Rock chapter approved this and by doing this, we are being anti-chapter. And delegate Edmund Yazzie says support chapters and he supports this.
And DOJ is being anti-Church Rock. And DOJ shouldn’t be lobbying. And pits delegates against delegates. I see chapter prez Jonathan Perry going to DOJ and I don’t kow if they have anti-Leoarnd Tsosie pow wows.
Once RDC Subcomittee brings back to RDC, then we’ll have discussions. And then if RDC passes ot Naabi or Council then they’ll debate at that time.
But you will trying to cut something off before something done. If you going to do this then you should cleanup.
The cleanup of the church rock site costs $1.5 billion. And some think they are goodie two shoes by doing this.
If vote this down, then all delegates shud attending Subcommittee tomorrow. It says it’s in the best interest of Navajo Nation but it will cause us to lose jurisdiction. And section 17 is part of that deed and Santa Fe Railroad said section 17 is part of that deed and there will be a court fight over that deed.
BIA already sent letter to HRI saying BIA needs no approval cuz deed and former Navajo Chairman Paul Jones gave HRI access.
We will spend millions of dollars on litigation and I guarantee you that we will spend $5 million on litigation.
It’s a good thing to get on this anti-Leonard Tsosie band wagon and whoop it up. I’ve been working on this seriously. I told HRI that they did damage to Navajo jurisdiction when HRI won case and that HRI shud tell federal judges that they were wrong.
I hope we not pass this.
HRI was happy they were finally at the table. they said they never had the opportunity to do that.