If it were not for THE enduring work of Dine’ CARE and Tó Nizhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks), Legislation 0138-20 would not exist and neither would an agreement between Los Angeles and the Navajo Nation.
Legislation 0138-20 seeks the support of the Navajo Council Resources & Development Committee and Naabik’Iyati Committee to adopt a Navajo Nation Position Supporting Continued Dialogue and Partnership with Los Angeles to Facilitate the Development of Clean Energy Projects on the Navajo Nation and Supporting Efforts for the Navajo Nation’s Rights to use 500 MWs of Capacity on the Navajo Generating Station Southern and Western Transmission Systems.
Sponsor: Navajo Council Delegate Carl Slater
Legislation 0138-20 is on today’s Resources & Development Committee proposed agenda. RDC meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 am via teleconference. The CALL IN number is (425) 436-6324; ACCESS CODE 569306 Please MUTE your phone. Thank You.
I wrote a news story in February about LA approving a feasibility study to be conducted regarding a renewable energy partnership between the City of Angles and the Navajo Nation:
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a feasibility study to be conducted regarding a renewable energy partnership between the City of Angles and the Navajo Nation Wednesday (Feb.19).
Before the LA City Council vote of support, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell stood together before the city council and quested the council to adopt a motion for a feasibility study for a partnership between the Navajo Nation and the city to pursue renewable energy projects on the Navajo Nation, which would allow Los Angeles to obtain cost-effective clean energy.
Nez informed the city council, “This is a win-win for everyone. The demand for clean energy throughout the country is there and mandated by our people, our citizens, and it’s no different on the Navajo Nation. We have a young population on our0 Nation, and they are demanding us to be better stewards of our land, and renewable energy is the way forward.”
Representatives from various grassroots environmental groups on the Navajo Nation cheered, applauded and waved posters in the back of the city council chambers as the city council’s unanimous vote of support for a feasibility study was announced.
O’Farrell said to his colleagues, “As the City of Los Angeles takes a leadership role in renewable energy, we can lift other partners along with us across the state of California, across the entire United States as we power down coal and power up renewable sources of energy. This potential partnership with the Navajo Nation to encourage and pioneer renewable energy to replace coal is something the Los Angeles City Council can be proud of especially if there are mutual benefits for both parties.”
Nez also told the city council members that the Navajo Nation is moving forward with renewable energy development, as mandated by the Navajo people and the citizens of California.
He recalled that O’Farrell made the motion in December 2019 for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to report in 30 days on the feasibility study.
Jared Touchin, spokesman for the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President, said in a news release that Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer issued the Navajo Háyoołkááł Proclamation to prioritize renewable energy development for the Navajo Nation in April 2019.
Touchin noted that the proclamation also created the Háyoołkááł Work Group to serve as the clearinghouse for energy development initiatives.
Several of the work group members were with Nez as he went before the LA City Council. They included Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources Executive Director Rudy Shebala, Ph.D., Navajo Nation Washington Office Executive Director Santee Lewis, and Michelle Henry with the Division of Natural Resources.
Nicole Horseherder executive director of the grassroots non-profit organization Tó Nizhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks), which is based out of Black Mesa, Arizona, also joined the group in presenting to the city officials.
Touchin said that the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was one of several owners of the defunct Navajo Generating Station, which closed in December 2019 along with Peabody Energy Company’s Kayenta Mine, which resulted in a $30 million to $50 million decline in annual revenue for the Navajo Nation.
Nez said the Navajo Nation is looking to continue its partnership with the City of Los Angeles to move forward on a new path that prioritizes renewable energy development.
“We are resilient people since time immemorial,” Nez said. “We could’ve easily said poor us on the Navajo Nation, but do you know what we said? We said we are overcomers. We want to be the leaders of renewable energy in Indian Country. We are moving forward on that path.”
Touchin recalled that in 2018, California state legislators approved a measure that requires 100% of California’s electricity to come from carbon-free sources, and then in April 2019, the City of Los Angeles adopted its own carbon-free energy plan that also calls for 100% renewables by 2045.
Nez said, “The Navajo Nation appreciates the support of the Los Angeles City Council, Councilman O’Farrell, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as we look to continue our partnership with the state of California.”
To view Nez speaking to the LA City Council Wednesday, Feb. 19, go to an archived copy of Wednesday’s, Feb. 19, meeting at https://lacity.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=130&clip_id=19767. Nez’s presentation is the third agenda item.
PROPOSED AGENDA: RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OF THE 24th NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL, Teleconferencing RDC Regular Meeting, July 1, 2020, 10:00 A.M.
AGENDA:
TELECONFERENCE CALL NUMBER: (425) 436-6324
ACCESS CODE: 569306
PRESIDING: Rickie Nez, Chairperson
Thomas Walker, Jr., Vice-Chairperson
- Call Meeting to Order; Roll Call; Invocation; and Announcements;
( ) Rickie Nez Location: ________
( ) Wilson Stewart, Jr. Location: ________
( ) Thomas Walker, Jr. Location: ________
( ) Herman M. Daniels Location: ________
( ) Mark Freeland Location: ________
( ) Kee Allen Begay, Jr. Location: ________ - Recognizing Guests and Visiting Officials:
- Reviewing and Approving the Agenda:
Main Motion: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: MFreeland ( ) WStewartJr ( ) KABegayJr ( ) TWalkerJr ( ) HMDaniels ( ) Rickie Nez - Reviewing and Approving Journal(s): May 6, 2020, May 13, 2020 and May 20, 2020
Main Motion: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: MFreeland ( ) WStewartJr ( ) KABegayJr ( ) TWalkerJr ( ) HMDaniels ( ) Rickie Nez - Receiving Reports:
A. Update Report – Current Navajo Nation Drought Conditions and Plans to Address
the Situation Presenter:
Jason John, Director, Navajo Department of Water Resources and Najam Tariq,
Department of Water Resources;
Leo C. Watchman, Jr., Director, Department of Agriculture
Main Motion: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: MFreeland ( ) WStewartJr ( ) KABegayJr ( ) TWalkerJr ( ) HMDaniels ( ) Rickie Nez ( )
B. Update Report – Status of the Proposed Drought Declaration as Submitted by
Department of Water Resource Presenter: Mr. Herman Shorty, Chairperson,
Emergency Management Commission
Page 2 of 2
Main Motion: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: MFreeland ( ) WStewartJr ( ) KABegayJr ( ) TWalkerJr ( ) HMDaniels ( ) Rickie Nez ( )
C. Update Report – Navajo Nation Shopping Centers Presenter: Nicholas
Taylor, CEO, Navajo Nation Shopping Centers, Inc.
Main Motion: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: MFreeland ( ) WStewartJr ( ) KABegayJr ( ) TWalkerJr ( ) HMDaniels ( ) Rickie Nez - Old Business: NONE
- New Business:
A. Legislation # 0059-20: An Action Relating to Resources and Development;
Approving and Certifying the Greasewood Springs Chapter’s Community Based
Land Use Plan. Sponsor: Honorable Raymond Smith, Jr.
Main Motion: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: MFreeland ( ) WStewartJr ( ) KABegayJr ( ) TWalkerJr ( ) HMDaniels ( ) Rickie Nez ( )
B. Legislation # 0138-20: An Action Relating to Resources Development
Committee and Naabik’Iyati Committee; Adopting a Navajo Nation Position
Supporting Continued Dialogue and Partnership with the City of Los Angeles to
Facilitate the Development of Clean Energy Projects on the Navajo Nation and
Supporting Efforts for the Navajo Nation’s Rights to use 500 MWs of Capacity on
the Navajo Generating Station Southern and Western Transmission Systems.
Sponsor: Honorable Carl Slater
Main Motion: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: MFreeland ( ) WStewartJr ( ) KABegayJr ( ) TWalkerJr ( ) HMDaniels ( ) Rickie Nez ( )
C. Approving a RDC Leadership Meeting in Preparation Upcoming Waterline
Projects with I.H.S./OEH; NTUA; NNLD, GLDD, BIA; NECA; NN Office of the
Controller: and NN Division of Community Development
Main Motion: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: MFreeland ( ) WStewartJr ( ) KABegayJr ( ) TWalkerJr ( ) HMDaniels ( ) Rickie Nez ( ) - Conclusion of Committee Meeting; Other Announcements; Adjournment:
Main Motion: S: V:
Roll Call Vote: MFreeland ( ) WStewartJr ( ) KABegayJr ( ) TWalkerJr ( ) HMDaniels ( ) Rickie Nez ( )
NOTE: This Agenda is still subject to Changes. The public is advised that the
Resources and Development Committee Agenda is not final until adopted by a
majority vote of the Committee at a duly called Committee meeting pursuant
to 2 N.N.C. § 183. Navajo Nation Standing Committee Rule No. 8.
