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| (Photo White Mesa Ute protest at Energy Fuels mill. Photo courtesy Grand Canyon Trust) |
Navajo President Buu Nygren issues executive order to enforce laws to ban irresponsible, unsafe transport of radioactive material across Navajo Nation
By Navajo President Buu Nygren, Censored News, July 31, 2024
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren today issued an executive order to require an agreement be in place prior to the transport of radioactive material through the Navajo Nation.
The executive order will be in effect for the next six months.
“This was much needed,” the President said. “We’re taking this stance of interpreting and executing the law to ensure the safety of our people and respect for Navajo sovereignty. It’s our job as the executive branch to enforce these laws.”
Citing the Navajo Nation Natural Resources Protection Act of 2005 and the Navajo Nation’s 2012 Radioactive and Related Substances, Equipment, Vehicles, Persons and Materials Transportation Act, he said Navajo laws regarding the transportation of radioactive materials have been in place for well over a decade.
“We’re a land of laws,” President Nygren said. “As the executive branch, as the President of the Navajo Nation, we’re here to enforce these laws to make sure nobody’s breaking these laws.”
Yesterday, Energy Fuels Resources, Inc., owner of the Pinyon Plain Mine south of Grand Canyon did not provide notice to Navajo Nation officials of the transport of and estimated 50 tons of uranium mine ore through the heart of the Navajo Nation.
The company’s failure to seek approval from the Navajo Nation for the transport of radioactive materials across its land disregards the Nation’s governmental authority and sovereignty, President Nygren said.
“If you’re going to smuggle uranium into our borders and across our Nation and outside, that’s pretty much illegal,” he said. “I’m very disappointed that this is happening in this day and age.”
Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch said that anyone who comes into Navajo territory must conduct themselves in a responsible manner that complies with Navajo law and protects the health, safety and welfare of the Navajo people.
“Particularly with something as sensitive as uranium, where there is a long legacy of contamination and disproportionate impact to the Navajo people,” she said. “Anyone bringing those substances onto the Nation should undertake that activity with respect and sensitivity to the psychological impact to our people, as well as the trauma of uranium development that our community continues to live with every day.”
The Navajo people are identified as being in the 95th percentile of people exposed to uranium in the United States. Uranium exposure on the Navajo Nation has caused adverse reproductive health impacts and resulted in disproportionately high rates of hypertension and cancer.
Navajo Nation Chief of Police Ron Silversmith said police officers encountered Energy Fuels’ contracted trucks on their return to the Pinyon Plain Mine. He said their trailers were empty and they were likely returning for a second load.
“Our officers were out there early this morning to ensure they don’t come through again,” Chief Silversmith said today. “It is our duty to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our Navajo people. Navajo law enforcement has a duty to protect and serve. We also have the duty to ensure that laws have been followed as far as motor carrier operations that travel through the Navajo Nation.”
Stephen Etsitty, executive director of the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, said he met with Energy Fuels Resources representatives in April 2024. He said he informed them of the Navajo Nation Natural Resources Protection Act of 2005 which places a moratorium on uranium mining on the Navajo Nation. He also informed Energy Fuels representatives of the Navajo Nation’s 2012 Radioactive and Related Substances Equipment Vehicles, Persons, and Materials Transportation Act, which prohibits the transport of uranium mining products within the Navajo Nation unless it complies with Transportation Notice and other requirements.
“I informed them of this particular law that we’re invoking in this executive order, which is generally known as the Radioactive Materials Transport Act,” he said. “I encouraged them to understand that this law is in effect and that we would be concerned, and we will be using this law in regard to these issues of imminent transport.”
Etsitty said Energy Fuels had been duly informed and it’s up to the company how it is going to respond to today’s executive order.
President Nygren said the Nation is taking a strong position because of the news that Energy Fuels trucks were on the Nation without prior notification.
“To me, that’s a complete disrespect to our Nation, our tribal sovereignty and everything that we represent as a government,” he said.
The executive order will be in effect for the next six months.
“This was much needed,” the President said. “We’re taking this stance of interpreting and executing the law to ensure the safety of our people and respect for Navajo sovereignty. It’s our job as the executive branch to enforce these laws.”
Citing the Navajo Nation Natural Resources Protection Act of 2005 and the Navajo Nation’s 2012 Radioactive and Related Substances, Equipment, Vehicles, Persons and Materials Transportation Act, he said Navajo laws regarding the transportation of radioactive materials have been in place for well over a decade.
“We’re a land of laws,” President Nygren said. “As the executive branch, as the President of the Navajo Nation, we’re here to enforce these laws to make sure nobody’s breaking these laws.”
Yesterday, Energy Fuels Resources, Inc., owner of the Pinyon Plain Mine south of Grand Canyon did not provide notice to Navajo Nation officials of the transport of and estimated 50 tons of uranium mine ore through the heart of the Navajo Nation.
The company’s failure to seek approval from the Navajo Nation for the transport of radioactive materials across its land disregards the Nation’s governmental authority and sovereignty, President Nygren said.
“If you’re going to smuggle uranium into our borders and across our Nation and outside, that’s pretty much illegal,” he said. “I’m very disappointed that this is happening in this day and age.”
Navajo Nation Attorney General Ethel Branch said that anyone who comes into Navajo territory must conduct themselves in a responsible manner that complies with Navajo law and protects the health, safety and welfare of the Navajo people.
“Particularly with something as sensitive as uranium, where there is a long legacy of contamination and disproportionate impact to the Navajo people,” she said. “Anyone bringing those substances onto the Nation should undertake that activity with respect and sensitivity to the psychological impact to our people, as well as the trauma of uranium development that our community continues to live with every day.”
The Navajo people are identified as being in the 95th percentile of people exposed to uranium in the United States. Uranium exposure on the Navajo Nation has caused adverse reproductive health impacts and resulted in disproportionately high rates of hypertension and cancer.
Navajo Nation Chief of Police Ron Silversmith said police officers encountered Energy Fuels’ contracted trucks on their return to the Pinyon Plain Mine. He said their trailers were empty and they were likely returning for a second load.
“Our officers were out there early this morning to ensure they don’t come through again,” Chief Silversmith said today. “It is our duty to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our Navajo people. Navajo law enforcement has a duty to protect and serve. We also have the duty to ensure that laws have been followed as far as motor carrier operations that travel through the Navajo Nation.”
Stephen Etsitty, executive director of the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, said he met with Energy Fuels Resources representatives in April 2024. He said he informed them of the Navajo Nation Natural Resources Protection Act of 2005 which places a moratorium on uranium mining on the Navajo Nation. He also informed Energy Fuels representatives of the Navajo Nation’s 2012 Radioactive and Related Substances Equipment Vehicles, Persons, and Materials Transportation Act, which prohibits the transport of uranium mining products within the Navajo Nation unless it complies with Transportation Notice and other requirements.
“I informed them of this particular law that we’re invoking in this executive order, which is generally known as the Radioactive Materials Transport Act,” he said. “I encouraged them to understand that this law is in effect and that we would be concerned, and we will be using this law in regard to these issues of imminent transport.”
Etsitty said Energy Fuels had been duly informed and it’s up to the company how it is going to respond to today’s executive order.
President Nygren said the Nation is taking a strong position because of the news that Energy Fuels trucks were on the Nation without prior notification.
“To me, that’s a complete disrespect to our Nation, our tribal sovereignty and everything that we represent as a government,” he said.
Read more at Censored News
Navajo President Deploys Police to Stop Uranium Trucks
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