WESTERN NAVAJO AGENCY COUNCIL OPPOSE GREENVIEW PROJECT, SUPPORT JONATHAN NEZ'S CONGRESSIONAL BID - 09-18-24
KAYENTA—The Western Navajo Agency Council convened Sept. 14 at the Kayenta Boarding School Gymnasium.
The council reached quorum at 9:35 a.m., with 11 of the 18 chapters present and WNAC President Gerald Keetso provided guidance for routine meeting items, including adopting the agenda.
He encouraged the council members and public to remain respectful throughout the proceedings and reminded everyone that Genevieve Benally provided an invocation to maintain harmonious relations.
“We just had a prayer done. Let us speak with respect and that is how we will conduct ourselves today,” he said.
Action items
Council Delegate Herman Daniels Jr. (Navajo Mountain, Oljato, Tsah Bii Kin, Shonto) motioned to suspend the floor rules and begin the meeting in earnest with action items instead of reports.
Cameron Chapter Vice President Charlie Smith Jr. seconded the motion, and it passed by a vote of 18-4-1 and the council brought Resolution No. WNAC24-09-NB1 to the floor for discussion.
The resolution recommended support for the research study titled, “Adaptation and Evaluation of a Brief Evidence-Based Culturally Grounded Home Visiting Intervention to Support Indigenous Adults with Coping and Recovery from Long COVID,” by the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health.
Site coordinator Maria Welch and research assistant Doreena Little provided a 10-minute overview of the study, and the council passed the resolution by a vote of 23-0-1.
GreenView hydrogen pipeline
The council debated Resolution No. WNAC24-09-NB2 next, which Genevieve Benally, Kayenta Chapter Secretary-Treasurer, sponsored. Presenter Ruhan Nagra joined her.
The resolution opposed the proposed Tall Grass and GreenView hydrogen pipeline project on the Navajo Nation.
Nagra is a University of Utah Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Environmental Justice Clinic for the Quinney College of Law.
“Looking at the big picture, we are facing a climate crisis of epic proportions from greenhouse emissions associated with coal, oil, and gas,” she said.
GreenView has marketed across print, radio, and social media mediums, touting the environmentally friendly hydrogen project.
Instead, Nagra said the company is proposing “blue hydrogen” and not green hydrogen as advertised.
“Local communities will not benefit from this project,” she said.
Motion to table
Smith interrupted the presentation by motioning to table the resolution, and Shonto Chapter Vice President Marsha Greyeyes seconded the action. The motion failed by a vote of 9-13-6.
“There has to be more information on this project, and I believe it’s up to the chapters to decide, not the Western Navajo Agency Council,” Smith said. “I believe the pipeline is the safest way and Navajo Fundamental Law is being pushed by outsiders.”
“It’s fear tactics and my suggestion is leave it up to the communities, not the agency council,” he added.
Benally, who sponsored the resolution, said most chapters in the WNAC passed resolutions to oppose the project.
“You’re absolutely right, it’s up to the chapters,” she said.
Tonalea-Red Lake Vice President Leslie Dele spoke next and said, “It is up to the grazing permit holders, not us. Even if we meet and gather support, you must file in federal court to fight it.”
Protect the four-legged ones
An elderly Navajo woman who did not identify herself, stood up and opposed the hydrogen project while speaking in Navajo.
“I do not approve of this. (GreenView) should go straight through the white people’s land instead of always trying to cut through our tribal lands,” she said. “It’s our Mother Earth, we’re protective of it for our livestock and the four-legged ones.”
Lucille Smallcanyon of Navajo Mountain said the proposed hydrogen pipeline may provide a small amount of funding (to the Navajo Nation), but agency council officials should think about the future generations of Navajos instead.
“They approved uranium mining when it was proposed and look at what happened to our people,” she said. “I went through major surgery because of uranium, and now, I only have one lung, plus heart problems.”
Aside from the medical considerations, she said the Navajo Nation needs to thoroughly investigate the proposed pipeline’s effect on the land.
“I’ve been a grazing permit holder for the past 20 years and I oppose this,” she said.
To’ Nanees Dizi Chapter
Keetso interjected and said there was an equal amount of support and opposition for the project. We hear your voices, and we are talking things out, he said.
Dennehotso Chapter Vice President Larry Tuni said the council has tabled the legislation for the proposed project several times already and that it needed discussion and debate to proceed further.
“Our economic development activity needs a lot of work,” he said. “Future generations want to move home, they want to herd sheep, let them vote on it, not us.”
Keetso called for the vote. The council vote was 9-9-4.
“When we have a tie vote, the chair is the deciding vote,” he said. “Are you putting this on me? To’ Nanees Dizi Chapter opposed this proposal, and I stand with them.”
The resolution opposing the GreenView hydrogen pipeline passed by a vote of 10-9-4 after Keetso cast his vote.
The council brought Resolution No. WNAC24-09-NB3 to the council floor next, supporting the candidacy of Jonathan Nez for Arizona’s 2nd congressional district.
Nez began by asking the audience to raise campaign placards he handed to everyone before the start of the meeting for a photo showing support from the WNAC.
“Put up your signs, even if you’re not going to vote for me, put it up anyway,” he said.
First Navajo in Congress
He spoke in Navajo and English and said his candidacy was a chance for everyone to overcome limitations for Native American participation in the U.S. Congress and send the first Navajo, the first Native American to represent Arizona in the 2nd congressional district.
Nez expressed appreciation to the WNAC and Shonto Chapter for laying the foundation for his 18-year career in politics.
“It’s thanks to you that I learned how to be a leader,” he said in Navajo, recounting his learning progression as a chapter vice president, tribal council delegate, Arizona county supervisor, tribal vice president, and tribal president.
“We’re trying to break the glass ceiling with your help,” he said. “For our children and grandchildren into the future.”
Nez said the political landscape in Washington, D.C. is changing. He noted that nobody thought a Black president would take office, including a Black, female vice president.
“That happened and now we are close to having our first woman president as well,” he said.
Nez described his campaign as “grassroots,” and said he does not travel with a huge entourage.
He attended the WNAC meeting alone with his youngest son, Alex.
Over the past two months, the Nez campaign has raised $1.8 million. With less than two months to go until Election Day, Jonathan Nez continues to make headway in his quest to ascend to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The WNAC unanimously passed the resolution in support of the Nez campaign by a vote of 32-0-2.
Receiving reports
The council concluded after receiving reports of the Office of the President and Vice President, Office of the Speaker, and various divisions and departments in attendance.
Heather L. Duncan-Etsitty, CEO of Navajo Housing Authority, spoke with Council Delegate Otto Tso (To’Nanees Dizi) about housing concerns he voiced at the Naabik’íyáti’Committee meeting Sept. 12.
NHA will be conducting a site visit with Tso regarding concerns with housing in Tuba City during the week of Oct. 14.
Coconino County also reported before the WNAC, including Supervisor Lena Fowler, Dist. 5, and Supervisor Judy Begay, Dist. 4.
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