Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Touted by President in State of Navajo Nation Speech

Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

WINDOW ROCK, ARIZONA – Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly outlined recent accomplishments from the Shelly/Jim administration during his quarterly State of the Nation address Monday at the opening day of the Navajo Nation Council's fall session.

President Shelly started his 17 minute speech by stating a recent $43 million agreement between the Navajo Nation and Department of Interior to give financial assistance to the Navajo Nation to build portions of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project waterline.

The money will be spent to build portions of the lower access of the Cutter Lateral. The funding plans to help design and construction of 43 miles of water pipeline, a pumping station and four water storage tanks.

The overall Navajo-Gallup Water Supply project is expected to cost $1 billion, build 280 miles of waterline to 43 chapters and create more than 600 jobs during construction.

“This project is a result of the Navajo Nation Water Rights Settlement in the San Juan River Basin in New Mexico,”

President Shelly said.

President Shelly also spoke about an agreement that strengthens Navajo sovereignty.

The Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency will oversee the clean-up of a mine in District 17 in New Mexico, according to a "Temporary Access Agreement" with Hydro Resources Inc.

The agreement calls for the mine in District 17 to follow Navajo Nation standards.

For the first time, the NNEPA will ensure the clean up follows the standards in the Navajo Nation Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 2008.

The President also relayed information regarding uranium mine cleanup in Cove, Arizona, Casamero Lake, New Mexico, and Church Rock, New Mexico.

The US Environmental Protection Agency announced that $7.5 million would be spent to cleanup mines in those communities.

To help with the cleanup, President Shelly said job training would be available through the Navajo Nation Superfund Job Training Initiative.

“As we look ahead, the EPA is predicting that another $44 million could be put toward cleaning the Northeast Church Rock Mine. With training available now, future mine clean ups could employ hundreds of Navajos in the future,”

President Shelly said.

President Shelly also said he is confident that Navajo Head Start, which has had non-compliance issues for several years, is headed in a good direction.

“In August, we brought on Sharon Singer, who became the first licensed superintendent to lead Navajo Head Start. She brings years of teaching and administrative experience. With Ms. Singer's proven leadership we are committed to bringing the program fully into compliance with more than 2,800 federal standards,”

President Shelly said.

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posted October 16, 2012 7:57 am edt