A clean environment is significant and inseparable from tribal economy, religion, health, and everyday life. Tribal communities have ties to the environment that are much more complex and intense than is generally understood by federal agency decision makers, but information is not always shared by tribes. Untapped critical minerals considered key for energy transition in the US (97% of nickel, 89% of copper, 79% of lithium and 68% of cobalt) are on or within a few miles of tribal lands. This presentation will provide opportunities for all audience attendees to provide input. A survey will be conducted towards individuals' knowledge of and participation in sustenance lifeways, hunting, fishing, gathering, ceremonial practices and chemical impact knowledge. There are many questions about "sacred vs sacrifice" to be discussed for consideration towards our future generations, including risk assessments and health.
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46:39: Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA) Superfund (NSP) is working as Co-Lead and Co-Regulators along with USEPA Region 9 and Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) for the VAH projects. The VAH project involves working with families to relocate due to hazardous land contamination, in this case, abandon uranium mine (AUM). There are pros and cons to this project with the two communities in the Church Rock Chapter. Navajo families of the Red Water Pond Road community that have been asked to volunteer to move from their homes and or their homeland due to future planned remediation of AUMs. These families are located between two funded uranium mine sites clean up called the Northeast Church Rock (NECR) and Quivira AUMs. Presently, eleven families have moved away from RWPR area to varies locations such as Gallup, NM, Moriarty, NM, Pinedale, NM, Yah Ta Hey, NM and Church Rock, NM. The alternative homes choices may be new modular homes and existing homes. For an example, these agencies are working with Navajo Housing Authority (NHA) on purchasing existing NHA home(s) to be renovated so the families can continue to live locally on Navajo land. Unfortunately, when the families have to move to the city or off Navajo land, they will have to learn to pay state and city property taxes. In the past, the RWPR community members have suggested to move to a nearby mesa but there was no water and utility infrastructure. Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) did not want to invest in this project due to high cost to extend a water or power line up the mesa. VAH has created a disconnect among families that have voluntarily moved away from Red Water Pond Road area. Another adjacent community to the RWPR, the Pipeline Road Community members who live to the east of Quivira AUM are also, requesting the same VAH benefits. These communities are impacted by same AUM sites, same situation, and share the same roadways.
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