Begaye disputes EPA’s testimony, calls for more help
A dam breach that released a million gallons of wastewater into the Animas River on Aug. 5 colors the river orange as it merges with the San Juan River, right, on Saturday in Farmington. Navajo Nation tribal officials have been visiting community members living along the San Juan River to inform them to not use or swim in the river's water until further notice. (Times photo - Donovan Quintero)
CHINLE
At hearings before the U.S. Senate’s Indian Affairs Committee Wednesday, President Russell Begaye disputed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy’s testimony that the EPA is continuing to supply hay and water to communities affected by the Aug. 5 Gold King Mine Spill.
“The EPA has abandoned us,” Begaye told the committee. “The water tanks are being pulled out. The feed for our livestock is no longer there.”
In earlier testimony, McCarthy had told the senators “We are continuing to provide hay. The BIA has continued to supply water.”
Begaye, however, testified that the last time he had talked to McCarthy, she was unaware that the regional EPA office had suspended aid Aug. 21, after learning that the Navajo Nation EPA had declared the San Juan River safe for irrigation.
According to Begaye, McCarthy agreed to reinstate aid at that time, but only until this Friday. “How convenient!” Begaye said.
In other conflicting testimony, McCarthy said the EPA was continuing to work with the Navajo Nation to develop a long-term plan to deal with the contamination and the relationship between the tribe and feds was improving.
Begaye told the committee the tribe still does not trust the EPA, especially after the agency delivered replacement water to farmers in repurposed oil tanks that still had a scum of oil on them.
While McCarthy testified the tribe was notified of the Gold King spill the same day it happened, Begaye stated it was two days later when he first heard of it.
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