Letters | Sheepherders write the plan

Sheepherders write the plan

The public must know BIA’s mistakes in its Branch of Natural Resource program report to the Navajo Nation Council.

regory Mehojah, BIA Regional Director, lied five times in his Quarterly Report: 1) This past quarter, four Conservation Plans (CP) and two Agriculture Land Use Permits (ALUP) were submitted for review. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for CPs and ALUPs has been consulted to see how closely they relate to ongoing Agency efforts in the Grazing permitting process. When the processes are closely aligned, a better understanding of working with individual Navajo land users is realized.

Error – a) Jerome Willie as BIA range land management professional with college degree in range science did not write conservation plans. Instead, BIA requires everyday Navajo sheepherders to write the plan. Sheepherders do not have college degrees. BIA violates Interior 55 IAM Supplement 2, Part 1.2(b) that requires BIA to write the grazing plan in collaboration with the permittee; b) SOP is still DRAFT in 20+ years. Draft document is not public record. The Nation RDC, Navajo Nation Council, and U.S. Secretary of Interior have not been consulted for final approval. c) It is inappropriate for Mehojah to say “better understanding of working with individual Navajo land users” when draft SOP was developed by non-Navajo bila’gonna’ contractor from Colorado in 2015. What is more appropriate is BIA to contract Navajo range science professionals to develop the SOP. Many are retired and have years of experience on the rez.

2) Fort Defiance Agency has commitment and mission to improve customer service through public interactions.
Error – a) It is not improving customer service when Jerome Willie failed to advise the grazing committee that a request by one grazing permit holder to transfer a permit as second permit would violate 25 CFR 167.8(c) “No person can hold more than one grazing permit.” b) He failed to advise the committee they cannot approve transfer of permits without required committee resolution, without consent by adjacent permit holders, without cultural/archeological clearance, without range vegetation study, and without livestock tally record. Jerome Willie’s negligence resulted in the grazing committee terminating the grazing permit for having two permits. Jerome Willie committed the violation; not the grazing permit holder.

3) Fort Defiance Agency sent letters notifying pending grazing permit holders of missing documents as original grazing permit, tally count, conservation plan, or state brand certificate. Without all the required documents, these grazing permits will not continue to be processed until all documents are received.
Error – its not just permit holders having missing documents. Since 2009 there are many missing records at Fort Defiance agency as I reported to DOI Office of Inspector General.

4) The Ft Defiance Agency staff continue working on conservation plans for District 7, 14, 17 and 18 permit holders. The conservation plans are written for each grazing permit that are transferred or probated.
Error – As stated above Jerome Willie lacks writing conservation plans. This is his job as technical adviser. He committed many high-paid incompetent actions for 40+ years working in one agency thru-out his career.

5) Seven of the grazing permits are recommended at less than 10 sheep units. The minimum sheep units allowed by Navajo Nation Grazing Regulation Handbook and Livestock Laws is at 10 sheep unit’s year long. BIA will not be able to issue a grazing permit for less than 10 sheep units.
Error – 1986 Jerome Willie authorized and issued 7 Sheep Unit grazing permit to one permittee in District 18; violation of no less than 10 sheep unit restriction. No negative response or action by upper management for his wrongdoing.
More BIA administrative shortfall will appear in the media if Mehojah cannot prove me wrong with allegations. This is not the first media coverage regarding BIA negligence for decades. Agency record files cannot prove me wrong. I asked for rebuttal again. I ask Mehojah once more to submit rebuttal in the media with proof.

Nels Roanhorse
Oak Ridge, Arizona

Conversation on hydrogen

I’d like to respond to a recent guest column by a representative of Tó Nizhóní Ání, which painted a fear-based and crucially inaccurate picture of the potential for responsible development and transportation of clean hydrogen energy on the Navajo Nation.

This group pushed to close the Kayenta coal mine and Navajo Generating Station (NGS), which wiped out hundreds of middle-class jobs and revenue for the Navajo Nation while proposing scattered economic solutions that have not come close to addressing the replacement of good-paying jobs. The Navajo Nation needs not only replace the $40 million revenue

loss from the NGS and Kayenta Peabody mine closures, but also add an additional $40 million on top to help support our tribal social programs that provide direct services to our people. This is revenue that is solely needed to fund the future of our government, what are our revenue alternatives? I was a member of the Navajo Nation Council at that time, and I regret that decision because we had no plan to replace these loss revenues. We are focused on saying “no” to hydrogen development, specifically, at a time when we need to be developing jobs and opportunities here at home to keep families together and build up our communities. Is continuing to say “no” really the best or correct path to take?
Major federal policies supporting hydrogen to address climate change and economic development needs have been enacted by both Democratic and Republican Administrations. This includes development of clean hydrogen energy as coal fired power plants close one after and another. Wind and Solar options cannot yet fully support energy development that is needed, as the technologies are still under development until then we have Hydrogen as the alternative. For the record, I do support clean energy industry jobs including hydrogen.

It is crucial that the Navajo Nation have a seat at the table as new energy policies are developed. By being part of an inclusive process we, in fact, give the people of the Navajo Nation a chance to understand hydrogen as a source of energy, discover the potential offered by local projects and give communities time to properly address questions they may have. Tó Nizhóní Ání and similar organizations dismiss clean hydrogen energy out of hand, spread fear, and disparage the potential progress and environmental and economic benefits that could be realized as the world explores this next generation of energy.

Environmental and anti-clean energy organizations are asking the Navajo Nation and local chapters and agencies to make a false choice between the environment and economic development. The latest policies implemented by both the federal government and the State of New Mexico include strict regulations on carbon dioxide emissions. That means that no company pursuing clean hydrogen development can freely emit carbon dioxide or methane because it would disqualify them from building their projects.

Anti-clean energy organizations push out manipulative data and one-sided arguments as well as promote chapter and agency opposition by creating fear to sway our people. What they conveniently left out in their recent opinion letter is that Arizona, Nevada and Navajo Nation officials have established the Southwest Clean Hydrogen Innovation Network – or SHINe- as a hydrogen hub candidate for the same federal funding that the WISHH coalition here in New Mexico is trying to secure.

Developing clean hydrogen energy will bring real and tangible benefits to the Navajo community through good paying jobs, educational opportunities and investments in our local chapter infrastructure. While plugging abandoned natural gas wells, adding solar and wind energy and creating regenerative farming are good ideas for creating a cleaner environment, they are only small contributors to that cleaner and better future. Continuing to say no will definitely don’t bring long-term solutions to the Navajo Nation’s need for jobs and educational opportunities. Ask the citizens of Kayenta and surrounding communities.

Navajo Agricultural Products Industries (NAPI) and Four Corners Economic Development in Farmington recently held a Hydrogen Forum for leadership from seven chapters with presentations by Navajo Agricultural Products Industries (NAPI), New Mexico State University, and Sandia National Labs at the Nenahnezad Chapter. And, on May 30th Nenahnezad hosted a similar forum for the public from these same seven chapters.

Nenahnezad offered an opportunity for Tó Nizhóní Ání to present its side of the clean hydrogen discussion. While their presentation was inaccurate and misleading technical information, I am pleased to report that they did participate in the dialogue. To date, this kind of fact-based, unbiased educational forum is not something that Tó Nizhóní Ání has provided to chapters and agencies, while pushing their anti-hydrogen resolution. Let’s hope the courtesy extended to them will be offered in return.

Mark Freeland
Crownpoint

Blessings to Leupp

For being a mentor to many of my people within our Dine’ area on Dine’ Traditional Ways. My mentoring and support derive from the Nada’a’ Alt’ah naaLya’ Hozhoojii’ the last 30 years.

I was contacted about six times the past weeks about leaders getting into a fight at Leupp Chapter House on June 5, 2023. The frequent questions: ‘How I feel about the leaders getting into a fight during a meeting”? First, I was not aware of the fight they mentioned to me. Later on I read about the Leupp Chapter House leader’s fight through the Navajo Times and was text to me on Facebook.

I believe the Navajo Times did a nice reporting about the incident.
From the songs and prayers from: Naada’a’ Alt’ah naalya’ Hozhoojii’ about leaders, it mentions about certain conflicts that might occur during a person’s leadership role.
From the sets of the Blessing Ways Leadership songs are for:
-To traditional and culturally certify and bless a leader with knowledge of their position.
– To always care and listened to people, family and to who they work for.
-To respond with answers that are true and worthy.
-The songs say: be kind, considerate, have respect for all individual. Be happy about your leadership role.

I have conducted many Blessing Ways ceremonies for leaders throughout our vast wonderful Dine’ area the last 30 years. This included leaders from: Private, Tribal, State, City and Government entities. And had performed dedications to new structures with the Dine’ Blessing Ways.

Our Dine’ Blessing Way leadership ceremonies are strong and comes with very encouraging blessings.

I believe the Leupp Chapter House leaders fight was wrong! It was unjust. It has no growth for improvement for the community. It was embarrassing for the community, and the whole Dine’ Government. As I look at the recording in my text on the fight. It looked like our west Dine’ mighty one’s picture was on the wall. The fight was just below the picture. The fight continued to the area where our United States flag was posted.

I was saddened and felt disrespected. I lived with and know many of our Sacred Mountain’s song and prayer. The Dine’ Blessing Way leadership songs and prayers are from our Sacred Mountains.

And I was saddened because I served with the US Marine Corp as a Rifleman in 1968 and 1969 in Viet Nam for my country. Now my people are at battle in front of our US Flag?
All leaders involved in Leupp Chapter should re-evaluate their position. Maybe a re-evaluation prayer and cleansing ceremony for the Leupp Chapter on behalf of all the Leupp community members.

Well, my Cheii’s and all my relatives, this is my answers on Leupp Chapter House leadership fight.

Richard Anderson
Crownpoint

Positive stories

The June 1 edition of the “Navajo Times” reminded me again why I look forward to this newspaper every week.

Tazbah Spruhan’s participation in the Scripps National Spelling Bee was wonderful; the acknowledgment of teacher Dina Haven, Times publisher Olivia Benally and Tazbah’s parents matters because it takes a village to prepare for and attend this prestigious event.

Autumn Maxx’s full scholarship to Paul Smith’s College – we can’t wait to see where she goes in her career. The Book Club founded by Kinsale Drake, encouraging books, authors and reading. The photos of graduating students, with proud support from teachers and parents. The exhibit at the Navajo Nation Museum and the rodeos. And then the honorary diploma remembering Ashlynne Mike.

These are the stories that bind a community together: researched, well-written, and weekly reminders that there is a broad scope of life and culture beyond crime, the pandemic and politics. We can’t wait to support the Spelling Bee next year and see who goes to “Bee Week”.

The Navajo Times staff is to be commended for bringing these uplifting stories to the forefront.

Anne Worthington
Flagstaff

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