Damon: NTEC needs to be more transparent

WINDOW ROCK

In the past two weeks, the Office of the Navajo Nation Speaker has worked double-time to organize over 12 full-day work sessions, town halls and countless presentations from experts, many technical in nature, for the Navajo Nation Council on the potential impacts of closure or acquisition of Navajo Generating Station and the Peabody Kayenta Mine.

This is on top of regular business.

The Naabik’iyati Committee will be meeting today (March 14) to discuss these and other matters, and a piece of legislation dropped by delegate Rickie Nez that seeks to clarify that the nation will not absorb all liability through a waiver or guarantee in an acquisition.

Damon wants the governing body to be in the best-informed position possible to make the final decisions on whether or not to proceed with the closure of NGS and the mine or a purchase through Navajo Transitional Energy Company.

He also says there is a strong emphasis on reaching out to communities and constituents across the nation to get their input, especially those that are most directly impacted by the potential closure of the mine and plant.

The council also had a full day of presentations from NGO’s and environmental groups who spoke passionately against continuing operations of the plant and mine and looking toward renewable energy options.

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