Earlier this week, I was in Denver for the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Indian Energy Resource Summit, which the DOI hosts to help tribal lands and leaders achieve National Energy Goals in line with the U.S.
Leadership from the Navajo Nation was here, such as Council delegates Rickie Nez and Shawna Ann Claw, and we needed to be here, because the road to national energy independence runs through Indian Country. And it starts with respecting our tribal sovereignty, including the sovereignty of our Great Navajo Nation.
In a panel titled “Tribal Energy Sovereignty and Economic Empowerment” tribal leaders like Scott Davis, Acting Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs for DOI, Crow Nation Chairman Frank White Clay and Southern Ute Chairman Melvin Baker, among other leaders, I communicated to the DOI and Bureau of Indian Affairs that our Navajo Nation is open for responsible energy development, because it means jobs for our people and the protection of our land.
Under the Nygren Administration, the Navajo Nation is exploring utility-scale solar, hydrogen, and transition plans for legacy fossil fuel sites (e.g., Kayenta, NGS). The Nygren Administration is also working with the Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) on NTEC’s NavEnergy vision, which includes coal with carbon capture, natural gas, and renewable energy.
Finally, we are currently embracing and “all of the above” energy development strategy. “All of the above” has been the Navajo Nation’s approach as long as I have been here and is reflected in the Energy Policy of 2013.
As President, I called on the federal government to respect tribal laws, listen to tribal communities, and exclude uranium from any future designations or incentive programs related to critical mineral development.
Uranium extraction is banned on Navajo lands because of the generational harm it caused—sickened miners, contaminated water, abandoned mines, and broken federal promises to clean them up.
With strong leadership and a commitment to respecting tribal sovereignty, the Navajo Nation stands at the forefront of a sustainable energy future.
By embracing renewable resources and advocating for responsible development, our community can achieve energy independence while safeguarding our lands for future generations.
The journey toward national energy independence is a shared effort, and the Navajo Nation is proud to lead the way, reinforcing our sovereignty, creating economic opportunities, and protecting the sacred land that sustains us all. Ahéhee!
-Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren
