WASHINGTON — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren participated in the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Secretary Tribal Advisory Council (STAC) meeting this week. Representing the Navajo BIA Region, Nygren addressed key issues alongside Speaker Crystalyne Curley, who served as the alternate representative.
Nygren raised the transportation of uranium across Navajo lands as a primary concern. Despite the Nation’s 2012 ban, a mining company is using state and federal highways to transport uranium, violating Navajo law. He called on the Department of the Interior to enforce federal regulations that respect tribal sovereignty.
President Nygren also highlighted the need for improved tribal consultation, noting inconsistencies in the process. He emphasized the importance of clear, consistent guidelines to ensure tribal voices are heard on policies affecting their communities.
Water rights were another focal point. President Nygren urged continued support for the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Settlement Agreement, which seeks $5 billion for infrastructure, as many Navajo households still lack running water.
President Nygren also pushed for the cleanup of abandoned uranium mines, the resolution of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis, and streamlining federal regulations for infrastructure projects on tribal lands.
Nygren’s advocacy at the STAC meeting underscores the Navajo Nation’s ongoing fight for sovereignty and justice, urging immediate federal action on these critical issues.
“We are confronting issues that go to the heart of our sovereignty and the well-being of our people,” President Nygren said. “From uranium transport to water rights, and the tragedy of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, these are not just policy discussions — they are matters of life and death for the Navajo Nation. We need stronger tribal consultation and real respect for our laws within our own lands.”
