Native American Issues

view near the Bears Ears buttes, photo by: Spencer Gosney

President Biden to designate 1.36 million acres for Bears Ears National Monument

President Joseph Biden will sign an executive order restoring the Bears Ears National Monument to its original designated size on Friday, October 8. President Biden’s designation places the monument at 1.36 million acres, after the addition of 11,200 acres that President Trump added to the...

Navajo Utah Commission and county pursue law enforcement agreement

Members of the Navajo Utah Commission heard reports on upcoming American Rescue Plan Act funding, plans for increased law enforcement, and passed a resolution asking for quarterly meetings with the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President at their September meeting. During the...

Monument Valley welcomes new community center under direction of a familiar face

A resident of Monument Valley opened a new community center in August to provide support to her community. The Tsé Bii’ Ndzisgaii Community Center was opened earlier this year under the direction of 24-year-old Shandiin Herrera. Herrera grew up in Monument Valley, Utah, and graduated high school...

UAMPS, NTUA, Blanding City partner to bring electricity to Navajo homes

The Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS), the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), and Blanding City have entered into an agreement to provide essential electrical service to homes in the Westwater Village, a small Navajo Nation community which currently has no electric service. The...

Navajo Nation parks, businesses, schools reopen with restrictions

The San Juan County Commission approved work on the West Summit road, accepted the resignation of County Clerk/Auditor John David Nielson, and provided comment on a mining remediation project near Fry Canyon at their July 6 meeting. On July 6, Commissioners approved a bid for work on West Summit...

Navajo Commission discusses proposed shopping center

The Navajo Utah Commission received a report on a proposed shopping center, ongoing building projects, and an update on educational opportunities in the Utah portion of the Navajo reservation at their June meeting. At the meeting, members of the commission heard from Nick Taylor who acts as the...

Navajo commission on trading post restoration

The Navajo Utah Commission discussed upcoming distribution of American Rescue Plan funds, plans to preserve the Oljato Trading Post, and Navajo veterans at their May 11 meeting. The commission received a report from the Utah State Historic Preservation Office about a restoration project at the...

Navajo Mountain roads and infrastructure are focus of meeting of state, tribal, local officials

Navajo Mountain, or Naatsis’áán as it’s known in Navajo, is a 10,000-foot high peak located in the southwest corner of San Juan County. On the eastern side of the mountain lies the community of Navajo Mountain, which is one of the most isolated communities in the United States. Although the...

Navajo Utah Commission discusses road work, post office, solar farm

Members of the Navajo Utah Commission discussed roads, the Red Mesa solar farm and a new post office in Montezuma Creek at their April 13 meeting. The commission passed a resolution in support of the Diné: Atiin Bahane: Navajo Road Emergence – Navajo Nation Whitepaper of 2021. The document attempts...

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland credit: US House of Representatives

Rep Deb Haaland Confirmed As Secretary of the Interior

New Mexico Congresswoman Deb Haaland was confirmed as the new Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior by the US Senate on March 15 by a vote of 51-40. Secretary Haaland, an enrolled member of the Laguna Pueblo, will be the first Native American to serve in a cabinet-level position. Haaland...