Duane "Chili" Yazzie, the chairman of the Navajo Human Rights Commission, will testify at today's Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Yazzie will discuss sacred sites. He plans to call attention to the San Francisco Peaks in Arizona, where the federal government has allowed the use of reclaimed sewage to make snow.

"The use of wastewater contaminates and impinges on the sanctity and spiritual quality of the mountain," Yazzie states in his written testimony, The Farmington Daily Times reported. "This furthers the demise of our Earth Mother."

Yazzie is one of nine witnesses.

Get the Story:
Navajo Human Rights Commission gets five-minute testimony before Senate Committee (The Farmington Daily Times 6/9)

Committee Notice:
OVERSIGHT HEARING on Setting the Standard: Domestic Policy Implications of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (June 9, 2011)

Related Stories:
Senate Indian Affairs Committee to take up UN declaration (6/2)
Editorial: US supports Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2/3)
Andrea Carmen: Implementing the UN indigenous rights declaration (1/3)
Suzanne Jasper: Same old language from the Obama administration (1/3)
Official announcement for UN declaration on indigenous rights (12/17)
Robert Coulter: Obama sets new agenda for US-Indian relations (12/16)
State Department response to United Nations human rights council (11/09)
Color Lines: US not accountable for rights of indigenous people (10/28)
Navajo Nation responds to State Department on human rights (10/19)
CNC: Tribes press Obama to sign indigenous rights declaration (10/18)
CNC: State Department holds consultation on indigenous rights (7/12)
State Department schedules consultation on indigenous rights (6/29)
State Department plans consultation over indigenous rights (06/04)
Secretary Salazar issues statement on indigenous rights (4/23)
Obama reviews stance on indigenous rights declaration (4/20)