The 24th Navajo Nation Council hosted a public hearing on uranium in Crownpoint, New Mexico, on March 6, 2020. Photo: Navajo Nation Council Communications
The 24TH NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL
Office of the Speaker
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2020
Uranium public hearings postponed
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Naabik’íyáti Committee of the 24th NavajoNation Council announced Thursday that the Mar. 13 and Mar. 14 UraniumPublic Hearings planned for Chinle and Tuba City are postponed until further notice.
“The postponements come in the wake of declarations of emergencies by Arizona, New Mexico, and Navajo Nation over the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). The responses have been made after COVID-19 cases in all southwestern states were confirmed.
“As a preemptive measure, the Navajo Nation Council is postponing the uranium public hearings to reduce the potential for unintentional transmission,” said 24th Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon.
Six uranium public hearings were scheduled in Shiprock, Crownpoint, Chinle, Tuba City, Oljato and Nahat’á Dziil. The first two hearings took place last week and the remainder were slated for this week and the following weeks. Public notices were sent out and radio messages were circulated which have since been pulled or updated.
“We want everyone to know that the Navajo Nation Council continues to monitor COVID-19 developments and is working to ensure the health and safety of the Navajo people during this growing public health concern,” said Health, Education, and Human Resources Committee Chair Daniel Tso.
The Legislative Branch instituted travel restrictions on Thursday for all program employees and council delegates that went into effect immediately. The Office of the Speaker also directed branch programs to begin formulating remote work plans for continuing essential services should office buildings be closed to reduce exposure.
“At this time, the Navajo Nation must do everything it can to protect our elders and children, who are our most precious and vulnerable populations,” said Speaker Damon.
More information on the COVID-19 outbreak is available online at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: https://www.cdc.gov/
To date, no confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported on the NavajoNation.
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