Navajo, BIA, BLM to debate land issues

By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Navajo Nation officials, members of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Land Management will come together next week in Albuquerque to discuss issues and changes to a tri-party agreement affecting lands within Eastern Navajo Agency.

Resources Committee member Norman John II said BIA is working on changes to a memorandum of understanding between the three entities that will be presented during a Sept. 12-14 meeting at MCM Elegante.

The Eastern Navajo Agency Land Board also has been drafting its list of proposed changes.

However, during a recent Resources meeting, members Harry Williams and Harry Clark said they would like to see all stakeholders — such as Eastern Navajo Agency Land Board, Resources, Navajo Department of Agriculture and Fish and Wildlife — come together to work out their proposed changes before they are presented in Albuquerque.

Clark said some of the Resources members are new to the committee and “inherited these problems,” thus, it would be good to have everyone come together to work on the recommendations. John also made a directive to have the Department of Agriculture become more involved.

There are several issues that will be brought to the table, he said. One is to transfer grazing administration for the communities of Largo, Counselor, Kimbeto and Hospah to BIA. The Navajo Nation recently purchased the community of Counselor, which is trust land. “So they’re going to turn that into grazing area. That’s one of the major changes,” he said.

“Another one of the changes is how will it affect the grazing areas based on BIA’s recommendation on the drought conditions? The grazing fee was 7 cents. Based on the drought conditions, BIA adjusted those to a lower amount.

“And then, how will it affect our request for a right of way, like for a power line, waterline, or gas line?”

Also at issue is the leasing or permitting of land under grazing permit by BLM for other uses and who will control ownership of subsurface minerals such as oil, gas, uranium and coal.

The assessment of taxes raises questions as well. “Navajo Nation has been paying a lot of money for that, because the state insisted to the county assessors that some of us entities are not paying for all of it, so Navajo Nation is paying a lot to help these people that are utilizing the land,” John said.

“They did a range inventory that would determine the assessment of the properties, individual homes, and any other establishment, like corrals, sheep camps, dog houses, outhouses. Before, they never did assess those; but now since those are improvements, I think the property tax is going to go up,” he said.

“My understanding is BIA is working on the changes that are going to be recommended at the tri-party meeting,” he said, adding that Navajo has not seen the changes BIA will recommend.

“I think the major issue is probably the grazing fee and the permitted livestock animal units on those permitted areas,” he said.

“Another issue is going to be the Fort Wingate land exchange — who is taking the lead role? The environmental issues are still there.”

John said another land exchange is in Navajo’s future, which raises questions of who is recommending the land exchange, are the lands identified, “and based on the market value, are we going to have a fair exchange? How much land are we talking about? We don’t know that.”