New Mexico will no long subsidize uranium mining

By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — This year's bipartisan Energy Policy Act crafted by U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M. and U.S. Rep. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., does not contain provisions found in last year's bill which would have subsidized uranium mining in Church Rock and Crownpoint.

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. praised the two legislators last week for protecting the Navajo people from further harm caused by uranium mining and processing through their work on the Indian Energy Title portion of the act.

Earlier provisions contained in the Nuclear Title would have encouraged uranium mining near the Navajo Nation.

Shirley said, "I want to express my great appreciation to Sens. Domenici and Bingaman and their staffs for listening to concerns of the Navajo people. This helps to protect Navajos from the harmful impacts of uranium mining, and is what Navajo people have sought for themselves through the recently enacted Natural Resources Protection Act of 2005."

The Navajo Nation Washington Office said more vigilance is needed to prevent uranium provisions from being added as amendments to the act as it continues to work its way through Congress.

Within the Indian Energy Title portion of the bill language was included to provide opportunity for increased independence to develop tribal energy resources and broaden the availability of electricity to Native communities.

The law would make the Navajo Nation eligible for potentially billions of dollars in grants, low-interest loans and loan guarantees for energy resource development and environmental protection, according to the president.

The Indian Energy Title contains two provisions of benefit to Navajo, including extending the eligibility of Diné Power Authority to receive grants and assistance for development of the Navajo Transmission Project, and extending authorization until 2011 for the Navajo Electrification Project. Neither provision provides appropriations.

The Indian Energy Title also would create the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs to promote tribal energy development, reduce energy costs, enhance tribal energy infrastructure, and provide electrification to tribal lands.

The title authorizes $1 million for Federal Power Marketing Administration assistance on tribal land and additionally promotes using energy efficient technologies and shared savings contracts in housing on tribal lands to promote energy efficiency.

The full Senate is expected to take up the Energy Policy Act this month.

"I am proud of this energy bill," Domenici said after gaining nearly unanimous support (21-1) from the Energy and Natural Resources Committee on May 26. "It's been a long five months but we are sending a bill to the floor that does more for conservation, diversification, technology and efficiency than Congress has done before.

"This committee found a path to compromise on tough issues, and there will be more difficult decisions to make when we get to the Senate debate," he said.

According to Bingaman, on the supply side the legislation supports the development of clean energy technologies and also contains some strong energy-efficiency provisions.

The bill would modernize and expand the nation's electricity grid and encourage the design and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies, clean coal technologies, and hydrogen technologies as a means of moving America away from its dependence on foreign oil.