Fight for de Chelly
Election year politics may slow canyon plans
Independent file photo

By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The Navajo Nation might not get very far in an election year when it comes to taking over management control of Canyon de Chelly from the National Park Service, but the Resources Committee is determined to try.

The committee was briefed earlier this week by Ed McCool from the Office of Legislative Counsel on how it needs to proceed with taking over the national monument.

“The initial initiative by the committee was to proceed with developing a dialogue with the National Park Service at the national level and get assistance from congressional representatives with transferring the National Park management to the Navajo Nation,” said Chairman George Arthur. “That is the initial and the official position of the Resources Committee.”

McCool said he contacted Simon Boyce, policy director at the Navajo Nation Washington Office, regarding what steps need to be taken with respect to the turnover, and what the political possibilities are.

“Since the Canyon de Chelly arrangement was established both by Executive Order and an act of Congress, it will require an act of Congress to return the control back to the Navajo Nation,” he said.

“That creates a situation where we would have to go to an Arizona member of Congress. In particular at this time it would be Congressman Renzi, who has difficulties of his own. Also, the present leadership in the House of Representatives in Washington has made it clear that they will not move any legislation on behalf of Congressman Renzi.

“That leaves Sen. (Jon) Kyl, which between Mr. Boyce and myself, we assess that his attitude would be hostile at least, probably; and then Sen. (John) McCain, who could be expected realistically not to want to touch this issue and arguably even if he did, he'd probably have very little time to work on it.”

McCool said this led Boyce to assess that it would be better to pursue the effort after the new Congress is elected in November. In the meanwhile, McCool said he believes it would wise to feel out the congressional candidates now running and educate them on the issue.

“The idea is, we know one of these candidates out there is going to be the congressional representative from this area. We're going to obviously need their involvement, including their sponsorship. Now is a good time to start schooling them on what the problems are with that issue. Candidates being who they are, they may not want to take a position on it until after the election,” he said.

“The only other way to do it in this current Congress is through Congressman Udall and the Appropriations Committee, and politically, that's questionable because he would be getting himself involved in something that is not in his district and he also has his own race to worry about.”

McCool said Boyce can begin laying the groundwork in Washington once he gets a resolution from Resources Committee stating it has determined that it is in the best interest of the Navajo Nation to bring Canyon de Chelly under the control of the Nation and wishes Boyce’s office to begin efforts to get the necessary congressional authorization.

“Later we would need a Resources Committee resolution as well as an IGR authorization,” McCool said. “In the meantime it would be helpful to begin to develop information that would be able to demonstrate the Nation's capacity to manage the park on its own.”

The new Congress will need “to get their feet wet,” said Resources' Harry Clark. “What kind of time frame should we be looking at?”

Arthur interrupted, saying “I don't think this committee is going to wait for Mr. Boyce. We've been waiting for two years for him to do what we had asked him as of the initial Chinle Chapter meeting and we have not yet received any necessary documents that could be of any use to us.

“I think we are prepared to initiate the legislation.” Arthur directed that legislation be developed and presented at the committee's first meeting in May. He added that Kyl is his friend and he would approach him if that's what it takes.