NN EPA Aneth Hearing on Oil & GAs Plan
The Navajo Nation EPA’s application would grant agency authority to regulate certain pollutants on tribal lands in accordance with the Clean Air Act. Approval of NNEPA’s Partial TIP application would confirm NNEPA’s authority to regulate minor sources of emissions on the Navajo Nation, which in turn would: Enhance the Navajo Nation's sovereignty rights by implementing a tribally-controlled program. Strengthening air quality protection by establishing a program with more stringent requirements than the US EPA’s regulations, in some instances. Protecting the air quality and public health of the Navajo People. Increase communication and transparency in regulating minor source emissions. Reducing VOC emissions, particularly from oil and gas facilities, which are often classified as minor sources. We encourage communities to provide their feedback to the Navajo Nation EPA to advocate for the highest level of environmental and community protections by providing comments in person or written.
Watch Diné C.A.R.E. Executive Director Robyn Jackson’s presentation below.
NN EPA releases draft oil & gas air pollution plan
Read Navajo Nation EPA’s DRAFT Partial Tribal Implementation Plan for to issue permits and enforce air pollution regulations for minor oil and gas sources under the Clean Air Act.
Diné C.A.R.E. and Earthworks co-host Toxic TouR
On August 8th, Diné C.A.R.E. and Earthworks co-hosted a Toxic Tour.
During the tour, they identified several sources of pollution from oil and gas operations in the Navajo Nation Eastern Checkerboard region. During the tour further education was provided to those in attendance to learn more about the impacts of oil and gas and the challenges to regulate in an area where there is mixed jurisdiction.
Navajo Nation EPA staff from the Air Quality Department and a staffer for the Navajo Nation Council were in attendance.
Cheyenne Antonio, “Clean up abandoned wells to protect a way of life,” Santa Fe New Mexican, 1/18/25
Read Diné C.A.R.E.’s Cheyenne Antonio’s opinion piece in the Santa Fe New Mexican on why cleaning up orphan wells is critical for protecting community health and the Navajo way of life.
Navajo Nation takes significant action to cut methane
By a vote of 4-0, the Navajo Nation Council Resource Development Committee today voted in favor of Legislation Number 0202-04 “Approving the Navajo Nation Clean Air Act Minor Source Program Regulations.”
Radio Forum on Methane Waste
In this radio forum, Diné community leaders discuss the impacts of methane waste and pollution on Navajo lands.
2021 Report: Methane Waste and Pollution a Growing Problem on the Navajo Nation
Oil and gas industry wasting $4.8 million in Navajo natural gas, as much as $1.2 million in tribal royalties every year.
As the Navajo Nation works to enact new requirements to protect air quality and limit methane waste and pollution on Navajo lands, an updated analysis shows this is a growing problem with oil and gas companies wasting disproportionately more energy than in other areas, according to a report released today by the Environmental Defense Fund, Diné C.A.R.E., NAVA EP, Grand Canyon Trust and Western Leaders Network.