Source: Native News Network
WINDOW ROCK, ARIZONA – On Thursday Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly signed legislation enacting the Navajo Energy Policy of 2013 during a signing ceremony in his office. The policy will allow for the Navajo Nation to have direction and guidance for energy development and other initiatives.
For three years, President Shelly has been advocating to update the Navajo Energy Policy, which was created in 1980.
“I want to thank the Navajo Nation Council for the cooperation and the spirit of working together to pass the energy policy. It’s been a long journey. Much work from both branches of government went into today’s ceremony. Now we can move ahead with our future of renewable and non-renewable energy,”
Navajo Nation President Shelly said before he signed the legislation.
President Shelly also signed legislation allocating about $4.1 million to Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) and a third legislation that changed the operating policies of NTEC.
“This is a great day for the Navajo Nation,”
President Shelly said after he signed the documents.
For three years, President Shelly has been advocating to update the Navajo Energy Policy, which was created in 1980. The Energy Advisory Committee that was chaired by Fred White, Natural Resources division director, created the updated Energy Policy and submitted the policy to the Navajo Council to initiate the legislative process.
“I am happy the Council passed the Energy Policy,”
White said shortly after the legislation passed earlier this week.
Navajo Council Speaker Johnny Naize, who sponsored the bill, called the Energy Policy.
“a basic framework for which our Nation can work with other entities to effectively use our resources for energy development.”
In addition, President Shelly has stated the Energy Policy puts the Navajo Nation in a better position to advocate for funding from federal sources for energy studies, projects and other programs.
The legislation pertaining to NTEC allocated $4.1 million to the company for costs relating to start up and expenses acquired during the due diligence investigation related to the acquisition of the Navajo mine.
The other legislation amends the operating policies for NTEC.