25th Navajo Nation Council Summer Session Demonstration
On Monday July 15, 2024, Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) attended the opening of the 25th Navajo Nation Council Summer Session. TNA took this opportunity to continue the message that Navajo communities and chapters are concerned and also directly oppose the proposed GreenView hydrogen pipeline. As Community Organizers with TNA, we have worked tirelessly since 2021, to educate Navajo communities about the scientific facts about the relation between blue hydrogen and climate change, the industrial water use during hydrogen production, and the potentially dangerous safety and health impacts this proposed hydrogen pipeline will pose to the 13 impacted chapter communities along the proposed pipeline route and beyond. We’ve held numerous Hydrogen Information Sessions, where we’ve shared scientific studies that prove that blue hydrogen made from fossil-fuels, is NOT clean and that carbon capture and sequestration technologies are not an adequate solution for climate change.
Our message was acknowledged by some of the delegates on horseback who were speaking to the gathering crowd in front of the council chambers, Delegate Dr. Andy Nez echoed our banner and ended his speech with “no hydrogen pipeline”. On the other hand, Delegate Casey Allen Johnson used his time to make the lengthy statement, “I respect the opposition to hydrogen pipeline, but I also, you have to keep in mind, you know, we have a Nation here, and we have tribal employees, to run this nation, the funding, we all have to work together to somehow, you know, come to the table and figure this out, because in a couple years we’re not going to have that 40 million that NGS and Peabody paid to the Nation. If that doesn’t happen were going to have to lay off 50% of the employees, because that’s about 40-50 million right there. So, we have to find another revenue generation, a project, if you guys have solutions, if you guys have a project that can bring in revenues, I’m all ears. Anyone can oppose a project, anyone can oppose anything…” Delegate Helena Nez Begay enthusiastically applauded her colleagues’ words. While it is important to find projects that can bring in revenue, it’s equally if not more important to uplift projects that prioritize our Diné people’s right to free, prior, and informed consent, as well as community engagement that is ethical, community-driven, accountable, transparent, promotes a just and equitable energy transition.
Our Navajo leadership should be more cautious when deciding what energy projects they throw support to, Delegate Germaine Simonson shared several examples of how energy development failed our environment from uranium contamination to Peabody not properly reclaiming the land on Dził Yijiin, and expressed a concept that Navajo doesn’t hear very often, “K’adí…We have a beautiful homeland, Diné bikéyah…we don’t need any more toxic wasteland on our Nation.” A hydrogen legislation has yet to reach the council, but GreenView/Tallgrass are continuing to garner public support and get waivers from grazing permittees, even though 7 of the 13 impacted chapters have passed hydrogen opposition resolutions. TNA continues to advocate for our communities, seek opportunities to share information with our Navajo leaders and build the knowledge base within communities so that they can make better, more informed decisions on hydrogen and other potential energy projects.
Visit www.tonizhoniani.org/hydrogen for more information on hydrogen.
