One year later, no response from Curley or Nygren on unethical practice of Council Delegate
Roughly one year ago (August 29, 2025), Tó Nizhóní Ání sent a letter to the Speaker of the Navajo Nation, Crystalyne Curley, and the President of the Navajo Nation, Buu Nygren, outlining the unethical practices of Navajo Nation Council Delegate Rickie Nez.
In 2022 and 2025, Tó Nizhóní Ání’s (TNA) organizers (at the time), Eleanor Smith and Jessica Keetso, repeatedly tried to present to the Northern Navajo Agency Council (NAC) about the proposed Hydrogen Pipeline across the Navajo Nation. Each request was met with resistance from officials from the Agency or the Council Delegate. In all instances, the resolution was never added to the agenda to be heard.
Finally, at the Northern Agency Council meeting in June 2025 meeting, TNA organizers were allowed to present, but only under reports. Prior to TNA’s report, the NAC officials acted on a resolution titled “Supporting and Recommending to the 25th Navajo Nation Council Resources and Development Committee to Support and Approve Greenview Energy in their Proposed Pipeline Through Northern Navajo Agency.”
Chapter officials had a lot of questions about the project, to which Council Delegate Rickie responded to the public by saying, “To me, I tell my colleagues across the Nation, if you’re going to oppose the mine as well as the Four Corners Power Plant,” said Delegate Nez. “We might as well introduce a legislation that you don’t use the money that comes from here to your chapters.”
The letter to Speaker Curley, focuses on Delegate Rickie Nez’s misuse of his position as a member of the Navajo Nation Resources and Development Committee (RDC) and local Council Delegate, to halt discussions and questions on the proposed hydrogen topic, blocking any opposing resolution or parallel resolution from being heard, and threatening chapter officials if they don’t support proposed fossil fuel projects.
Council Delegates who control what happens at the chapters and agency meetings deny the public access to information so they can make more informed decisions. If officials had been allowed to hear TNA’s presentation, they would have been better informed and ready to make a decision. Instead, the Hydrogen Resolution was forced on the officials and hence the communities.
Tó Nizhóní Ání asked Speaker Curley, to take corrective action on Delegate Nez’s behavior.
To this day, Tó Nizhóní Ání has received no response, nor has anyone made any effort to hold Delegate Nez accountable.
