Editing Navajo Nation (section)

===Natural resources===
Mining – especially of [[coal]] and [[uranium]] – provided significant income to both the Navajo Nation and individual Navajos in the second half of the 20th century.<ref>See the three volumes produced by the Bureau of Indian Affairs 1955–1956: Kiersch, George A. (1956) ''Mineral Resources, Navajo-Hopi Indian Reservations, Arizona-Utah: Geology, Evaluation, and Uses,'' volumes 1–3, United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, Arizona, {{OCLC|123188599}}</ref> Many of these mines have closed. But in the early 21st century, mining still provides significant revenues to the tribe in terms of leases (51% of all tribal income in 2003).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://navajobusiness.com/fastFacts/Overview.htm|title=Fast Facts|access-date=2017-04-02|archive-date=May 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170509112412/http://navajobusiness.com/fastFacts/Overview.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Navajos are among the 1,000 people employed in mining.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/coal-mining-navajo-nation_n_3397118.html|title=Coal Mining On Navajo Nation|website=[[HuffPost]]|date=6 June 2013|access-date=2017-04-02}}</ref>

====Coal====
The volume of coal mined on the Navajo Nation land has declined in the early 21st century.

[[Peabody Energy]]'s [[Black Mesa Peabody Coal controversy|Black Mesa coal mine, a controversial strip mine]], was shut down in December 2005 because of its adverse environmental impacts. It lost an appeal in January 2010 to reopen.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrcc.osmre.gov/Current_Initiatives/Black_Mesa_EIS/BMEIS/AdministrativeLawJudgeDecision.pdf |title=Administrative Law Judge Decision |access-date=2011-12-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120314163134/http://www.wrcc.osmre.gov/Current_Initiatives/Black_Mesa_EIS/BMEIS/AdministrativeLawJudgeDecision.pdf |archive-date=March 14, 2012 }}</ref>

The Black Mesa mine fed the 1.5 GW [[Mohave Power Station]] at [[Laughlin, Nevada]], via a [[slurry pipeline]] that used water from the Black Mesa aquifer. The nearby [[Kayenta Mine]] used the [[Black Mesa & Lake Powell Railroad]] to move coal to the former [[Navajo Generating Station]] (2.2 GW) at [[Page, Arizona]]. The Kayenta mine provided the majority of leased revenues for the tribe. The Kayenta mine also provided wages to those Navajo who were among its 400 employees.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.peabodyenergy.com/content/276/media-center/fact-sheets/kayenta-mine |title= Kayenta Mine|access-date= 2017-04-02|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170403014923/http://www.peabodyenergy.com/content/276/media-center/fact-sheets/kayenta-mine |archive-date= 2017-04-03|url-status= dead}}</ref>

The Chevron Corporation's P&M [[McKinley Mine]] was the first large-scale, surface coal mine in New Mexico when it opened in 1961. It closed in January 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.env.nm.gov/swqb/NPDES/Inspections/NN0029386-20160217.pdf |title= Facility Description of NM Environment Department 2016 Compliance Inspection Report |access-date= 2017-04-02 |archive-date= February 20, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170220114506/https://www.env.nm.gov/swqb/NPDES/Inspections/NN0029386-20160217.pdf |url-status= live }}</ref>

The Navajo Mine opened in 1963 near [[Fruitland, New Mexico]], and employs about 350 people. It supplies [[sub-bituminous coal]] to the 2 GW [[Four Corners Generating Station|Four Corners Power Plant]] via the isolated 13-mile [[Navajo Mine Railroad]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navajo-tec.com/history.html |title=history|website=Navajo-tec.com |access-date=13 October 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170724155139/http://www.navajo-tec.com/history.html |archive-date=2017-07-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> Parts of the Navajo Nation, through the Navajo Transitional Energy Company, acquired the mine and three mines in Montana and Wyoming.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Karl |last1=Cates |first2=Seth |last2=Feaster |title=IEEFA U.S.: Navajo-owned energy company is in trouble |url=https://ieefa.org/ieefa-u-s-navajo-owned-energy-company-is-in-trouble/ |website=Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200202000516/https://ieefa.org/ieefa-u-s-navajo-owned-energy-company-is-in-trouble/ |archive-date=2 February 2020 |date=31 January 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Noel Lyn |title=Navajo Transitional Energy Company takes on coal mining operations at Navajo Mine |url=https://www.daily-times.com/story/news/local/navajo-nation/2021/10/02/ntec-takes-coal-mining-operations-navajo-mine/5955009001/ |website=The Daily Times |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211002185856/https://www.daily-times.com/story/news/local/navajo-nation/2021/10/02/ntec-takes-coal-mining-operations-navajo-mine/5955009001/ |archive-date=2 October 2021 |date=2 October 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Uranium====
The uranium market, which was active during and after the [[World War II|Second World War]], slowed near the end of that period. The Navajo Nation has suffered considerable environmental contamination and health effects as a result of poor regulation of uranium mining in that period. <!-- Add content about Superfund sites -->As of 2005, the Navajo Nation has prohibited uranium mining altogether within its borders.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

====Oil and natural gas====
There are developed and potential oil and gas fields on the Navajo Nation. The oldest and largest group of fields is in the [[Paradox Basin]] in the [[Four Corners]] area. Most of these fields are located in the Aneth Extension in Utah, but there are a few wells in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The first well was drilled in the Aneth Extension in 1956. In 2006 the Paradox Basin fields were injected with water and carbon dioxide to increase declining production.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/proceedings/06/carbon-seq/Poster+046.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-10-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128100740/https://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/proceedings/06/carbon-seq/Poster%20046.pdf |archive-date=2017-01-28 }}</ref> There are also wells in the Checkerboard area in New Mexico that are on leased land owned by individual Navajo.

The selling of leases and oil royalties have changed over the years. The Aneth Extension was created from Public Domain lands as part of a 1933 exchange with the federal government for lands flooded by [[Lake Powell]].  Congress appointed Utah as trustee on behalf of Navajos living in [[San Juan County, Utah]] for any potential revenues that came from natural resources in the area. Utah initially created a 3-person committee to make leases, receive royalties and improve the living conditions for Utah Navajo.  As the revenues and resulting expenditures increased, Utah created the 12-member Navajo Commission to do the operational work.  The Navajo Nation and Bureau of Indian Affairs are also involved.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-112shrg74443/pdf/CHRG-112shrg74443.pdf|title=SF|website=Gpo.gov|access-date=13 October 2017|archive-date=March 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310204055/https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-112shrg74443/pdf/CHRG-112shrg74443.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

Several Navajo organizations deal with oil and gas.  The [[Utah Dineh Corporation Inc|Utah Diné Corporation]] is a nonprofit organization established to take over from the Navajo Commission. The Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Company owns and operates oil and natural gas interests, primarily in New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=4340900|title=Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Company, Inc.: Private Company Information – Bloomberg|website=Bloomberg.com|access-date=13 October 2017|archive-date=October 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013013834/https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=4340900|url-status=live}}</ref>  Federally incorporated, it is wholly owned by the Navajo Nation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nnogc.com/about-us.html|title=Welcome To The Navajo Nation Oil And Gas Company|website=Nnogc.com|access-date=13 October 2017|archive-date=June 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609082650/http://www.nnogc.com/about-us.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Renewables====
In early 2008, the Navajo Nation and Houston-based [[International Piping Products]] entered into an agreement to monitor wind resources, with the potential to build a 500-[[megawatt]] [[wind farm]] some 50 miles (80&nbsp;km) north of [[Flagstaff, Arizona]]. Known as the Navajo Wind Project, it is proposed as the second commercial wind farm in Arizona after Iberdrola's [[Dry Lake Wind Power Project]] between [[Holbrook, Arizona|Holbrook]] and [[Overgaard-Heber, Arizona|Overgaard-Heber]]. The project is to be built on Aubrey Cliffs in [[Coconino County, Arizona]].<ref name="windproj">[http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/08/17/navajo-owned-wind-farm-works-arizona-47633 ICTMN Staff, "Navajo-Owned Wind Farm in Works in Arizona"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230112329/http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/08/17/navajo-owned-wind-farm-works-arizona-47633 |date=December 30, 2014 }}, ''Indian Country Today,'' 17 August 2011; accessed 12 December 2016</ref>

In December 2010, the President and Navajo Council approved a proposal by the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), an enterprise of the Navajo Nation, and [[Edison Mission Energy]] to develop an 85-megawatt wind project at Big Boquillas Ranch, which is owned by the Navajo Nation and is located 80 miles west of Flagstaff. The NTUA plans to develop this into a 200-megawatt capacity at peak. This has been planned as the first majority-owned native project; NTUS was to own 51%. An estimated 300–350 people will construct the facility; it will have 10 permanent jobs.<ref name="windproj"/> In August 2011, the Salt River Project, an Arizona utility, was announced as the first utility customer. Permitting and negotiations involve tribal, federal, state and local stakeholders.<ref name="wind">[http://navajotimes.com/news/2011/0811/080411wind.php Alastair Lee Bitsoi, "Wind project holds promise for tribe"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220164057/http://navajotimes.com/news/2011/0811/080411wind.php |date=December 20, 2016 }}, ''Navajo Times,'' 4 August 2011; accessed 12 December 2016</ref> The project is intended not only as a shift to renewable energy but to increase access for tribal members; an estimated 16,000 homes are without access to electricity.<ref name="carr">[https://law.seattleu.edu/Documents/ailj/Fall%202013/Carr-Final.pdf Gerald Carr, "Asserting Treaty Rights to Harness the Wind on the Great Lakes"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220200306/https://law.seattleu.edu/Documents/ailj/Fall%202013/Carr-Final.pdf |date=December 20, 2016 }}, ''American Indian Law Journal,'' Fall 2013; accessed 12 December 2016</ref>

The wind project has foundered because of a "long feud between Cameron [Chapter] and Window Rock [central government] over which company to back".<ref name="cameron"/> Both companies pulled out. Negotiations with Clipper Windpower looked promising, but that company was put up for sale after the recession.<ref name="cameron">[ Cindy Yurth, "Waiting for a fair wind"], ''Navajo Times,'' 29 November 2012; accessed 12 December 2016</ref>