Transcript Eastern Navajo Land Board - navajochapters.org
Presented to
LGSC – Eastern Navajo Agency Chapter Officials’ Conference
March 19, 2012 Farmington, NM
PIX……
Eastern Navajo Land Board
The 20 Land Board Members represent the following Chapters:
1.
District 15 – 7 Representatives.
a. Standing Rock (1) b.
Dalton Pass (Nahodishgish) (1) 2.
c.
White Rock (1) District 20 – 4 representatives d.
Lake Valley and Becenti (1) e.
f.
Crownpoint and Littlewater (1) Whitehorse Lake (1) 3.
4.
d.
e.
f.
g.
g.
Pueblo Pintado and Torreon (1) District 16 – 9 Representatives.
a.
Mariano Lake and Smith Lake (1) b.
c.
Thoreau, Baca and Casamero Lake (1) Pinedale and Iyanbito (1) Church Rock, Bread Springs, and Red Rock (1) Manuelito and Chichiltah (1) Rock Springs and Tsayatoh (1) Ramah (1) h.
i.
Alamo (1) Tohajilee (1) District 19 – 4 representatives.
a.
Huerfano (2) b.
Nageezi (1) c.
Counselor and Ojo Encino (1)
Eastern Navajo Land Board–
Purpose, Mission, and Goals Statements
1. Preserve and improve the land, water, forest, forage, wildlife and recreational resources in Eastern Navajo Agency through efficient grazing management.
2. Promote optimum use of range resources to sustain income and livelihoods from livestock grazing.
3. Balance the rights and equities of the individual \landowners and land users with the demands of Navajo Nation programs through the granting of grazing privileges in a manner which will yield a fair return to land users consistent with undiminished future use.
Duties and responsibilities of the District Land Boards
Review grazing permit and applications for eligibility to allocate grazing permit privileges and designate use areas.
Strive to assign land tracts as viable economic units.
Mediate land disputes and refer unresolvable disputes to the Joint Land Board.
Implement livestock educational programs, in coordination Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and other resources.
Collaborate with Navajo Nation, state, BIA, BLM, NIIP, DNR departments on issues of mutual concern
Land acquisitions, mineral and energy development, etc. Cancel grazing permits upon forage depletion , permittee death, failure to pay grazing fees or non-use of permits for extended time periods or other reasons.
Recommend and implement range improvements and conservation plans for range units.
Duties and responsibilities of the District Land Boards (continued) Enforce grazing regulations and perform other authorized duties on Navajo Nation trust, unreserved public domain land leased by the Navajo Nation, and other Navajo Nation controlled land.
Perform herd health management and marketing programs, including livestock sale programs.
Assist in annual livestock inventories.
Recommend establishment and adjustment of range units in consultation with land users.
Recommend grazing fees, modification, cancellation, and reissuance of grazing permits.
Authorize range unit improvements prior to construction or removal.
Future “To Do List” for Eastern Navajo Land Board
1. Revise Plan of Operation 2. Revise MOU between the Navajo Nation, the BIA, and the BLM (aka Cooperative Agreement).
3. Revise MOA between Navajo Nation and BIA.
4. Establish need and potential for ENA Integrated Resource Management Plan
Land Board Partners with:
Chapters USDA (NRCS, FSA) BLM BIA Navajo Nation Courts Law Enforcement (NN Police, NRE Rangers, State Police, County Sheriff) National Park Service Other NN DNR Departments
Current Land Board Issues…
Agriculture once brought people together for celebration and good fortunes (i.e. dippings). Now we are confronted with: Livestock over grazing and Increased dispute loads.
Economic Impacts due to funding decreases, “do more with less,” higher cost of
living)
Complex land status (
trust, fee, allotment, BLM, Park Service, state, etc)
Conflicting grazing district and chapter boundaries.
Comprehensive Land Use Plans needed.
Zoning Increased demands from growing population and decreased grazing land.
Increased demands for grazing permits from younger generation.
BLM land issues (
unauthorized occupancy, land exchanges
) Encroachment of other uses on grazing lands (
homesite, community & economic development, etc
.) Need for Conservation Plans Grazing regulation and dispute enforcement (NRE, NPD, BIA)