Navajos say EPA should clean its spill rather than trying to swindle Indians

The EPA is trying to cheat Navajo Indians by getting them to sign away their rights to future claims from the agency’s Gold King Mine disaster, tribal officials charged Wednesday, adding more to the administration’s public relations problems over the spill that threatens critical Southwest waterways. Environmental Protection Agency officials were going door to door asking Navajos, some of whom don’t speak English as their primary language, to sign a form that offers to pay damages incurred so far from the spill, but waiving the right to come back and ask for more if their costs escalate or if they discover bigger problems, Navajo President Russell Begaye told The Washington Times. Mr. Begaye has promised a lawsuit on behalf of the Navajo Nation and said he suspects the EPA is trying to buy off as many Navajo as possible now to head off a bigger settlement later...more

Your government in action: They're supposed to protect the environment but are just protecting their ass.

NM land commissioner says his office could manage federal lands

State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn says his office would have no problem managing federal lands if they were transferred to the state. And he says the public would have more access to them if that happened. Dunn made the comments today at a budget hearing before the House Appropriations and Finance Committee — a day after sportsmen and others rallied at the Capitol opposing any such land transfers. The idea of shifting federal public lands to state control has been around for several years, and opponents expect it to surface again in this year’s legislative session. Asked about it at the hearing, Dunn said the State Land Office could easily take on managing the current federal lands. “I personally think there would be more public access should the state be in control, versus the federal government,” Dunn also told lawmakers...more