NENAHNEZAD, N.M. — The 25th Navajo Nation Council held a public hearing June 19 at the Nenahnezad Chapter House to hear community voices regarding federal Executive Order 14241, titled “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry.”
The Council held the first public hearing at Forest Lake Chapter in May, an area located close to the former Kayenta Mine that provided significant amounts of coal for the former Navajo Generating Station.
The Nenahnezad community is located near the Navajo Mine and the Four Corners Power Plant, which continue to operate and create revenue for the Navajo Nation and employment for many Navajo people.
“The Council is taking an objective approach to gain input and to hear directly from those who have been impacted and benefited from the Nation’s coal industry,” Speaker Crystalyne Curley said. “It’s important that we listen to our Navajo people. Your voices matter. You have the right to be heard by leadership and to help shape the future of our Nation.”
President Donald Trump’s executive order, signed on March 20, aims to accelerate domestic production of critical minerals by streamlining permitting, financing, and federal land use processes.
June 19’s public hearing drew more than 250 attendees, with approximately 90 individuals offering verbal comments. Community members were also invited to submit written statements.
The majority of the verbal comments supported the intent of the federal executive order. Many attendees were current or former mining employees who shared how the industry has supported generations of family livelihoods, education, scholarships, and career advancement, including training for upward mobility.
In a region where coal mining remains a major employer for Navajo people, its legacy has created a path of prosperity for many. Many emphasized that mine closures represent a major loss of income, revenue, jobs, and further displacement from local employment.
Miners also reflected on the shutdown of the Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta Mine. Some workers were forced to relocate to accept jobs off the Nation and some sought employment elsewhere, impacting many families and communities.
While many voiced support for the executive order, others expressed concern about the long-term consequences of relying on resource extraction. Some emphasized that the Nation’s land and natural wealth should be managed on its own terms, warning that a future based solely on extractive industries is unsustainable.
Others highlighted the environmental and health impacts tied to decades of mining. They pointed to elevated rates of respiratory illness, including lung cancer among former workers, and stressed the need to address these harms alongside any proposed economic benefits.
Curley said community input continues to play a vital role in guiding the direction of future policy decisions.
“We heard a lot about accountability, sustainability, self-sufficiency, and environmental impacts,” she said. “Our task now is to document comments, written and verbal, compile them into a comprehensive report and present it back to the people and leadership. Our leaders will carefully weigh the comments, opinions, and recommendations to guide decisions as we move forward.”
