(The Center Square) – Uranium ore transports through the Navajo Nation in Arizona to a mill in Utah are temporarily stopped.
Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office announced Thursday night that a call between Energy Fuels, which runs the Pinyon Plain mine, and tribal leaders resulted in the pause while both parties involved hammer out a solution.
“Tonight, I spoke with President Nygren about EFRI’s transport of uranium ore through tribal lands. I committed to being a partner to the Navajo Nation as they navigate the dispute and shared actions the State is taking to ensure a resolution,” Hobbs said in a statement.
“As of Tuesday night, my administration worked with EFRI to voluntarily agree to pause ore shipments through Navajo lands to give both sides an opportunity to engage in good faith negotiations. I have also instructed [the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs] to partner with tribal law enforcement and assist the Navajo Nation’s emergency management team in developing an emergency response plan in the event of a road incident,” she added.