A pause on uranium hauling across the Navajo Nation remains in effect as people across the sovereign nation and Northern Arizona continue protesting against the hauling and the mine.
Energy Fuels began mining uranium ore in December out of the Pinyon Plain Mine south of the Grand Canyon. The company told 12News it had planned to start transporting the uranium to a mill in southeast Utah in July or August.
On August 1, Governor Katie Hobbs' administration announced a brokered pause of the shipments with Energy Fuels amidst concerns raised by the Navajo Nation.
However, advocates have been concerned over the transport of uranium ore across tribal lands for longer.
"We're not celebrating just yet, because it is also only a temporary pause and so it's not a 100% win," Leona Morgan, co-founder of Haul No!, an activist organization against the Pinyon Plain Mine, formerly known as Canyon Mine. "We need to shut down the mine 100%."
Since the pause, Morgan says there have been continual efforts by people in Navajo Nation and Northern Arizona to demonstrate against the mine and the hauling by Energy Fuels.
"Being an election year, it's hard to say if this pause will go for six months or how long the Navajo Nation needs to negotiate with Energy Fuels," Morgan said. "And if Energy Fuels will abide by the outcome of whatever agreements."
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren argues that Energy Fuels is not following the sovereign nation's law and argues the company didn't give notice that hauling had begun.
In a previous statement to 12News, Energy Fuels said they did give notice and said the company can "legally restart transport at any time." But would be working to address any of Nygren's "reasonable" concerns.
Attorney General Kris Mayes met with Energy Fuels executives on August 2, according to a spokesperson for Mayes' office.
"She (Mayes) expects them to negotiate with all stakeholders, including the Navajo Nation and Coconino County, in a transparent and good faith manner before any further transportation of uranium occurs," Richie Taylor with the Arizona Attorney General's Office said in part of an emailed statement.
A spokesperson for Governor Katie Hobbs' office told 12News Friday the pause remains in effect.
State Senator Theresa Hatathlie (D-District 6), who is from the Navajo Nation, echoed concerns from Nygren and activists over uranium mines left not cleaned up on the Nation.
"We are not sacrificing grounds," Hatathlie said.
In addition, Hatathlie said she's concerned over the health impacts of the uranium on the Navajo Nation's people noting her own father's health who worked in a uranium mine.
"Because of the work schedule, the time and everything, he said a lot of times, we didn't have the luxury to come out if we ran out of drinking water. We were told to drink the water down there," Hatathlie said.
It wasn't until after her father died that Hatathlie said her family was able to be compensated by the federal government for her father's exposure.
"The federal government only allotted him $50,000 which is nothing compared to the years that he suffered from the ailments of these illnesses," Hatathlie said.
Now, she wants to see the conversation change and action taken to protect indigenous people.
"I really think that now is the time to take that stand, and now is the time for people to come to the table and make sure that lives are protected, environments are protected, so that's the primary thing, is sovereignty and the health of my community and my people," Hatathlie said.
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