Rep. Eli Crane rips federal agency over tribal mine delays

As the Navajo Nation grapples with a flooding emergency, U.S. Rep. Eli Crane criticized federal agencies for delaying gravel mine permits for the tribe that would help mitigate such natural disasters.

Snowmelt has overflowed creeks in Chinle, damaging homes and cutting access to residents. The Navajo Nation ordered evacuations Sunday because of the flooding.

Many of the roads on the vast reservation are dirt, and Crane, R-Ariz., took the opportunity to remind the Department of Interior that the Navajo Nation has been attempting to permit gravel mines for years.

The crushed rock would be used to both reinforce some dirt roads and to pave others, saving significant expense over importing rock, which pushes the cost of paving roads in the area to $2 million to $3 million per mile.

"It's imperative Navajo Nation gain access to their own gravel pits to construct roads so transportation issues are not exacerbated during similar emergency situations," Crane wrote on Twitter.

Catch up: Navajo Nation orders evacuations in Chinle due to flooding

He also noted that he wrote to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland about the issue earlier this month, saying he encouraged the department to cut red tape holding up the tribe's mines.

Garret Silversmith, executive director of the Navajo Nation Division of Transportation, was busy responding to the flooding Tuesday, but said the Navajo Nation wants to speed up the gravel pit permitting with federal agencies so that roads can be repaired quickly.

The Navajo Nation council approved the lease for the Greasewood gravel pit in March 2018, yet it still isn't producing.

“We respect the system that is in place as far as proper approvals and clearance. But they need to continue to work with us and greatly reduce the system,” Silversmith said.

"This should be a matter of five or six weeks, not years," he said.

Crane wrote to Haaland April 3, asking for more information about the permitting, which goes through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which falls under the Department of Interior.

"Snowpack or mud can mean missed days at work or school," he wrote. "One minor rainstorm can cut Navajo Nation off from the outside world. In order to construct new roads, Navajo Nation needs access to their own gravel pits, which are at present unusable due to your department's lengthy regulatory approval process."

A spokesperson for Haaland's office refused to say whether the Interior secretary had responded to Crane.

"I am not aware of any agency that provides private correspondence, but feel free to FOIA if you’d like," communications director Melissa Schwartz said via email, referencing the federal act that requires disclosure of federal agency documents.

Reach reporter Ryan Randazzo at ryan.randazzo@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4331. Follow him on Twitter @UtilityReporter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rep. Eli Crane rips Interior Department over Navajo permit delays