On September 27, 2024, a significant milestone unfolded three miles south of Page, Arizona, where leaders and community members gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony of the highly anticipated Horseshoe Bend Development Project. The public ceremony, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Arizona time, marked the start of a transformative project that promises to elevate the region’s economic profile, create thousands of jobs,…
ETD, Inc. has taken a leading role in shaping the future of Flagstaff through its work on the Flagstaff Regional Plan 2045. Partnering with Cascadia Partners, ETD is helping ensure that the voices shaping Flagstaff’s growth are as diverse as the community itself. The plan isn’t just about mapping the city’s future infrastructure—it’s about creating a shared vision for the…
From 2022 to June 2024, ETD, Inc. collaborated with the Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission (NNWRC) to secure the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement, a monumental agreement that guarantees the Navajo Nation 44,700 acre-feet per year (AFY) of Upper Basin Colorado River water and $243 million for critical water infrastructure. This settlement is a key achievement in securing long-term…
As a Navajo-owned company, ETD, Inc. takes pride in providing Environmental Assessment (EA) and Tribal Public Engagement services for projects that directly benefit the Navajo people and their land. Under contract with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Navajo Regional Office, ETD, Inc. led the District 14 Grazing Fencing Project, which involved installing 128.74 miles of fencing across five grazing…
The Navajo Nation Water Management Branch proposes to develop the Western Navajo Pipeline, a brand new water infrastructure system to expand the use of water from Lake Powell to Navajo Chapters throughout the Western Navajo Agency. Water is arguably the most important resource in the American Southwest, and this is especially true on the Navajo Nation. Like many areas, the communities…
Summary: The Navajo Forestry Department has prepared this programmatic environmental assessment for the Navajo Forestlands Integrated Resources Management Plan (IRMP) (2018) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 and other relevant Federal laws and regulations. It assesses the potential environmental impacts of the Preferred Management Plan and Alternative Management Options described in the plan. Federal guidelines define an IRMP…
Addressing the Housing Crisis on Navajo Lands ETD Inc.’s work in environmental compliance plays a vital role in addressing the critical housing shortage on Navajo lands. According to the late Navajo President Kelsey Begaye, the Navajo Nation faces a shortage of approximately 20,000 homes across the reservation. In response to this pressing issue, ETD partnered with the Southwest Indian Foundation…
Building a Navajo Boat Dock, another step in a long history of pushing for river access “First in time, First in right” has been the go-to foundation of water law in the American Southwest. If this is true, then why until recently have the native tribes along the Colorado River not had a say in water use? As many are saying, Lake…
ETD, Inc. is proud to have provided comprehensive NEPA compliance services for the Painted Desert Power Solar Project, a landmark 750 MW photovoltaic solar and battery energy storage system located on Navajo Nation land within the Cameron Chapter. Contracted by Navajo Power, we were responsible for ensuring that this transformative renewable energy project adhered to all federal and tribal environmental…
HUD funds New Homes in Native Communities through NAHASDA and Section 184 Loans For over 40 years, the Southwest Indian Foundation (SWIF) has been providing assistance to the “poorest of the poor” in desert southwest reservation areas (SWIF, 2021). One of SWIF’s programs includes new housing, which is funded through U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Native American Housing and…
ETD Inc. proudly managed the annual indoor air quality (IAQ) testing for all Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise-owned casinos, ensuring a safe and comfortable environment for both guests and employees. These casinos, vital to the economic development of the Navajo Nation, depend on high standards of air quality to maintain the health and well-being of everyone who enters the facilities. Our…
Under Public Law 106-568, the Navajo Nation can issue land leases without needing the Secretary of the Interior’s approval. The Navajo Nation General Leasing Regulations of 2013 (CO-53-13) detail the process for issuing various types of leases, including agricultural, public, religious (Mission site leases), educational, recreational, and residential land leases. The General Land Development Department (GLDD) reviews and approves these…
