(The Center Square)— Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs addressed Navajo Nation leaders on Monday as part of an effort by the administration to grow relationships with indigenous tribes.
“Since taking office in January, I’ve made it a priority to engage with Indigenous communities, because for too long you have been left without a seat at the table,” Hobbs said at the Navajo Nation Council Chambers in Window Rock.
Hobbs is the first sitting governor to address the tribal lawmaking body “while in session,” and she touched on the issue of unlicensed mental health and rehabilitation facilities, rural broadband, and water.
“I believe in responsible water management for our state, which is why I’ve created a Water Policy Council that Tribal voices at the table to help develop policy solutions for our state,” she said.
The governor’s remarks come as the Supreme Court ruled in Arizona v. Navajo Nation last month that the federal government did not need to guarantee the tribal water rights under an 1868 treaty. Roughly a third of the tribe does not have access to “clean reliable drinking water,” according to its website.
“[W]hile the 1868 treaty “set apart” a reservation for the “use and occupation of the Navajo tribe,” […] it contains no language imposing a duty on the United States to take affirmative steps to secure water for the Tribe,” Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in the court’s opinion.
However, Hobbs did not mention the Supreme Court’s ruling directly.
“I recognize that Indigenous peoples are stewards of our natural resources, and this is a value that I share. This is why I’ve taken such an aggressive stance on water management – tackling issues like the Colorado River and the future of our groundwater supplies head-on,” the governor said.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren criticized the court’s decision in a June 22 statement.
“My job as the President of the Navajo Nation is to represent and protect the Navajo people, our land, and our future,” Nygren said. “The only way to do that is with secure, quanti ed water rights to the Lower Basin of the Colorado River.’
Since taking office in January, Hobbs has frequently met with tribal leaders in the state, particularly the Gila River Indian Community in the Phoenix area, The Center Square previously reported.
