In an alliance crossing governmental and tribal lines, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren has garnered support from key Arizona officials in his stance against the transportation of uranium ore through Navajo lands. Stated in a recent press announcement, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes have vocalized their backing, along with San Juan Southern Paiute President Robbin Preston, Jr.

Reacting to the situation, Hobbs had a conversation with President Nygren Thursday evening, during which she confirmed persuading Energy Fuels Resources, Inc. (EFRI) to pause uranium shipments to Utah's White Mesa Mill. In the immediate aftermath, the governor said, "I have also instructed DEMA (Arizona Division of Emergency Management and Assistance) 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," as per the statement she released Tuesday night. Despite being moved to intervene in the crisis, the Arizona Division of Emergency Management and Assistance (DEMA) is to coordinate with the Navajo Nation on safety measures.

Attorney General Mayes also made her position clear: "Hauling radioactive materials through rural Arizona, including across the Navajo Nation, without providing notice or transparency and without providing an emergency plan is unacceptable," she said. Mayes highlighted concerns of unsatisfactory notice from EFRI regarding the uranium transport and noted the absence of an emergency response plan, despite numerous requests for its disclosure.

Aligning with Nygren, San Juan Southern Paiute President Robbin Preston, Jr., expressed the unity of his tribe with the Navajo Nation's cause on Wednesday. "Uranium is a toxic substance that has devastated the Navajo Nation as well as our communities on the reservation for decades," he said, condemning the actions of EFRI as a threat to tribal governance nationwide. The tribal president stressed the significance, of opposing the transportation of a substance, that's banned by the Navajo nation, leading the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe to enforce its laws through the turning back of EFRI's trucks.

The Navajo Nation, along with its supporting allies, is set to engage in negotiations with EFRI to address safety concerns and ensure the protection of their lands. Acknowledging the historical burden of uranium on tribal health and the environment, Governor Hobbs, Attorney General Mayes, and President Preston collectively uphold the perspective that the tribal nations possess the right and sovereignty to safeguard their inhabitants from such hazards.