RESOURCE CONSERVATION and RECOVERY PROGRAM

Program Purpose:

It is the responsibility of the Resource Conservation & Recovery Program (RCRP) to ensure compliance with the Navajo Nation Solid Waste Act and to provide and effective and integrated approach to facilitate enforcement for solid waste on the Navajo Nation.

NNEPA-RCRP's illegal dumping enforcement initiative is in its infancy and the overall goals are to:

*	Reduce and prevent illegal dumping activity on the Navajo Nation.
*	Raise awareness of the reservation's illegal dumping problem.
*	Promote proper solid waste management with the Division of Community Development, Solid Waste Management Program.

In addressing the illegal dumping problem, RCRP utilizes both administrative and judicial enforcement as authorized under the Navajo Nation Solid Waste Act. However, without public education supplementing the enforcement effort, the initiative will be ineffective and nonproductive.

Transfer Stations
Transfer stations are facilities where individuals can dispose of their solid waste. This solid waste is collected and trasported to a certified handling or disposal facility.

Navajo Nation Area - Recycling Locations

There are transfer stations located at several chapter houses on the Navajo Nation, however, not all 110 chapters have transfer stations.

Transfer Station Location

Alamo	Bodaway/Gap	Breadsprings	Cameron
Chinle	Coyote Canyon	Crownpoint	Fort Defiance
Gallup (McKinley Co.)	Ganado	Huerfano	Kaibeto
Kayenta	Lake Valley	Leupp	Page (LaChee)
Pinehill	Sand Springs	Shiprock	Tohatchi
Tonalea	Tuba City	Upper Fruitland

Red Rock Chapter Green Day

What constitutes a legal landfill?
A legal landfill complies witht he following requirements:

*	Installation of methane gas and ground water monitoring systems
*	Leachate collection
*	Installation of a non-permable liner
*	Daily cover
*	Financial assurance

A sanitary landfill of this caliber is very expensive to build and maintain.

Currently, there is no legal landfill on the Navajo Nation. Please do no bury solid waste, this would be violation of the Act.

Open dumps on the Navajo Nation
In 1996, NNEPA completed an open dump site inventory and catalogued 465 dump sites on the reservation. Sites ranges in size from less than half (1/2) an acre to over 10 acres.

The Navajo Nation Solid Waste Act, Prohibited Acts: Section 201-Disposal.

No person shall:

*	Dispose of any solid waste in a manner that will harm the environment, endanger the public health, safety and welfare or create a public nusiance.
*	Dispose of any solid waste in a place other than a facility which is in compliance with these (Solid Waste) Regulations and other applicable laws.
*	Dispose of any waste not defined as Solid Waste in a solid waster landfill facility.

Section 204: Open Dumping:

*	All open dumping shall be prohibited.

ILLEGAL DUMPING IS SUBJECT TO VARIOUS FINES AND PENALITIES
If anyone is caught illegally disposing of their solid waste within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation:

*	Look forward to cleaning up the site.
*	Picking up waste litter along the roadways.
*	Either of above.

NNEPA Enforcement Handles:
Under the Navajo Nation Code, Title 17, subsection 381: Littering also known as the "Littering Law," a Navajo Nation officer may issue a citation or Notice of Violation. Any person found guilty of littering may be sentenced to serve not less than four (4) hours nor more than 20 hours picking up and clearing litter from the highways, roads, or public places of the Navajo Nation. Also, you can be issued a citation for Criminal Nuisance T17-486(A)(1) if;

*	By conduct either unlawful in itself or unreasonable under all the circumstances, he or she knowingly or recklessly creates or maintains a condition which endangers the safety or health of others.
*	In addition, under the Navajo Nation Solid Waste Act, you can be assessed a civil penalty of at least $500.00 or a criminal penalty, upon conviction, of at least $500.00 or 180 days in jail.

The Enforcement Section currently employs 2 rangers to patrol the five agencies that make up the Navajo Nation but will be expanded in 2002.

*	Chinle Agency
*	Eastern Navajo Agency (Crownpoint)
*	Fort Defiance Agency
*	Shiprock Agency
*	Western Navajo Agency (Tuba City)