TUSAYAN, Ariz — “I know it’s hard for people to accept or have an understanding of the situation, but I feel that the Department of Justice, EPA and all those involved negotiating this transportation agreement did a job that needed to be done,” Heather Clash Navajo Nation Attorney General said.

She’s talking about trucks transporting uranium ore from Arizona to Utah. Despite the Navajo Nation’s efforts to keep uranium off their land, they can’t keep it off a U.S. Highway.

KOB 4 found out the nation is doing its best to find a solution. 

“Trucks will enter near Cameron and travel on Highway 89, then it will take 160, then onto 191,” said Clash.

That’s the route 10 trucks carrying 25 tons of uranium ore will take through the Navajo Nation daily.

“We can’t prevent at this time, preemption is a federal law that prohibits that state and tribes from banning radioactive and other hazardous materials across their land,” said Clash.

Energy Fuels Inc. will be responsible for these trips. The company and the Navajo Nation have agreed to allow them for the next two to four years.

The company will have to make sure their trucks are up to Navajo Nation standards to keep the land and people living there safe.

“To ensure public health, safety, and environment while the transportation is happening,” said Clash.

“Our main concern is always and will remain the possibility of radioactive particles escaping from the small little gaps where the tops of the trailer meet the tarp,” said Stephen Etsitty, Navajo Nation EPA director.

People who call the Navajo Nation home are not happy about uranium traveling through, but tribal leaders say if it is going to happen, they are going to make sure it’s contained as much as possible.

“Within this agreement that we negotiated, is that they’re going to be regulated by our own Navajo Nation Enivornmental Protection Agency, so we can first-hand monitor that on our own,” said Clash.