Navajo Nation receives new equipment to help improve infrastructure

FARMINGTON, N.M.— Some new heavy equipment is making its way to several chapters on the Navajo Nation.

“And we wanted to get heavy equipment to them, so they can use that for repairing the roads and other tasks around the communities,” said Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation.

The Nation Council voted to pull more than $20 million out of a fund for the big rigs. Equipment has already been delivered to Rock Point, Arizona, and more is expected to be delivered to other chapters on the Navajo Nation in the upcoming days.

“Because most of the time when the heavy equipment is being requested, the central government has to find the heavy equipment, whether they’re rebuilding a road or highway somewhere, and if there’s an emergency we have to pull that heavy equipment off of that project to help out our community members,” the president said.

Now, the chapter houses will have this equipment readily available in case of an emergency.

The new equipment will do more than just help fix the roads. Water trucks were also purchased to help haul water to those who don’t have access to it.

“A lot of our elders and a lot of our community members, a good 30% to 40% don’t have running water, so it would help them extremely to get this service," President Nez added.

This new equipment can also mean new job opportunities.

“Of course you’re gonna have to have a CDL license to maneuver and drive these heavy equipment. That’s a requirement at the local communities, so it’ll bring jobs it’ll bring heavy equipment operators who might be working off the Navajo Nation now they have work closer to home," Nez said.