Archaeology

The Real Estate Department implements the Navajo Nation Business Site Leasing Regulations of 2005, assuming the authorities of the Bureau of Indian Affairs on management and enforcement of business site leases. Subsection 800 of these regulations outline the environmental review process and it is codified in Section 3.0 of the Division of Economic Development's Navajo Management Plan (for business site leasing). The process includes a compliance determination from the Historic Preservation Department to determine if the proposed business venture complies with the National Historic Preservation Act and other applicable regulations.

The Archaeology Process

RED's staff archaeologist works with the Division of Economic Development and other managing entities and the Cultural Resources Compliance Section of the Historic Navajo Nation Preservation Department to facilitate a review of the business ventures impact on historic and cultural resources within the proposed business site.

To start the compliance determination process, the DED or managing entity is required to submit in writing the following information for the archaeologist's review:

Legal land survey with a legal description of proposed business site

Information about the proposed business: Type of business, location (Chapter, Agency, County and State) and land status

Information about the proposed business site: Existing rights of ways or easements, previous land surveys and previous archaeological surveys or ethnographies