WINDOW ROCK

Navajo families won’t have to wait as long to get home-site leases approved because of a decision by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to get out of the approval process.

Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye announced Wednesday BIA agreements to give up the right to approve home-site leases as well as other type of leases on the Navajo Reservation.

The final authority to approve the leases will now be held by the Navajo Nation government.

Sharon Pinto, BIA Navajo Region director, informed Begaye as well as land officials for the tribe on March 30 that approvals for various types of leases would take effect in the next few months.

Approval for home-site leases is now in effect. The tribe took over final approval for telecommunication leases on Wednesday and for other types of general leases, the tribe will take over that responsibility on July 24.

The federal government has been turning over its various functions to the Navajo Tribe since 1973 when then President Richard Nixon signed into law legislation that allowed tribes to take over federal programs when they felt they had the capability and the desire to do so.