The Navajo Environmental Protection Commission was established in 1972.

In 1995, the Navajo Environmental Protection Commission was replaced by the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA), which the Navajo Nation Council established as a separate regulatory agency of the Navajo Nation government charged with protecting human health, welfare, and the environment of the Navajo Nation.

That same year the Navajo Nation Council enacted the Navajo Nation Environmental Policy Act, 2 N.N.C. § 1921-27. This Act recognizes that “protection, restoration and preservation of the environment is a central component of the philosophy of the Navajo Nation” and contributes to maintaining harmony and balance between humankind and nature. Id. § 1921. It requires NNEPA to “exert to the fullest extent its authority to regulate, monitor and enforce performance with appropriate environmental standards,” id. § 1922, including “to preserve important cultural, religious, historic and natural aspects of the Navajo Nation,” id. § 1923(f).

NNEPA is headed by an Executive Director and consists of three Departments: Air & Toxics, Surface & Groundwater Protection, and Waste Regulatory & Compliance. Each Department is headed by a Department Manager and in turn houses separate programs. Information about each of these Departments and their respective programs is provided under the separate tabs of this website. For a list of current NNEPA staff and contact information, click here.