Community Heating Resource Program Fuels 110 Navajo Chapters
NAVAJO MINE, N.M. — Navajo Transitional Energy Company will kick off its annual Community Heating Resource Program, which provides free coal to all 110 Navajo Chapters on Oct. 28. Since 2017, NTEC has provided over 15,000 tons of coal to help keep Navajo families warm during the winter months.
“NTEC’s core value is to do the right thing. Part of doing the right thing is providing for our shareholder. Coal continues to be a critical heating resource for many Navajo families and we are happy to be able to offer it free of charge to help the elderly, children and families stay warm this winter,” NTEC CEO Clark Moseley said.
The CHRP program is administered through Navajo chapters. A community member interested in receiving coal can contact their chapter to receive a coal ticket. One coal ticket equals one ton of free coal from the Navajo Mine, located on the Navajo Nation, south of Farmington.
Chapters can either ask for tickets to distribute to their community members or can receive coal in bulk. Individuals are loaded one ton of coal, bulk pickups will vary depending on the needs of the chapter.
To ensure safety, Navajo Mine personnel will load the coal onto the vehicles for participants—reducing strain on the elderly and adhering to the social distancing protocol.
Participants must travel to Navajo Mine, in northwest New Mexico, Wednesday through Saturday from 8am to 4pm to receive the coal. Saturdays will follow Navajo Nation Public Health Orders: For the first weekend they will not be open Oct. 31. Consult the Bisti Fuels Hotline at (505) 258-7782 for any changes.
CHRP is entering its second year of providing free coal to the entire Navajo Nation.
Since its inception in 2018, Navajo Mine provided coal to the chapters surrounding the mine site. Seeing an extreme need for heating resources across the Nation, NTEC expanded the program in 2019.
“NTEC and BISTI Fuels implemented a contactless program to address this pandemic and to keep our employees and visitors safe when they come to Navajo Mine to receive their coal. Our ultimate goal is to assist as many Navajo chapters and communities as we can in a responsible manner,” Cortasha Upshaw, NTEC Community Affairs Coordinator, stated.
