NEWS ADVISORY

News Advisory – Black Mesa Water Coalition
For immediate release: Friday December 29th, 2006
Contacts: Enei Begaye
Calvin Johnson
Nicole Horseherder

Bush Administration’s Office of Surface Mining holding
illegitimate public hearings according to Navajo and Hopi
Community Leaders

Community Leaders hold Press Conferences to announce
plans about OSM’s upcoming Public Hearings on the
alternative water supply for the Black Mesa slurry line
and the Black Mesa Mine.

Flagstaff, AZ. In the midst of holiday season, winter
solstice and New Year’s, community members of the
Navajo and Hopi tribe are stunned to hear of the
resurrection of the Black Mesa Project. The Black Mesa
Project is of one of the most extensive coal mining and
electrification processes in the world that targets pristine
groundwater in northern Arizona. Despite the continued
closure of the Mohave Generating Station and no viable
plans for reopening, Peabody Energy and Salt River
Project are moving forward with plans to build an
alternative water supply from the Coconino Aquifer
while still keeping access to the Navajo Aquifer for
the controversial coal slurry line from the Black Mesa
mine the Mohave power plant.

The Bush Adminstration’s Office of Surface Mining is
fast-tracking public hearings after the holiday season
and community organizations are working to ensure
public participation. Plans for this will be announced
at the news conferences. The Office of Surface Mining
(OSM) will conduct public hearings through January
2-11, 2007 of the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) for the Black Mesa Project. The public
comment deadline is scheduled for February 6, 2007.

What: Two press conferences regarding OSM’s upcoming
public hearings on the Black Mesa Mine Project’s Draft
Environmental Impact Statement.

Who: Speakers include: Calvin Johnson of Dine for C-Aquifer;
Vernon Masayesva of the Black Mesa Trust; and Nicole
Horseherder of To Nizhoni Ani

When: Tuesday, January 2nd, 2006 from 2 – 3 pm
Where: Window Rock, AZ. Quality Inn Banquet Room

When: Monday, January 8th, 2006 from 11 am – Noon
Where: Flagstaff, AZ. 408 E. Rt. 66, Suite #1. (Behind
Babbitt Ford’s used car lot-downtown, Flagstaff) Black
Mesa Water Coalition & Sierra Club Conference Room.
The below conference call line will also be open during
this press conference:
Call in Number: 1-866-501-6174
Participant Code: 321 0361