WATER & COAL

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“The Whitehouse has become the East coast branch office of Exxon and Peabody Coal, and global warming has become the pre-eminent case of the contamination of our political process by money”. ~Ross Gelbspan, for 31 years an investigative reporter and editor, for the Philadelphia Bulletin, The Washington Post, and the Boston Globe. His work lead to a Pulitzer Prize.

Black Mesa studies to resume, slurry appears dead
By Marley Shebala, Navajo Times, April 17, 2008 WINDOW ROCK – The 38-year-old Black Mesa Pipeline is retiring.
No power plant aids N-aquifer Black Mesa Environmental Impact Statement to be reactivated By Kathy Helms, Gallup Independent, April 14, 2008. WINDOW ROCK – The Black Mesa Environmental Impact Statement is being reactivated, however the preferred alternative, which includes the C-aquifer pipeline, reportedly will be eliminated.
Navajo from Big Mountain: US media and politicians orchestrate wars By Brenda Norrell, March 28, 2008. PUEBLO, Colo. – Bahe Katenay, Navajo from Big Mountain on the Navajo Nation, said the US media created the stories of the so-called Navajo Hopi Land Dispute, which was orchestrated by Peabody Coal and US politicians, the same way the US orchestrates the war in Iraq for its resources. More…. Big Mtn. Dineh’s Support for Longest Walk II (Northern Route) By Bahe Y. Katenay, February 27, 2008 Peabody Plane Skids on Landing and Crashes…
“Hey All, First of all on a different note, I want you all to think about the elders resisters at Big Mountain because they have been completely snowbound for the last month. The unmaintained dirt roads are so muddy that they are impassable…” Kat (the Bahe) Katenay of Big Mountain, AZ February 22, 2008
30th Anniversay Celebration of Big Mountain Resistance
(Brief Report and Pictures) October 2007
JOHN McCAIN’S RELOCATION LEGISLATION S1003 DOES NOT MAKE IT TO RESOLUTION! Senate Bill 1003 (The Navajo Hopi Land Settlement Act of 1974 Amendments) proposed by AZ Senator & Presidential hopeful John McCain did not come to a resolution! This bill would have had dire consequences for Dine’ families who continue to live on their ancestral homeland, for the families who have moved and for the land of Black Mesa. While S1003 passed through the Senate, it never made it out of the House Resources Committee to the House floor for a vote. The congressional session ended with no action being taken. Many thanks to all of the action taken in support of the Dineh and in stopping this bill, and in stopping the forced relocation laws. Thousands of letters, emails, and faxes were sent from throughout Indian Country and general support network, as well as the video sent to Congress that a Black Mesa resident and a BMIS volunteer compiled of statements from residents of the ‘Hopi Partitioned Lands’.
SUMMARY of Peabody’s Black Mesa Project.
EPA Rule Cripples Public’s Right to Know If Worst Air Polluters Are Violating the Law – Earthjustice – 2/12/07
Salt River Project ceases efforts to restart Mohave Generating Station – Salt River Project Press Release Even though it’s a victory that Salt River Project has pulled out of Peabody’s Black Mesa Project, their press release stated that “SRP believes Southern California Edison intends to continue with its ongoing effort to identify potential new buyers for Mohave.” The final draft of the EIS is due some time this summer. 2/06/07
Press Release – Center for Biological Diversity – 2/06/07
Big Coal in Black Mesa, AZ – HappyFt Travels Blog – 1/30/07
Leupp residents anxious about Peabody water plans – Navajo Times, 1/18/07
Tensions run high at final Black Mesa DEIS hearing – Navajo Hopi Observer, 1/16/07
Using local water for Peabody mine contentious – Arizona Daily Sun, 1/13/07
Big Coal’s Dirty Move – Rolling Stone – 1/12/07
Peabody’s Black Mesa Project EIS Fact Sheet – Black Mesa Water Coalition – 1/3/07
Black Mesa EIS meeting one for the record – 1/3/07
Gallup Independent – 1/3/07
NEWS ADVISORY
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. Black Mesa Water Coalition– 12/29/06
Support Communities in Stopping Massive Coal Mining Expansion Plans 12/13/06
Mine pipeline could dry up Leupp wells
Arizona Daily Sun – 12/03/2006
Black Mesa Project impacts include relocation
Gallup Independent – 11/30/06
Feds: Benefits Outweigh Harm in Black Mesa
A draft Environmental Impact Statement put out by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and enforcement recommends that the Black Mesa Mine be reopened and the neighboring Kayenta Mine be expanded. The justification OSM gives for the environmental harm that would follow including the dislocation of 17 Navajo families is the boost to both the tribal and overall economy that the mines would provide. Navajo Times, 12/14/06

Some question pollution tax breaks By DUSTIN BLEIZEFFER
Star-Tribune energy reporter 10/06/06
Arizona utility seeks investors to reopen Mohave coal plant By Mark Golden 10/06/06 SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — A publicly owned Arizona utility is on the hunt for investors who will share its dream of restarting a shuttered coal-fired power plant in the Nevada desert that was abandoned by its other owners. Phoenix-based Salt River Project is working to build a new ownership group to buy and upgrade the 1,580-megawatt Mohave Generating Station…..
Mohave won’t be online for about 4 years, Edison says By Kathy Helms-Diné Bureau 04.01.06
Leaders mum on coal, water proposal By Marley Shebala, Navajo Times 03.30.06 Feds to control resources:….a draft does outline sweeping changes to the way water, coal, and other natural resources are governed on tribal land. For instance, the Navajo and Hopi tribes would agree to rescind measures prohibiting use of the Navajo Aquifer to slurry coal from Peabody’s Black Mesa Mine to the Mohave Generating Station in Nevada. The N-aquifer would continue to be available to Peabody’s use until a new slurry line is ready to hook into the Coconino Aquifer. The new slurry line would be financed and built by Edison and other utilities that co-own the Mohave power plant.
Edison Moves to Reopen Big Desert Power Plant By Marc Lifsher, Times Staff Writer 03.28.06
Southern California Edison Co. and two Indian tribes have taken a tentative step toward reopening the giant Mohave power plant in Nevada that was shut down due to pollution.
A ‘Colossal’ Waste; Report: Peabody’s use of N-aquifer water threatens its existence By Kathy Helms Diné Bureau 03/23/06
Off the hook. Proposed settlement releases Peabody from penalty for damages to resources By Kathy Helms Diné Bureau 03.24.06
WINDOW ROCK — A proposed settlement agreement to keep Peabody Western Coal Co. operating on Black Mesa and return Mohave Generating Station to service would give the feds control over the C-Aquifer project and dismiss all claims against Peabody for injury to groundwater in the lease area.
Time for a Just Transition to a better future on the Rez By the Just Transition Coalition For years, the Navajo and Hopi people made major sacrifices to enable the
Mojave Generating Station to operate. The people provided labor, coal, pristine
N-Aquifer water and bore the burden of pollution. Now that the facility has closed, we have a right to ask the owners of Mojave to help us make the transition to a better future, to repay the debt.
Black Mesa Mine closes & relocation office disbands. Victory? Not according to many indigenous families of the Big Mountain communities. THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES.
Hopi Near Agreement on Bio-Diesel Fuel Project by Office of Public Information The Hopi Tribal Council is near agreement with a Utah energy company in a joint venture to explore the possibility of building a coal liquefaction plant and an electric generating plant on ranch lands owned by the tribe.
Mesa Coal Talks Continue. Shirley opposes grassroots plan, council interested. By Marley Shebala Navajo Times 02.02.06. The Navajo Nation is opposing a proposal from Navajo and Hopi communities that could possibly reap more than $40 million a year to replace lost revenues and jobs from the idled Black Mesa coalmine.…On Jan. 20, the Navajo Nation filed legal papers with the California Public Utilities Commission asking it to throw out the grassroots-generated Just Transition Plan. Attorney General Louis Denetsosie confirmed, however, that negotiations included discussions by the Hopi Tribe to temporarily withdraw its ban on Peabody’s use of the N-Aquifer if the Navajo nation also temporarily withdraws its opposition until planswere finalized to replace the N-Aquifer with the Coconino Aquifer.
The Permanent Energy Crisis by Michael T. Klare; TomDispatch; 02.10.06
This article strongly supports the traditional claim that fossil fuel mining
and consumption are leading to an unbalanced world that is a threat to the entire
planet, not just Dineh. According to the article, there are those, however, who may
see coal mining as a “solution” to an oil crisis which means that, despite the
current shut down of Peabody, people should be on the lookout for plans to greatly
expand coal mining in the area. The current contender on Black Mesa appears to be this Headwaters, Inc. corporation that has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hopi Tribal council. Very similar to the Reliant company concept, it appears to consist of 2 major initiatives: a coal liquification project and a electric power plant.
Primer on Mohave Generation Station

Utility bids to reopen coal plant By Bob Christie, The Associated Press 01.22.06
Peabody, APS sign 19-year coal pact Peabody Energy Corp., said Thursday that it had signed a 19-year contract to supply coal to an Arizona Public Service Co. power plant near Joseph City in Eastern Arizona. Peabody, the world’s largest coal producer, said the deal would bring in more than $1 billion in revenue over the life of the deal. The company plans to spend $90 million to develop a new mine called El Segundo in northwest New Mexico, adjacent to its Lee Ranch Mine near Grants. The mine will employ as many as 100 workers and is expected to be the most productive in the Southwest when at full capacity. When in full production, the El Segundo Mine will provide 4 million tons of coal per year to the Cholla Generating Station. AZ Daily Star, 1.20.06
Nevada Power Plant To Close The Associated Press 12.30.05 “In a filing Thursday with the California Public Utilities Commission, Edison said it planned to continue negotiations aimed at keeping the plant open but expected to close it for at least a few months. The environmental groups have said they would not agree to a deadline extension. “
Black Mesa mine in northern Arizona is likely to close as a result of the Dec. 31 closure of Southern California Edison’s Mohave Generating Station. Peabody’s Western Coal Co. informed more than 120 employees at Black Mesa….According to Peabody’s Web site, the company’s Black Mesa and Kayenta mines employ a total of 650 in the area of northeast Arizona near the Four Corners region.
Mohave Power Plant in Nevada to Close as Expected Southern California Edison said it would keep working to modify the consent decree but environmental groups said the company has had six years to fix one of the dirtiest plants in America….Water used to make the slurry comes from the Navajo Aquifer in Arizona, but the tribes say this water supply is being depleted and is too valuable to continue using for the slurry. Negotiations involving the tribes are under way to get water for the slurry in a second aquifer, also on tribal land in Arizona….Mohave “violated its pollution limits over 400,000 times between 1993-1998,” leading up to the consent decree, the environmental groups’ statement said. Reuters 12.30.05
Edison To Shut Down Polluting Coal Plant By Miguel Bustillo LA Times 12.30.05
Peabody Critics Present Alternative By Cindy Yurth Special to the Times 12.29.05
Impact of mine shutdown to be spread among many communities By Bill Donovan Special to the (LA)Times 12.29.05
What now? Hatááli leader looks to future beyond coal By Jason Begay Navajo Times 12.29.05
Shutdown of Peabody’s Pumps Imminent Navajo Hopi Observer 12.20.05
Tribe Struggles To Digest Loss Of Revenue By Bill Donovan, Special to the Times 12.22.05
Mine Closing To Hit Hopi Budget Hardest By Cindy Yurth Special to the Times 12.22.05
The Senate Bill 1003 (sponsored by AZ Senator John McCain) has been “reported favorably without amendment” from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and, once placed on the Senate calendar, will probably be passed. Two senators have put a “hold” on the Bill and it is currently being amended or discussed in negotiations between the Navajo Nation and the Senate Committee. 12.16.05
International alliance calls for end to term “clean coal,” calls for responsible transition. In Response to the growing and unfortunate trend among environmental and social justice groups use of the industry and government created term “clean coal,” West Virginia Citizen’s Action Group, Coal River Mountain Watch launched an internationally circulated sign-on letter calling for a unification of these groups against this sort of industry doublespeak which makes it so much harder for those working towards positive change to achieve it. Over 80 Organizations and prominent individuals have signed on at the time of the release. Please add your name too. www.crmw.net
Mohave’s Closure Could Be Imminent By Marc Lifsher Times Staff Writer 12.12.05
Bill To Abolish Relocation Moves Forward Navajo Times 11.03
Mohave Power Plant Operation Future in Dark Story by Bernie Woodall, Reuters News Service 11.10.05
Deal May Be Near on Power Plant Edison is negotiating for a continued supply of coal from a mine on Indian land. By Marc Lifsher LA Times Staff Writer 11.08.05
Peabody Energy: Anatomy Of A Bad Corporate Citizen A Project of the Sierra Club 05.06.05
Navajo Council passes water rights settlement on the San Juan Basin
The Daily Times 12/30/04
Governor supports keeping mine open
By Jim Maniaci Staff Writer Gallup Independent 12/21/04
Taylor: Energy can fuel a future of promise Indian Country Today 12/23/04
“CLEAN” COALS’ DIRTY FACTS (Fact sheet; dated but still pertinent)
Under Pressure From Navajo-Led Coalition Sen. Domenici Removes Housed-Passed Uranium Mining Subsidies from Senate Energy Bill Proposals
Poor labor conditions in uranium mines. Wastes remain after mine closing
President signs water settlement with Ariz. tribes THE ASSOCIATED PRESS; AZ Daily Star, Saturday 12-11-04
Taylor: Taking control of Hopi resources and our future; Indian Country Today 11/12/04
Mohave to seek alternatives to keep plant, coalmine open By Bill Donovan
Navajo urged to fight water rights settlement 12/17/04 by Brenda Norrell
Indian Country Today Special to the Times
Peabody’s leases may be invalid Indian Country Today
Peabody takes coal lease dispute to high court IndianZ.com 12/01/04
Generating station agreement could be reached in February
Taylor: Taking control of Hopi resources and our future Indian Country Today 11/12/04
Laughlin Nevada Times 11/03/04
Federal Study Backs Hopi Efforts to Seek Outside Sources of Water and
Preserve the Navajo Aquifer The Hopi Tribe 10/29/04 by Vanessa Charles
Peabody gets $20M for power plant
California judge’s ruling keeps Peabody mine alive
By SETH MULLER 10/24/04
Efforts revived to save Black Mesa. By mid-February, a historic agreement might be reached through
mediation to keep the Black Mesa Mine and Mohave Generating Station open. 10/14/04
New Mexico, Navajos clash over water settlement by Jim Snyder/The Daily Times 06/04
Bush Administration to Gut Clean Air Act
Rule Would Allow More Pollution at 17,000 Facilities
WASHINGTON (August 22, 2003) – Next week the Environmental Protection Agency plans to release its final rule on the Clean Air Act’s definition of “routine maintenance” that would allow more air pollution from approximately 17,000 industrial facilities across the country, according to NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council).NRDC obtained a leaked copy of the final rule, which essentially repeals the “new source review” provision of the Clean Air Act. That provision requires industrial facilities to install modern pollution controls when they make upgrades to plants that increase air pollution. The new final rule would allow facilities to avoid installing pollution controls when they replace equipment — even if the upgrade increases pollution — as long as the cost of the replacement did not exceed 20 percent of the cost of what the EPA broadly defines as a “process unit.” For example, if a coal-fired power plant replaced a boiler whose cost was less than 20 percent of the replacement cost of the entire process unit — the boiler, turbine, generator and other equipment that turns coal into electricity — the company would not have to control the resulting pollution increases. See National Resource Defense Council’s Press Release.
EPA Exempts Plants From Clean-Air Rule
Is Lehman Brothers Destroying Black Mesa? Not With Our Money
Black Mesa, Water, Land & Solidarity
Response to the article “Complexities of the Water Crisis”
West Virginia, National Sacrifice Area
Exploiting the Navajos
Negotiations with Reliant have been called off but… In March 2002, the Hopi Tribal Council unanimously passed a resolution to collaborate with Reliant Energy (a Houston, Texas company that owns assets in 12 states and Europe) to develop plans for a 1,200 MW coal-fired electricity generating station on Black Mesa which would require at least 2,500 acre ft. of pristine ground water a year to operate. The Hopi Tribal Council had asked the United States Government to help in this effort. An acre-foot of water is approximately 325,000 gallons. Twenty-five hundred-acre feet of water would cover a football field nearly ½ mile deep in water. Peabody currently pumps 4,000acre-feet of water a year from the N-Aquifer. This joint agreement that the Hopi Tribal Council entered for a proposed Hopi-Reliant power plant project was passed without the knowledge of communities, villages, religious leaders or concerned grassroots people. At a local demonstration Vernon Masayesva stated “This current move on the part of the council seems to be a repeat of how Peabody Energy got access to our coal resources in the 60’s.”Spokesperson for the Hopi Tribe, Claire Heywood said in a telephone interview on May 23 that the (Hopi) Tribe “has not decided whether to work with another company to build a power plant or do it ourselves or just forget about it.” She said that the Energy Team would have a recommendation on the matter soon. – Tany Lee, Freelance Reporter, Tutuveni May 29, 2002 more
Strange holes trouble Black Mesa residents
Company
Students
Phoenix
OSM
Hopi
Negotiations
Energy
Hopis
Hopis
Hopis
Black
Hopi
Relying
The Hopi
Plan
Bush’s
Top
Hopi
Peabody
Interior
Peabody
Hopi
Peabody
Indians
Western
Prelude
Small
Public
Going
Interior
Robbing
Peabody penalized for Arizona. sludge spills
and Communities Stop Prisons-for-Profit. Community, Student Groups Ask Lehman to Divest from Prison Industry

utility says Interior Department approves Zuni mine

statement on Peabody J-23 Mine Plan Revision Application Tribe pulls the plug on power plant

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