URGENT ACTION NEEDED NOW! SUPPORT NAVAJO COMMUNITIES IN STOPPING MASSIVE COAL MINING EXPANSION PLANS
Updated 2/2/07

Alert from Black Mesa Indigenous Support

SUMMARY:
Massive mining plans underway at Black Mesa, Arizona have serious environmental, social, and human rights impacts. Send a letter today to the Office Of Surface Mining, asking them to stop this destructive coal mining project. Scroll down to see a copy of a sample letter.

BACKGROUND:

Peabody Western Coal, the world’s largest coal company, has plans to extend its mining operations on Black Mesa and has filed a lease extension application with the federal Office of Surface Mining (OSM). Peabody plans to obtain a ‘Life of Mine’ permit -which means it would be permitted to continue its unsustainable and dirty coal mining practices until all of the coal is removed!

To transport the coal, the company plans on continuing its practice of taking billions of gallons of water a year from the only water sources in the area, drawing down both high quality, residential water aquifers: Navajo Aquifer and Coconino Aquifer. These developments threaten the viability of the region's primary water source.

Plans include relocating at least 17 families.

The passage of these plans would effectively devastate the Navajo, or Dineh, and Hopi peoples. Indigenous communities live on the land above The water and billions of tons of low-sulfur coal. As with their ancestors, many generations back, the Black Mesa peoples live on the land that is the base for their tradition, their spirituality, their water and their livelihood. Peabody's coalmine expansion could also impact numerous archaeological, historical, and traditional cultural resources.

It's difficult to convey the serious nature of these new developments. The passage of these plans would effectively devastate the Navajo, or Dineh, and Hopi peoples, stripping them of their identity and way of Life which is tied into the land itself. Peabody's coalmine expansion Could also impact numerous archaeological, historical, and traditional Cultural resources.

JOIN US IN REQUESTING AN EXTENSION OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS, SO THAT AFFECTED FAMILIES CAN PREPARE A COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE!

The Office of Surface Mining (OSM) is holding public hearings for Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Black Mesa Project starting January 2nd. This is not enough time for families to prepare comments on the 758 page technical report. OSM must take the testimonies from the public hearings into consideration in preparation for the final EIS. OSM also requires that comments reference specific paragraphs and pages within this report. A summary of this report is supposed to be presented in Dineh but how much specific information that is also included in the draft EIS is not known.

OSM is not taking into account the time of year set for the comments on the Draft EIS. For traditional Hopi, it is a time of intense ceremony; they cannot take part in any other activities until March.

Also, at this particular time of year, the un-maintained roads are often impassable on Black Mesa because of adverse weather conditions, making It impossible for residents to attend the different meeting locations to make their comments and/or to be able to mail their comments. Furthermore, it is questionable if and when the communities of the Black Mesa received this report.

All these barriers make it difficult for comments to be made by the impacted ommunities and from the public in general.

Because some families face relocation should Peabody’s request for the lease be adopted, and because the environmental impacts are complex, it is only equitable to allow the impacted communities enough time to comprehend all that is found in this extensive report.

In the meantime, grassroots groups are in the process of analyzing this extensive Environmental Impact Statement. These hearings are critical—not only to the lives of the traditional communities who reside and depend on Black Mesa—but for all beings who breathe and live on this planet which is overburdened by mining corporations destroying the planet. Burning coal produces a significant amount of carbon dioxide and other elements which are tied to acid rain and smog, and has been linked to global warming. The energy that is made from Black Mesa coal goes to major towns and cities throughout the southwest, including Los Angeles Las Vegas.

This report can be found at:
http://www.wrcc.osmre.gov/WR/BlackMesaEIS.htm

NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT BEFORE THESE PLANS GET APPROVED!

Please send a letter to OSM today and ask your friends and family to do the same. If you can mail it in, please do so now. Scroll down to see the sample letter.

A FEW REASONS TO OPPOSE COAL USE:

• Coal is dirty. Taking it out of the earth is ruining the land and the people who live nearby have lung problems. Coal-fired power plants emit more hazardous air pollution than any other industry, including more than 60 different toxic chemicals.
• There are alternatives and it is up to us the people to use them.
  (Learn more about the Just Transition Plan. See Black Mesa Water Coalition’s website )
• According to Peabody Energy, the company believes that "coal is the future," aiding in "Global Solutions to Global Needs," and plans on expanding their coal production globally. (Peabody has recently secured deals in China.) The Dineh residents near the mine are living in fear that they will be relocated and that the whole Black Mesa area will be forever lost to more mining and to coal-fired energy plants.
• According to many of the traditional indigenous communities on Black
  Mesa, the coal is the Mother Earth’s liver and should not be removed.
• The history of forced relocation of indigenous families from their homeland for energy interests is another act of environmental racism.
• Our lives are interconnected to what happens to Black Mesa because many of us use and benefit off the energy produced. It is our duty to act.

Click here to learn more

Sample Letter:

Dennis Winterringer
Western Regional Office
Office of Surface Mining and Encorcement
P.O. Box 46667
Denver, CO 80201-6667
Phone: 303-844-1400, ext. 1440
email: bmkeis@osmre.gov

RE: Request for Extension to Submit Oral and Written Comments on Black
Mesa Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement

Dear Mr. Winterringer:

The purpose of this letter is to request that OSM grant a sixty-day extension for both oral and written comments on the Black Mesa Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

There are several reasons why this extension should be granted. First, this 758 page Draft Environmental Statement (DEIS) is extremely complex, covering many important issues in depth which requires more time to read through and digest. These issues include mining perations, Hydrological impacts of water withdrawals, and the construction and impacts of a coal slurry.

Due to the scope and complexity of the issues, the present schedule of The public comment periods do not allot enough time for the public to prepare comprehensive comments to address their concerns about the many Important issues presented in the DEIS. It is of the utmost importance that the impacted communities be provided with this extension to review this complex document. It is they who will have to live with the consequences should Peabody’s “Life-Of-Mine” lease be granted. Therefore, their comments are of paramount importance.

Second, at this particular time of year, the un-maintained roads are often impassable on Black Mesa because of adverse weather conditions, making it impossible for residents to attend the different meeting locations to make their comments and/or to be able to mail their comments. As you remember, this was the case during the Scoping Hearings in 2005, and meetings needed to be rescheduled.

Third, the timing and nature of the release will prevent participation
By many tribal members. The Hopi yearly calendar involves a complex ceremonial cycle that requires times of intense meditation and ceremonial isolation for Hopi citizens. The current schedule of the public comment periods take place during their ceremonial cycle, that prohibits them from participating in any activities such as public hearings and meetings. This cycle goes through February. Not extending the comment period deadline will prevent participation from tribal members and shows blatant disregard for the religious beliefs of the Hopi.

Finally, it is questionable if any of the Dineh and Hopi peoples living In the impacted communities received the DEIS, or know of its existence. Both Dineh and Hopi peoples are important stakeholders who must be given the opportunity to express their views.

It is only equitable that you keep in mind the needs of the peoples living in the impacted communities, and allow this extension. Anything less would be considered not only a violation of human rights but as another example of environmental racism.

For these reasons, we strongly urge you to extend the comment period.
Thank you very much for your consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,