Posted on 01/23/2008 8:31:58 PM PST by CedarDave
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been notified by one of the nation's largest American Indian tribes that it intends to sue over the agency's lack of action on an air permit application for a proposed coal-fired power plant.
The Navajo Nation's Dine Power Authority and Houston-based Sithe Global Power have partnered to build the $3 billion Desert Rock plant, which would be capable of producing electricity for more than 1 million homes across the Southwest.
Navajo Deputy Attorney General Harrison Tsosie told The AP on Wednesday that the tribe and Sithe applied for an air permit in May 2004 but that the EPA has yet to make a ruling.
"Under federal law, the agency has a year to make a determination and issue a decision,'' Tsosie said. "It has been the practice that they take longer than a year, which is to be expected, but in the case of this particular application ... it has been almost four years.''
~~snip~~
The 1,500-megawatt plant would be built on tribal land near the Navajo community of Burnham, southwest of Farmington. The area already is home to two other coal-fired plants. ...
Some Navajos and environmentalists argue that Desert Rock would harm the environment and residents' health. But DPA and Sithe have touted it as one of the cleanest coal-burning plants in the country and a much-needed source of jobs and revenue for the Navajo Nation. The draft permit contains some of the strictest controls for a coal-fired power plant ...
Tribal officials have said that a delay in construction means a delay in the economic benefits the tribe expects to see from Desert Rock — including millions of dollars in lease payments, taxes and coal royalties. Tsosie said the notice of intent to sue was the tribe's only option.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
If the environmental groups and Bill Richardson's Environment Department continue to delay or eventually derail this proposal, the tribe will be left with building casinos to raise money. /sar
However, it is more likely that the EPA bureaucrats will drag their feet until next year when the possibility of a Democrat president will order the EPA to kill this and all new coal fired power projects to prevent "global warming."
I think they should build nuclear power plants instead, which would be much better for the environment.
Since Indian lands are “sovereign” they should also start drilling for oil.
Whatever happened to the Peabody Coal Co.? They used to do all the coal mining on the Rez.
Get rid of the EPA as well.
Bush hasn’t done much to improve the EPA from the clinton years.
Its a question of whether we want money, jobs or water.
Here’s a news article to answer some of your questions and riase some new ones.
http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096412873
Another demonstration that the EPA’s authority supersedes that of the Constitution—they can actually break treaties at will.
Don’t the Navajo have lots of uranium on thier lands? It would make sense for them to get the boost from that too.
They have oil and gas on the reservation in NM and are pumping. The BLM issues permits since the lands are Federal.
Ah, these names are familiar; Chee, Tsosie... I’m a fan of Tony Hillerman’s novels about the legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, and Navajo Tribal policeman, Jim Chee. They meet up with characters the the last name of Tsosie, from time to time.
Peabody is still north of Gallup, I believe.
The environmentalists (with some help from the industry back in the 70’s and early 80’s) have so demonized uranium mining that nothing will ever be mined in NW NM ever again. If you propose a mine, its like proposing you drive on the wrong side of the interstate after consuming a six-pack of beer.
I think the Peabody mine I visited in Arizona, don’t recall exact location. The strip miner was the largest piece of machinery I had ever seen.
***The 1,500-megawatt plant would be built on tribal land near the Navajo community of Burnham, southwest of Farmington. The area already is home to two other coal-fired plants. ... ***
There was a plan to build a power plant at Burnham thirty years ago but it was cancelled when the Indians threw a fit over the closing of the Fairchild plant in Shiprock and the murder of several Indian men at Farmington in 1974.(Bad times then.)
The other plants there are the San Juan Power plant and the APS plant at Waterflow.
***The environmentalists (with some help from the industry back in the 70’s and early 80’s) have so demonized uranium mining that nothing will ever be mined in NW NM ever again.***
My dad worked at the Rattlesnake mine outside of La Sal, UT way backin 1955. Years later, I found my sister-in-law’s husband worked at the same mine that same year.
I remember seeing lots of mining claims in the area as a child. Last time we visited there none of the claim markers were evident anywhere.
We moved from the gas fields of Farmington to Moab, then back to Farmington in those years. The best years of our lives! I miss them.
***I think the Peabody mine I visited in Arizona, don’t recall exact location. The strip miner was the largest piece of machinery I had ever seen.***
If it is the one at Black Mesa I believe it is closed now.
Thank you for the reference article.
I recall the name Big Mountain as being in opposition to the strip mining activities of Peabody Coal. This was back in the mid-80s that I became aware of this. I even had a letter to the editor vs. Peabody published in the L.A. Times...!
I now recall that it was the Black Mesa mine that I visited in 1989. We got quite a spiel from our guide.
I guess those in favor say that this provides job security for Navajo people. However, without good water, people simply cannot live and will disappear like the Anasazi did.
For the time being, it looks like Desert Rock is stalled, but the link to the article is not working for me.
Okay. Yes, it was Black Mesa.
These people are disillusioned by everything and create nothing but destruction of progress
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