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Black Mesa Water Coalition outraged by Senator Kyl's unjust proposed Peabody "solution" and his congressional bill of support.

Flagstaff, AZ - Black Mesa Water Coalition (BMWC) is an indigenous university based group, dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Black Mesa region's land, water, and peoples. The BMWC is composed of primarily Navajo and Hopi community members, and is emerging as a leading voice in the southwest for Indigenous Peoples rights and environmental justice.

The Black Mesa Water Coalition strongly opposed Senator Kyl's attachment to congressional bill, S.B. 2743, proposing the use of Colorado River water to continue Peabody's coal slurry line and the continued operation of the Mohave Generating station, as a coal fired powered power plant. "Any water that is brought on to this dry land should go to the people, not to the slurry line," says BMWC member Enei Begaye. "In my view, this move by Senator Kyl is meant to divide tribes and give false hope to communities desperately in need of clean drinking water," added Begaye.

The BMWC states that there are widespread assumptions that this pipeline from the Colorado River would benefit the communities of the region. Such as stated in a recent "AZ Daily Sun" article (10/05/02), "the pipeline is being built with capacity to transport additional water that would be delivered in spurs from the main trunk line to thirsty reservation communities." However, the bill's language, section 202, stated that this water "shall be used only for mining related purposes at the Black Mesa and Kayenta coal mines in Navajo county, AZ and for slurrying coal from the Black Mesa and Kayenta Coal Mines." BMWC member Wahleah Johns comments that, "all water is sacred; like the N-Aquifer, the Colorado River will be wasted so industrial non-renewable operations can continue."

The BMWC also supports the phase out of coal mining operations on tribal lands and the transition of economic and employment sources to those more sustainable. "Our nations must stop being dependent on a dying fossil fuel industry, we must begin transitioning to a more sustainable future," says BMWC member Jeff Greyeyes.

"Our own state and tribal officials would have us believe this plan for continuing the slurry line is good for our people; in reality we would be further compromising our peoples future," states BMWC member Hunter Redday. "It is of crucial importance that our tribal governments read the "fine print" and fully understand what they may be signing us into, the future of the Navajo and Hopi people is at hand," said BMWC member Kelvin Long.