Earth Equity News

Environmentalists and Hopi Tribal Council at Odds over Coal. By Carol Berry, Today, October 12, 2009. "The battle waged against a major coal company by Hopi and Navajo activists and against large environmental groups by tribal officials has, at least temporarily, intensified the conflict playing out in northern Arizona over the control, preservation and use of cultural and natural resources. 'I never thought I would see the day when being 'Hopi' meant being anti-environment, pro-big corporate energy, and actually promoting pollution and global warming in favor of 'the almighty dollar,' Alph Secakuku said. In addition to being Sipaulovi Village representative on the tribal council, he is president of Hopi Organizational Political Initiative, a grassroots group believed to be among those ousted from Hopi tribal land for being perceived allies of the Sierra Club and other large groups that have opposed Peabody Western Coal Company's role in expanded strip mining. On Sept. 28 the Hopi tribal council… said the Sierra Club, National Resources Defense Council, National Parks Conservation Association, Grand Canyon Trust, and 'on-reservation organizations sponsored by or affiliated with the groups, are no longer welcome on the reservation.' The announcement triggered sharp prepared responses from opponents of wider strip mining atop Black Mesa, an area sacred to traditionalists…Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. supported the removal of environmental groups from Hopi lands, eliciting a sharp response from Black Mesa Water Coalition's co-director Wahleah Johns, Navajo, who said the coalition believes Shirley is 'misinformed as to the benefits of coal mining and coal-fired power plants and out of touch with the kind of economy the Navajo people want.'"