The two maps that go with this white paper will soon be posted
to my
website, along with this text.
They will be at:
http://www.theofficenet.com/~redorman/CoalMap1.jpg
http://www.theofficenet.com/~redorman/CoalMap2.jpg
They are large files, to show detail.
This text was scanned and OCR'd from a
fax copy sent to me.
--Bob Dorman
INDIAN LAW RESOURCE CENTER
601 E Street Southwest, Washington D.C. 20003 · {202) 547-2800
Robert T. Coulter, Esq.,Executive Director
Steven M. Tullberg, Esq.
Curtis G. Berkey, Esq.
BEHIND THE BIG MOUNTAIN RELOCATIONS:
NEW EVIDENCE ABOUT MINERAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS OF
THE HOPI TRIBAL COUNCIL
There is now clear evidence that the Hopi Tribal Council has
plans to exploit coal resources in the Big Mountain area. This
is the area from which Navajos are being forcibly relocated in
the so-called Hopi-Navajo dispute. For many years there has been
a debate about the reasons for relocation of Hopis and Navajos
from that area. Although many believe that mineral development
plans are the main reason, the previously available evidence has
not been conclusive.
The attached map entitled "Hopi Reservation-Mineral Develop-
ment Plan" shows that Big Mountain is in an area called a
"Proposed Coal Mining/Slurry Pipeline Area." (The other
map
helps clarify exactly where Big Mountain is located). This map
was prepared by the Hopi Tribal Council, the federally recognized
governing body of the Hopi Tribe. In the past, the Hopi Tribal
Council has claimed that mineral development plans have nothing
to do with their efforts to evict Navajos from Big Mountain.
This map is "Map F" in a court document entitled "Statement
of Claims of the Hopi Tribe" that was prepared by the Hopi
Tribal
Council's lawyers. It is one of several maps that were prepared
for the Arizona Superior Court for the County of Apache in Case
No. 6417. In that case, the Arizona court will decide how to al-
locate water in the Little Colorado River System.
The Hopi Tribal Council presented the map in order to show
the Arizona court that the Tribe has plans for using large
amounts of water in future commercial and industrial development.
The Arizona court is asked to reserve sufficient water resources
for the Hopi Tribe to carry out this development.
Here is how the Hopi Tribal Council's plans and water claims
are described in the court papers:
G.2. Future mininq and slurry.
'~
There is sufficient coal of high quality on Hopi
Partitioned Lands for two additional mines and slurry
pipelines should the Tribe so choose. The water for
slurries and mining would be approximately 8,120 acre-
feet per year. The exact location of wells and the dis-
~
tance from which the water would be drawn cannot cur-
rently be known, nor can contractual arrangements as to
its use. The Hopi Tribe accordingly claims 8,120 acre-
feet per year of groundwater for future mining and
slurry activities.
The general location of the coal and possible well
fields are shown on Map F.G.3. Other mineral and industrial use.
The Hopi Tribe claims 21,000 acre-feet of
groundwater annually for other mineral and industrial
uses; 16,000 acre-feet annually for a 1,000 megawatt
coal powered electrical generating station; 5,000 acre-
feet annually for development of oil, gas and minerals
other than coal including manufacturing of fertilizer or
other products from such minerals.
Much coal mining is planned for the Big Mountain area--a
large addition to the strip-mining now underway further north
at
Black Mesa. A great increase of water use is also being con-
sidered. This water is used to flush pulverized coal through a
slurry pipeline to a distant power plant in Nevada. Today, the
Black Mesa coal slurry uses about 4,650 acre feet of water per
year. Many times that amount would be needed if the development
plans were implemented. (An acre-foot of water is the amount of
water that would stand one foot deep over one acre).
The Hopi Tribal Council almost certainly has in its files
more detailed studies and plans. Otherwise it could not confi-
dently state to the court that there is "sufficient coal
of high
quality on Hopi Partitioned Lands for two additional mines and
slurry pipelines..."
In light of this newly discovered evidence, there should be
a fresh assessment of what Hopi mineral development plans indi-
cate about the true motives for Hopi-Navajo relocation from the
Big Mountain area. Just as important, there should be careful
consideration of what such plans mean for the future of the Hopi
people.
In addition, there should be new demands for clarification
of the federal government's role in these plans. Under federal
law, all leases involving Big Mountain coal and water would have
to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Federal offi-
cials have likely been involved in the planning process, and
their files, too, might have the information that the public
needs to make informed decisions about these important matters.
It is time that everyone involved be more forthright about
mineral development plans in Hopi country. The well-being of
both Hopis and Navajos is at stake.
March 22, 1989