For decades, Peabody has been
stripping the cultural foundation of Navajo and Hopi people by draining
their groundwater, the N-Aquifer. Ancient springs that have fed
terraced gardens and played critical roles in ceremonial cycles
of both tribes are drying up on Black Mesa. It is time to stop wasting
drinking water, polluting the air with coal-fired power plants and
move into the 21st century with wind and solar power!
Stop Peabody Pumping! Hope you can take a minute and send in a postcard
to OSM and Secretary Gail Norton by September 15th.
What’s going on:
Peabody Coal Company has filed an application with the Office
of Surface Mining (OSM). Peabody
is seeking to:
·
Use MORE
Black Mesa COAL!
Peabody is proposing a 20% increase in coal production!
·
Use MORE
WATER! They want
6,600 acre-feet of water from the Coconino Aquifer, an aquifer that
supplies water to many Northern Arizona communities and springs!
·
The CONTINUED
USE of the N-AQUIFER!
Continued pumping of the Navajo Aquifer through 2008, if not indefinitely!
·
Build a COAL
WASHING facility!
This facility would use potential drinking water and fill impoundments
used by farmers with toxic materials!
·
Seal in
MINING RIGHTS!
Peabody seeks to lock in mining rights until at least 2025
·
and MORE!
These are just a few of threats Peabody’s application poses!
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE:
WE need YOUR
comments. OSM is accepting public comment until OCTOBER
15th, 2004!
Either send in the pre-written postcards (text below or visit http://www.blackmesawatercoalition.org/postcard091504.htm
) OR better yet, write
your own letter! Tell
OSM this application is a bad idea!
SEND your COMMENTS to:
Jerry D.
Gavette, Black Mesa/Kayenta Mine Team Leader
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
P.O. Box 46667 Denver, Colorado 80201-6667
Or E-mail your comments
to Jerry Gavette at: BlackMesa_Comments@osmre.gov
Also send them to:
Honorable Gale Norton, Secretary
U.S. Department of Interior
18 th & C Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240
For more information contact Black Mesa Water Coalition, Black
Mesa Trust, or the Sierra Club’s SW EJ office or check out our websites!
Black Mesa Water Coalition
Website: www.blackmesawatercoalition.org
e-mail: blackmesawatercoalition@yahoo.com
office #: (928) 226-0310
Black Mesa Trust
Website: www.blackmesatrust.org
office #: (928) 213-9009
Sierra Club’s Southwest Environmental Justice office
Website: www.sierraclub.org
office #: (928) 774-6103
Dear Mr. Gavette,
Please accept these comments on Peabody Western Coal Company's
recent mine application to the Office of Surface Mining. I urge
you to treat Peabody's request as a new permit application, instead
of a revision because of the adverse impacts it will have on the
land, water, and cultures of Black Mesa.
Peabody's application is incomplete and must be subject to a new
Environmental Impact Statement and Endangered Species Act review.
Furthermore, Peabody must carry the burden of establishing that
their application is in compliance with all federal, state, tribal,
and local regulatory programs.
Despite substantial evidence that proves the negative impacts of
Peabody's pumping from the N-Aquifer and in the face of public demand
that pumping from the Navajo Aquifer stop by the end of 2005, Peabody
insists on using the N-Aquifer through 2008, in not indefinitely.
Additionally, Peabody seeks to tap into another fresh water source,
the Coconino Aquifer, for transporting and washing coal. The use
of drinking water for this purpose is unacceptable.
The federal government has a special trust responsibility to Native
American tribes. I Urge you to live up to this responsibility and
deny Peabody's request.
Signature
Printed Name
Address
City
State
ZIP
Dear Secretary Norton,
Please accept these comments on Peabody Western Coal Company's
recent mine application to the Office of Surface Mining. I urge
you to treat Peabody's request as a new permit application, instead
of a revision because of the adverse impacts it will have on the
land, water, and cultures of Black Mesa.
Peabody's application is incomplete and must be subject to a new
Environmental Impact Statement and Endangered Species Act review.
Furthermore, Peabody must carry the burden of establishing that
their application is in compliance with all federal, state, tribal,
and local regulatory programs.
Despite substantial evidence that proves the negative impacts of
Peabody's pumping from the N-Aquifer and in the face of public demand
that pumping from the Navajo Aquifer stop by the end of 2005, Peabody
insists on using the N-Aquifer through 2008, in not indefinitely.
Additionally, Peabody seeks to tap into another fresh water source,
the Coconino Aquifer, for transporting and washing coal. The use
of drinking water for this purpose is unacceptable.
The federal government has a special trust responsibility to Native
American tribes. I Urge you to live up to this responsibility and
deny Peabody's request.
Signature
Printed Name
Address
City
State
ZIP
