Energy and Water
Sacred Water
The Navajo Aquifer is the sole source drinking water for the Black Mesa region and is the life source for the spiritual and cultural survival of the Navajo and Hopi people and all living things.
Black Mesa Water Coalition formed in 2001 to address the ground water use and depletion of Peabody Coal Company’s coal-slurry operations. Since the early 1970’s, annually Peabody Coal Company would pump more than 4,500 acre-feet of pristine Navajo and Hopi drinking water from the "Navajo Aquifer" (N-Aquifer).
Peabody used this pristine water supply to mix with crushed coal, called "slurry". This "slurry" was then pumped through a 273-mile pipeline extending from Black Mesa, through northern Arizona into southern Nevada. This slurry pipeline was “of its own kind” in how coal is transported in North America, where other transportation means for coal is by railway. The coal from Black Mesa was delivered to a 1,500-megawatt power plant called the Mohave Generating Station (MGS) located in Laughlin, Nevada. The MGS provided the electrical needs for California, Nevada, and Arizona residents. And yet today Navajo and Hopi residents that live on Black Mesa still do not have electrification or running water.
Instantly and permanently a sole source drinking water was polluted and taken away from a land and peoples that need it the most. This being a classic case of environmental racism and environmental injustice where the needs of a dominant society are met, at the expense of another people’s lands, water and basic human rights.
Historically there lack inclusion and decision making roles for Black Mesa residents with regards to mining, royalties, and water use. The Navajo and Hopi governments alone have dealt and negotiate with federal agencies and corporations like Peabody. However, the emergence of grassroots groups and organizations such as To Nizhoni Ani and Black Mesa Water Coalition took on a role to inform and build awareness within Navajo and Hopi communities to take the leadership in the protection of the Navajo Aquifer.
By 2004, Black Mesa residents, chapters and villages pressured the Navajo Nation Council and Hopi Tribe passed a resolution “to end Peabody’s Coal Co. use of the N-Aquifer by the end of 2005”. And since January 2006 the use of the Navajo Aquifer has discontinued the supplying of coal to MGS, adding a domino effect that would also closed three linked operations: Black Mesa Mine, the Black Mesa Pipeline, and the Mohave Generation Station.
Since then, Black Mesa Water Coalition and the Just Transition Coalition have been working create a Just Transition Plan that would diversify tribal economy with sustainable economic development by wind and solar renewable energy. See Just Transition for more info.
Black Mesa
Black Mesa extends into both the Diné (Navajo) and Hopi reservations, in northeastern Arizona. This area has been the center of many environmental and social injustices. The continued destruction of Diné and Hopi traditional homelands is endangering the cultural survival of our people and is largely contributing to the many challenges our youth face.
The Black Mesa region of northeastern Arizona is a land of sweeping beauty, deep colors, and thriving cultural roots. This area is the traditional land base and home to both the Navajo and Hopi peoples. The area is full of life, wild sagebrush and grass valleys spread between mesa covered in pinion and juniper trees. Among the range of wildlife are lizards, coyotes, deer, and eagles. Domestic sheep, horses and cattle dot the landscape. However, the earth in this area supports only so much of her creations. The living beings of this land must learn to live within the resource boundaries our Mother Earth has outlines.
Water is precious on this land. The high plateaus of the Black Mesa region are describes as a semi-desert environment. On a good year, the area gets, at most, between 7-12 inches of rain. Rainwater recharge underlying groundwater sources (called "aquifers"), the most significant being the Navajo-Aquifer.
The Navajo Aquifer groundwater feeds an array of natural springs. The springs are essential to the religious practices of both the Hopi and Navajo people. Navajo and Hopi communities depend on this groundwater for livestock, agriculture, cleaning, and drinking.
On this magnificent land, rich with so many beautiful creatures, water really is life.
Peabody Coal Company
Coal Mining
Since 1965 Peabody Western Coal Company has been operating two strip mines on Black Mesa - the Kayenta and Black Mesa mines. Together, these mines made up one of the largest strip-mining operations in the United States.
The Black Mesa mine supplied coal to the Mohave Generating Station (MGS) outside of Laughlin, Nevada. Electricity from this plant powered southern California, Las Vegas, and central Arizona.
As a part of the mining operations, Navajo Aquifer groundwater was used to supply a transport process known as "slurry". On this slurry process, pristine groundwater is mixed with pulverized coal and sent through a pipeline 273 miles to the Mohave Generating Station. Since the 1970’s, Peabody Coal pumped over 3,600-4,500 acre-feet per year of pristine water from the Navajo Aquifer.
Since 1965-2004 Peabody used more than 60% of Navajo Aquifer for industrial use. Approximately 267,240 acre-feet of Navajo Aquifer were used for Peabody’s industrial use from 1965-2004.
The annual reports of the U.S. Geological Survey show that the Navajo Aquifer water table is dropping. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1058/
National Resources Defense Council reports "Drawdown Mining Water on Black Mesa and An Update on Groundwater Mining on Black Mesa”. http://www.nrdc.org/water/conservation/draw/drawinx.asp
The lifecycle of coal mining of the Black Mesa region is a story that goes with a number of abuses and pollution to land, air, water and public health. People of the Black Mesa region and beyond have been outrage by this unwise use of an only drinking water source considering an area where water is already limited; the use of potable water to transport coal should be outlawed.
There have been a number of reported breaks in the 273-mile slurry pipeline over the past years. These breaks have resulted in hundreds of tons of coal slurry flooding and contaminating previously undisturbed lands and streambeds. Most people do not need science to see the obvious: water is precious and has been rapidly and permanently wasted for over 30 years for the affordability of electricity for California, Nevada and Arizona.
"According to the “USGS Open-File Report 2006–1058”, http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1058/, In 2004 Peabody Coal Company withdraw 4,372 acre-feet of Navajo Aquifer water for industrial use, versus the municipality use of Tuba City and 8 other Navajo and Hopi communities.
Since 1965-2004 Peabody used more than 60% of Navajo Aquifer for industrial use. Approximately 267,240 acre-feet of Navajo Aquifer were used for Peabody’s industrial use from 1965-2004.
