Inspiration and Tragedy: Censored in Indian country 2015

Inspiration and Tragedy: Censored in Indian country 2015

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
Top photo: Casey Camp Horinek, Ponca

We begin this year in review, by looking at what inspired us in 2015, with a tribute to those who live on their homeland and fight the good fight everyday. We honor the Native American women, youths and young adults who inspired us this year.

Wioweya Najin Win, Lakota at home on Pine Ridge, writes, "In these days of winter fading away while springtime emerges slowly, all I can think about is the smell of the wild raspberries in their full ripeness, their red skin glowing from the sunbeams falling along the banks of Tongue River in the Shining Mountains." Read more from Wioweya (Debra White Plume) and the struggle to defend the land from uranium mining and the tar sands pipeline: http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/04/wioweya-najin-win-starlight-and-red.html

Photo courtesy Nihigaal Bee Iina walkers

The Nihigaal Bee Iina walkers inspired us with their walks to the Four Sacred Mountains and their voices. The Dine’ walkers spoke out against the oil and gas drilling, fracking and coal mining that is destroying the Navajo Nation and threatens future generations. http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/04/nihigaal-bee-iina-walkers-greeted-at.html

Apache youth Naelyn Pike, 16, spoke out on the sacred ceremonial ground of Oak Flat, now targeted for a massive copper mine. Describing the United States long war of genocide targeting Apaches, Naelyn said, "The United States tried to strip our identity away." She recalled how her ancestors fought for her survival.

"I still wear my camp dress. I still wear my moccasins. I am Apache. We are coming together. I am going to fight for what is right. If we don't keep fighting for who we are, we are nothing.”

She said this struggle has shown her how strong her people are. "We are a family. We are going to fight and we are going to keep this place sacred."

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/10/sacred-oak-flat-apache-youth-naelyn.html

Photo Deborah Parker

The faces of Lummi youths arriving in Paris for the COP21 climate summit was among the most inspiring photos. Thanks to Deborah Parker for sharing the photos. Lummi youths joined Indigenous Peoples from around the earth. Watch this video of the Canoe 2 Paris flotilla during the Paris climate summit: http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/12/beautiful-video-canoes-2-paris.html

Photo Ken Marchionno

As the year came to an end, it was the youth riders of the Future Generations Riders who inspired us, as they rode the trail between the site of the murder of Lakota Chief Big Foot, and the site of the Massacre of Wounded Knee. Thanks to Ken Marchionno and Future Generations Riders for sharing photos with Censored News. More at 300 Miles website http://300-miles.org/OT/index.html

The Truth Tellers

Steve Melendez, Pyramid Lake Paiute and President of the American Indian Genocide Museum, wrote one of our most viewed columns. Melendez writes: "Pope Francis is no Christian, enforce the treaties."

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/09/paiute-steve-melendez-pope-francis-is.html

Tribal Chairman Valentin Lopez exposed the atrocities of California Missions, where Indian people were beaten and murdered. Valentin’s talk was at the AIM West Conference: http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/11/hidden-atrocities-californias-indian.html

Speakers at the AIM West Conference honored Darrell Standing Elk, while urging clemency for Leonard Peltier, and exposing atrocities of the US government:

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/11/live-aim-west-conference-nov-21-22-2015.html

This year, Censored News exposed the Israeli and US pact and the ongoing construction of spy towers on the Tohono O’odham Nation. These surveillance towers now threaten traditional communities and burial sites. The District of Gu-Vo has said ‘No.’ Read the exclusive at Censored News: http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/09/us-israeli-pact-targets-traditional.html

Mohawk Nation News continued to expose the truth this year, with historical background and warnings to those violating The Great Law. Read more at www.mohawknationnews.com

The Tragedy: Tex Hall and Blood Oil

Former Tribal Chairman Tex Hall's business partner now admits the murder-for-hire of two of their business partners. The young KC Clarke's death remained a mystery until James Henriksen recently admitted the young man was bludgeoned to death in his truck shop.

Tex Hall, former chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara in North Dakota, rose to fame as a tribal chairman before destroying the land with fracking, oil and gas drilling. Hall then benefited personally from the oil and gas industry while chairman, with his own private businesses.

What followed was greed and murders in North Dakota and Washington State.

The Ugliest Story Yet from North Dakotas Oil Patch:

http://theprairieblog.areavoices.com/2015/08/04/the-ugliest-story-yet-from-north-dakotas-oil-patch/

When Chairman Tex Hall attempted to distance himself from Henrikson and his crimes, this photo was leaked to Censored News. The photo shows Hall, Henriksen and their families vacationing together.

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2014/02/by-brenda-norrell-censored-news-new.html

The Indian country media would not publish the complete story about Hall, his oil businesses and the murders. Hall was a charming favorite of the Indian country media. An expert public relations writer assured Hall's success.

Although the New York Times eventually covered the blood oil and murders surrounding Hall, the New York Times covered the story by stealing others hard work. http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2014/12/new-york-times-copycat-journalism-tex.html

Now, apparently the murder of two of his business partners isn't preventing Tex Hall from creating a new business venture, this time with marijuana. http://www.wdaz.com/news/north-dakota/3757841-after-oil-ex-nd-indian-leader-tex-hall-forms-marijuana-firm

Don't expect to read the real story in any of the media. The national Indian country media doesn't have reporters that actually go out and cover the news. They rely on plagiarism and rewrites. The mainstream media might pass through Indian lands in North Dakota quickly, but the reporters don't stay long enough to get the story right.

Taking on the greenwashers in Paris

Kandi Mossett, Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara, from North Dakota, and her family and friends are among the victims of Blood Oil. In Paris at COP21 climate summit, Kandi confronted the greenwashers and profiteers. Back home, fracking, oil and gas drilling, and crime have turned her homeland into a scene from a warzone. The land, air and water are devastated and crime threatens the safety of women and children. Watch this video:

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/12/video-paris-undercover-police-attack.html

Solar profiteers target Southwest

Meanwhile, don't get too excited about the news of the solar power plant coming to the Navajo Nation. The secret deal involving the exploiter and profiteer the Salt River Project in this scheme has not been fully exposed. Salt River Project is the operator of the Navajo Generating Station on the Navajo Nation, one of the dirtiest coal fired power plants in the world.

Salt River Project has entered into a scheme involving carbon credits, but isn't revealing the details. Carbon credits are just a means of allowing polluters to continue polluting.

Meanwhile, the mega solar project in the Mojave Desert, Ivanpah, desecrated Sacred Salt Trail. It was actually constructed by Israel's BrightSource. This was exposed after President Obama claimed the construction was proof of a rebounding US economy. http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/09/mojave-desert-natives-expose-dark-side.html

Senate enabling corrupt tribal leaders to poison the people with fossil fuel extraction

As this year comes to an end, the US Senate wants to make it easier for corrupt tribal leaders to poison the people. The Senate recently passed a bill to expedite fossil fuel extraction on Indian land. Since the national Indian media has not had any reporters covering DC in years, there are no watchdogs. Read this article in the Desmog Blog, which reveals that Indian Country Today even supported this bill by publishing a column in support. http://www.desmogblog.com/2015/12/19/congress-expedite-fossil-fuel-extraction-indian-land-indigenous-rights-paris-climate-deal

Louise Benally photo by Christine Prat

Censored in Indian country

One of the most censored issues, everywhere  from the COP21 climate summit to the Navajo Times, is the impact at home and globally of coal mines and the three coal fired power plants on the Navajo Nation. Thanks to Christine Prat for interview with Louise Benally at Big Mountain.

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/10/video-louise-benally-at-big-mountain-by.html

There were many more people and events that inspired us in 2015. We conclude this article with Casey Camp Horinek in Paris at COP21.

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By Ayse Gursoz

Casey Camp-Horinek, Ponca, was a member of the Indigenous Environmental Network's Indigenous Rising Delegation in Paris 

Casey Camp Horinek, Ponca, presented this cradleboard to the people of Paris. The cradleboard represents the future generations.

"We come here with a present for Paris, we know what happened on November 13. We Indigenous people know how that feels to have someone kill the innocent ones. We offer this symbol in memory of lives lost, and we thank you for hosting us on this sacred day."

Read more by Censored News: 'Chasing McCain Away: Brazen Acts of Native Americans in 2015:

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/12/chasing-mccain-away-brazen-acts-of.html

Please share this link (located in your browser)

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For permission to repost this article: brendanorrell@gmail.com

Brenda Norrell has been a news reporter in Indian country for 33 years. She began as a reporter for Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She also served as a stringer for AP and USA Today, covering the Navajo Nation and federal courts. After serving as a longtime staff reporter for Indian Country Today, she was censored and terminated. As a result, she began Censored News, now in its 10th year with no ads, grants or revenues. After being blacklisted by all the paying media, she traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico and provided live coverage, without pay, with Govinda at Earthcycles, of Indian country events, including the five month live radio show on the Longest Walk in 2008 and the Mother Earth Conference in Bolivia in 2010.

Article copyright Censored News

Mohawk Nation News: RED-X STATE OF THE UNION

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http://mohawknationnews.com/blog/2015/12/28/red-x-state-of-the-union/

Photos Future Generations Riders arrive in Wounded Knee

Thank you to Ken Marchionno and the Future Generations Riders for sharing your photos.

The ride began at the site where Chief Big Foot was killed and culminated at the site of the Massacre of Wounded Knee.

http://300-miles.org/OT/index.html

Chief Big Foot Riders Leaving Kyle / Red Water 12-27-2015

 

Healing Hearts at Wounded Knee

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Casinos, crime, Indian country media, Israel

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
copyright

The exposure of the new owner of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reveals the ties between casino-owned media, crime and influence. It also reveals a connection with Israel.
Further, the exposure reveals a connection to the Oneida Nation in New York, which is wealthy from casino revenues, and is the owner of Indian Country Today.
The new owner of the Las Vegas newspaper is Sheldon Adelson, casino owner and Israeli newspaper owner.
Follow the money:
In a bizarre exposure, Adelson and the owners of Indian Country Today are linked by being the top donors to the ultra conservative Patriot Prosperity, as revealed by opensecrets.org
Adelson's Drug Clinic, and his Sands Casino, were the top donors to Patriot Prosperity in 2012.
The Oneida Nation was the top donor in 2014 to Patriot Prosperity.
As previously revealed by Censored News, Israeli corporations have been gaining major US contracts in the Southwest.
US Homeland Security gave the southern border surveillance contract to Israel's Elbit Systems, responsible for Apartheid security surrounding Palestine. Elbit is now constructing spy towers on the Arizona border and is targeting traditional Tohono O'odham with new spy towers.
The construction of the mega solar project Ivanpah in the Mojave Desert in the Southern California Desert, desecrating Sacred Salt Song Trail, was done by Israel's BrightSource.This was exposed after President Obama claimed the construction was proof of a rebounding US economy.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal's new owner's identity was previously secret and now the editorial staff is fighting for its journalistic soul.
Read the article in 972 Magazine, which includes a bizarre crime scenario:
http://972mag.com/lessons-from-israel-for-sheldon-adelsons-new-journalists/115130/
The Indian country issues requiring unbiased coverage in Nevada include the theft of Pyramid Lake Paiute water rights; the threat of nuclear waste storage on Western Shoshone's Yucca Mountain; and the widespread contamination in Western Shoshone communities, and throughout Nevada, from the Nuclear Test Site.

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Yurok Tribe Bans Frankenfish and GMOs

Yurok Tribe adopts ordinance banning Frankenfish and GMOs

by Dan Bacher

Censored News

The Yurok Tribe, the largest Indian Tribe in California with over 6,000 members, has banned genetically engineered salmon and all Genetically Engineered Organisms (GEOs) on their reservation on the Klamath River in the state's northwest region. 

The Yurok ban comes in the wake of the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision on November 19 to approve genetically engineered salmon, dubbed "Frankenfish," as being fit for human consumption, in spite of massive public opposition to the decision by fishermen, Tribes, environmental organizations and public interest organizations. (https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/11/20/18780189.php)  

On December 10, 2015, the Yurok Tribal Council unanimously voted to enact the Yurok Tribe Genetically Engineered Organism ("GEO") Ordinance. The vote took place after several months of committee drafting and opportunity for public comment, according to a news release from the Tribe and Northern California Tribal Court Coalition (NCTCC). 

Chasing McCain Away: Brazen Acts of Native Americans in 2015

Chasing McCain off Navajo Nation

The brazen acts that the cardboard Flim Flam man of new media didn't want you to know in 2015


By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
copyright
French translation by Christine Prat
http://www.chrisp.lautre.net/wpblog/?p=3144

Apaches protesting Sen. McCain's
copper mine on sacred Oak Flat

Censored News pick for the most brazen act of 2015: Navajos Chasing Arizona Sen. John McCain off the Navajo Nation. Fabulously called "Sneaky Snake McCain," by San Carlos Apaches fighting McCain's new copper mine with McCain's best buddies at Resolution Copper, McCain's status as a bottom feeder is absolute. 

The fact that McCain is still on the US Senate Committee for Indian Affairs reveals that the Committee was set up to steal Indian land and water rights, and dupe everyone else into believing that the US system works.

Meanwhile, US Homeland Security gave the southern border security contract to Israel's defense contractor Elbit Systems, manufacturer of drones and Apartheid systems surrounding Palestine. 

Now, Elbit is on the southern border of Arizona and pushing its new spy towers on Tohono O'odham land in traditional O'odham communities. 

The District of Gu-Vo has said, "No!" to these spy towers which target traditional O'odham burial grounds.

However, Tohono O'odham human rights activists point out that the tribal government was long ago co-opted by the US government and is powerless to protect the Tohono O'odham people from the onslaught of the oppression of the US government and its new partner Israel.

The Bottom Line: Peabody Coal on Black Mesa

Louise Benally
Photo Christine Prat

Louise Benally of Big Mountain, testifying before the Bureau of Land Management about coal mining in Farmington, N.M, said it best this year.

Although the regional media has been bought and sold with Peabody Coal's dollars and the surrounding parasitic political influence, Louise Benally describes the 40-year-resistance to coal mining, relocation and McCain, in her testimony to the BLM:

In my community of Black Mesa in 1974 there was a Congressional legislation known as Public Law 93531 that was passed to remove 10,000 Navajos, 300 Hopis to make way for Peabody coal company. 

As of today BLM is the major owner of Navajo Generating Station, and if we're going to talk about climate change justice for all, let's shut Navajo Generating Station down! Because it is allowed to continue to pollute and to kill people. This is ongoing as of today. 

I want that you as the people of the Department of the Interior do your activities and call the Hopi government to stop impounding people's animals. The sheep, the goats, the horses, the cattle is what we live off of. That's our food. That's our economy. That's all we have. 

We don't have electricity. We don't have running water. 

Yet the power that is pumped out of Black Mesa goes down to where John McCain is laid out in the sun with his shades on, and he needs to stop stealing our water. 

The Colorado River, he's after again, after we told him so many times no.

The utility companies, they eat the earth up here, suck out her breath out, so they can get electricity and, you know, we are left with nothing. Period. Nothing. Except ourselves and what we have. But yet these coal companies are polluting our air, killing our environment, killing our people through actions of flawed policies. This needs to stop. We're sick and tired of your greed!

Throughout the continent, the Arctic drilling needs to stop. The pipeline for the oils in the Midwest need to stop that's coming out of Alberta. You're sending all that to other countries. India and China needs to be taught how to convert to renewable energies that don't pollute. That's the only hope we have.

Now, do your job. Make that change.

US Border Patrol: An Occupying Army

On the issues of the occupying Army of the US Border Patrol on Tohono O'odham land, and what this means for sovereignty, Mike Wilson, Tohono O'odham, and Mark Maracle, Mohawk Warrior, said it best.

Mike Wilson, Tohono O'odham, described documenting the abuse by the US Border Patrol and an increase in violence toward O'odham by border agents. Wilson described the US Border Patrol as an occupying army on the Tohono O'odham Nation.

"The Tohono O'odham tribal government has completely surrendered to the US Homeland Security,” Wilson said in the live broadcast of the AIM West Conference in November.

Wilson said people ask him why -- if the Tohono O’odham is sovereign -- is the US Border Patrol on the Tohono O’odham Nation. "In Indian country, we are not sovereign nations, we are not even sovereign people,” Wilson said.

In response, Mohawk Warrior Mark Maracle said that Mohawks do not wait for anyone to tell them that they are sovereign. "You don't have sovereignty unless you assert sovereignty,” Maracle told Censored News.

“The United States and Mexico are not sovereign nations.”

“We tell them we are sovereign. We don’t wait for them to tell us that we are sovereign. We tell them. If you want sovereignty, you have to make sacrifices.”

Maracle said Mohawks have stood up against the state police, federal agents and all forms of government.

"We keep reminding them that this land belongs to us,” Maracle said.

Maracle said it is the same as dealing with bullies and cowards. “They have to remember the power is in the people.”

“The worst enemies are our own people, the ones who are traitors. Traitors for the invaders.”

Media in 2015: Cardboard Con Artists Flop in the Shade

The most censored issue in 2015 includes the media itself. A cardboard stand-up Flim Flam man now flounders where journalism once stood.

Here's how the system works. The national American Indian media and websites deceive their readers into believing that they actually have reporters out covering the news. It is a massive system of fraud, which uses plagiarism, re-writes and stay-at-home reporters who make phone calls to disguise the plagiarism. 

With copy and paste, they plagiarize from the web without permission, and rewrite to avoid being present which would mean carrying out real journalism. They rewrite press releases and steal copyrighted photos and get paid to do it.

Funding to pay for real journalism is not the issue. Indian Country Today is owned by the wealthy Oneida Nation of New York. ICT terminated its real journalists, who actually went out and covered news stories, beginning in 2006, and replaced reporters with stay at home re-writers and plagiarizers. 

Indianz is owned by the wealthy Ho-Chunk Inc. of Nebraska. Ho-Chunk Inc. also received a contract from the US government for domestic and international spying, with an office at the Pentagon. 

What is the real agenda of the national media? You decide.

Why did Navajo Times continue to rely on non-Indian reporters in 2015 for much of its coverage, when the majority of Native American journalists can not find jobs?

The point is control. Are publishers and editors in Indian country afraid that they can not control authentic Native American journalists?

Perhaps publishers and editors are afraid that the real issues might be laid bare -- including the fact that Sen. McCain's goal has been to rob Native people -- while riding in their parades as a faux hero.

Perhaps it is hard to keep real reporters quiet about the three coal-fired power plants on the Navajo Nation and the fact that they are leading dirty coal polluters in the world.

Perhaps real reporters would point out the Raytheon Missile factory on the Navajo commercial farm, NAPI, and question if years of planting with Monsanto seeds on NAPI has resulted in the mutation of traditional local crops.

As for the national news in Indian country, it is clear now that the deep pockets of casino funding have not created a new age of authentic journalism.

Casino funded national news has resulted in a new era of plagiarism, fraud and short cuts.

The Rest of the Story that the Media Concealed

Meanwhile, the media never told you the rest of the story. Former Navajo Chairman Peter MacDonald never took that multi-million dollar bribe from real estate broker Byron "Bud" Brown for the real estate flip sale of Big Boquillas ranch.

McDonald went to jail and prison for a decade. Brown later admitted in federal court that Brown put those millions in Brown's offshore bank account. Brown admitted in federal court that he had lied under oath, and received immunity from the US government to do it. 

Brown's long stream of lies under oath came as the US government wanted to silence MacDonald in regards to Navajo water rights.

MacDonald planned to press for the Winter's Doctrine water rights for Navajos in federal court, ensuring Navajos would have their rights to expansive water rights needed for future generations. 

However, with the intervention of non-Indian attorneys, employed by the tribe, MacDonald went to prison, and the Winter's Doctrine water rights were lost.

The schemes for defrauding American Indian Nations of their water rights has now spread across the west. The schemes of the so-called water rights settlements are carried out by Congressmen and non-Indian attorneys employed by the tribes.

Sen. Gosar called cops on Apache
grandmothers

Meanwhile, Apaches continue to fight the copper mine that Sen. McCain sneaked into the defense spending bill, which would desecrate Oak Flat ceremonial grounds by gouging out the earth for a massive copper mine for Resolution Copper.

When San Carlos Apache led a delegation to Washington to fight the bill, and defend sacred Oak Flat, Apache grandmothers went calling on Rep. Paul Gosar in his Congressional office in Washington. 

Gosar called the cops on them.

Meanwhile, Apaches continue their resistance camp at Oak Flat.

When it comes to defending Oak Flat, Apache youth Naelyn Pike, 16, granddaughter of Wendsler Nosie, rose to the forefront. Listen to her words on this video, at Oak Flat, by Christine Prat:

http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/10/sacred-oak-flat-apache-youth-naelyn.html

The bottom line is the slow and toxic genocide in Indian country, carried out by the US government, corrupt tribal officials, Congressmen, non-Indian attorneys, and the big players in the red light district: The media who can be bought and sold.

Now you know the rest of the story.

Read more at Censored News

Navajos Chase McCain off Navajo Nation
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/08/dine-protesters-chase-john-mccain-off.html

Israel's Elbit targets Tohono O'odham with spy towers
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/09/us-israeli-pact-targets-traditional.html

Tohono O'odham and Mohawk on US Border Patrol and Sovereignty
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/11/mohawk-and-tohono-oodham-sovereignty.html

The Rest of the Story: Peter MacDonald: How lies under oath sent MacDonald to prison, and Navajo Winter's Doctrine water rights were lost, with letter from MacDonald to Censored News on water rights:
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/11/us-theft-of-water-rights-and.html

Gosar calls cops on Apache grandmothers
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2015/07/ariz-rep-gosar-calls-cops-on-apache.html

Brenda Norrell has been a news reporter in Indian country for 33 years. She began as a reporter for Navajo Times, during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a stringer for AP and USA Today during those years, covering the Navajo Nation and federal courts. After serving as a longtime staff reporter for Indian Country Today in the Southwest, she was censored, then terminated in 2006. Because of this, she created Censored News, with no advertising, grants or revenues, to expose what Indian Country Today was censoring. Since 2006, she has traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico, and provided live coverage of events throughout the west, and the Mother Earth Conference in Bolivia, without pay.


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New Lawsuit Challenges Approval of More Navajoland Coal Pollution at Four Corners

Lawsuit to Challenge Feds’ Approval of Decades More Coal Pollution at Four Corners

By Shiloh Hernandez, Western Environmental Law Center

Colleen Cooley, Diné C.A.R.E.
Mike Eisenfeld, San Juan Citizens Alliance
Rachel Conn, Amigos Bravos
Taylor McKinnon, Center for Biological Diversity

Nellis Kennedy-Howard, Sierra Club

PHOENIX — After years of refusal by U.S. government agencies to address coal pollution damage from the Four Corners Power Plant and Navajo Mine, Diné (Navajo), regional and national conservation groups today took joint legal action to seek justice for impacts to communities, the climate and endangered species.

Today the groups filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue the Office of Surface Mining, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies for approving the Four Corners Power Plant and Navajo Mine Energy Project in July. The approval prolongs the 52-year-old power plant and coal mine – among the most notorious for coal contamination in the country – through 2041 despite impacts from coal toxins to communities, the San Juan River Basin, its ecosystems and endangered species.

“While the rest of the world is transitioning to alternative forms of energy, the Four Corners Power Plant continues to burn coal and will do so for the next 25 years,” said Colleen Cooley with Diné Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment. “Prolonging coal not only condemns our health and the water, air, and land around us, it undermines our community’s economic future because we are not investing and transitioning to clean energy. Even former owner of the Navajo Mine, BHP Billiton has exited many coal contracts across the globe because coal is no longer economically feasible.”

Community and conservation groups have exposed gaping deficiencies in the U.S. government’s impact study of Four Corners Power Plant and Navajo Mine, including inadequate analysis of clean energy alternatives to prolonged operation of the coal plant and insufficient consideration of carbon pollution impacts, public health problems, threats to endangered species, water contamination from coal ash waste, and impacts to Navajo culture.

“The U.S. government supposedly sees the importance of the transition to the clean energy economy nowadays, so it’s really an affront to Four Corners area residents when the feds won’t even provide honest evaluation of pollution or solar and wind alternatives at Four Corners Power Plant and Navajo Mine,” said Mike Eisenfeld with San Juan Citizens Alliance. “All of us in the Southwest deserve at least an honest expert analysis.”

Today’s notice cites violations of the Endangered Species Act, and will be followed in 60 days by additional claims under the National Environmental Policy Act relating to pollution impacts on climate, people and local communities.

"Mercury is the top cause of water quality impairment in New Mexico lakes and reservoirs,” said Rachel Conn, interim executive director for Amigos Bravos. “Over 60,000 acres of New Mexican lakes and reservoirs are polluted with Mercury. It is unacceptable that in over half of the State's lakes and reservoirs, New Mexicans can no longer fish without worrying about poisoning their families.”

“Decades of deadly coal pollution in the San Juan Basin have poisoned people, the San Juan River and its endangered fish,” said Taylor McKinnon with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Our laws require the government to recover endangered species, but more coal pollution will push San Juan River fish toward extinction. The time for a just transition to clean, renewable energy is now.”

“Federal agencies must assure that coal operations follow the law. What agencies can’t do is bend the law to accommodate coal operations, but that’s just what they did here,” said Western Environmental Law Center Attorney Shiloh Hernandez. “What this really shows is the outdated and heavily polluting Navajo Mine and Four Corners Power Plant can’t operate in compliance with the law. These facilities are obsolete and need to transition.”

“This toxic, outdated facility has been wreaking havoc on the health of people and ecosystems for far too long,” said Nellis Kennedy-Howard, senior campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign. “The Office of Surface Mining and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ignored the obvious environmental impacts of this facility when they approved extending its life.” 

Groups party to today’s notice include Diné Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Amigos Bravos, Center for Biological Diversity, and Sierra Club. They are represented by attorneys Shiloh Hernandez, Matt Kenna, Kyle Tisdel and Laura King of the Western Environmental Law Center, John Barth, and Michael Saul of Center for Biological Diversity.

Download a copy of today’s notice here.

For Immediate Release, December 21, 2015