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Native Americans oppose gas leases: Statement to BLM 'Fracking threatens water and archaeological sites'
Posted at Censored News
English and Dutch
English and Dutch
February 11, 2016
By Hand Delivery
Ruth Welch
Director
Colorado State Office
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
2850 Youngfield St.
Lakewood, CO 80215
Re: Tribal Concerns with Federal Fossil Fuel Leasing in Colorado
Statement of Concern
We, the undersigned individual Tribal Members and representatives of Independent Native American Environmental movements from the Four Corners Area, have been asked for our input regarding recently proposed Federal Gas Leases outside our current “Reservation” Boundaries, but on lands traditionally used by several tribes in Dolores County, Colorado.
Since the 1950’s the Four Corners area has been termed a “National Sacrifice Area” which allowed for unchecked mining of uranium and coal. There is a well-documented history of health problems among our people which can be directly connected to the mining and milling of uranium and the mining and burning of coal.
Recently the fracking boom has brought massive changes to our country with hundreds of new well-pads, roads, storage tanks, pipelines, and open venting of methane gasses on an unprecedented scale. The effects of this boom have been enormous and always adverse.
We know that aquifers are affected by injection wells and have had our share of water problems already from the recent boom. In Counselor, New Mexico the water has already been cut off to residents and the school due to fracking concerns.
Dolores County has more known archaeological sites than any other county in Colorado and these sites, although currently under control of the United States, have always been held in great reverence by our Native People. When we go near these old ruins we do so with respect. Our elders tell us not to pick up artifacts and children are told to be quiet and not play on the ruins because the “Old Ones” are still present there.
Native people have been at the forefront of climate change solutions. We have participated in international discussions on climate change in New York and in Paris where the United States agreed with every other country on Earth that we need to urgently address climate change.
Therefore, we believe that it would be unwise to continue allowing extractive industries to take any more fossil fuels from Federal Land. When and if these sacred places are returned to Native People, we would like them not to be ruined.
Our children, both native and non-native will inherit this earth together. Our collective future is not mutually exclusive and we believe that we are all related. We borrow this earth from our grandchildren and it would be tantamount to child neglect to ruin this land for short-term financial gain.
Keep it in the ground.
Signed:
Organizations:
Black Mesa Water Coalition
Diné Citizens Against Ruining the Environment
Dooda Desert Rock
Dooda Fracking
Dyspatch
Nihígaal bee liná
Individuals:
Adam Dolezal, Diné Nation
Berkeley, California
Alison McCabe, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Anita McCabe, Diné Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Audrey Cooper, Lenape Nation
Ithaca, New York
Aurora Truijillo, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Carol Johnson, Diné Nation
Durango, Colorado
Cheyenne Antonio, Diné Nation
Pueblo Pintado Chapter, New Mexico
Chili Yazzie, Diné Nation
Shiprock, New Mexico
Dallas Bitsue, Diné Nation
Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Daniel Tso, Diné Nation
Aztec, New Mexico
Desiree McCabe, Diné Nation
Fruitland Chapter, New Mexico
Dirius Jim, Diné Nation
Chinle Chapter, New Mexico
Ed Becenti, Diné Nation
Window Rock, Arizona
Elouise Brown, Diné Nation
Burnam Chapter, New Mexico
Ira M Vandever, Diné Nation
Baca-Pruitt Chapter, New Mexico
Jihan Gearon, Diné Nation
Flagstaff, Arizona
Joshua B Nelson, Cherokee Nation
Norman, Oklahoma
Joshua J Concha, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Joyce L Barkley, Saint Regis Mohawk Nation
Akwasasne, New York
Kenneth Augustine, Diné Nation
Nageezi, New Mexico
Kim Howe, Diné Nation
Shiprock, New Mexico
Kim Smith, Diné Nation
St Michaels, Arizona
Larry W Emerson, Diné Nation
Tsedaak’aan, New Mexico
Laura Red Elk, Diné Nation
Pueblo Pintado Chapter, New Mexico
Lori Goodman, Diné Nation
Durango, Colorado
Louise Benally, Diné Nation
Flagstaff, Arizona
Lyla June Johnston, Diné Nation
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Maria Jim, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Mercury Bitsuie, Diné Nation
Houck Chapter, New Mexico
Naki Lewis, Diné Nation
Pinedale Chapter, New Mexico
Nick Ashley, Diné Nation
Black Mesa, Arizona
Patricia McCabe, Diné Nation
Taos, New Mexico
Remy Fredenberg, Diné Nation
Forest Lake, Arizona
Scott Perez, Akwasasne Mohawk Nation
Mancos, Colorado
Scott D Peters, Akwasasne Mohawk Nation
Akwasasne, New York
Shaine Degroat, Diné Nation
Fort Defiance, Arizona
Shell Shorty-Floyd, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Thomas Johnston, Cheyenne Nation
Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Whitney Mauer, Piscataway Nation
Ithaca, New York
Cc: Barack Obama, President of the United States of America
Sally Jewell, Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior
Brian Deese, Senior Advisor to the President of the United States
Neil Kornze, Bureau of Land Management Director
Diana DeGette, Congresswoman Colorado District 1
Ed Perlmutter, Congressman Colorado District 7
Russell Begaye, Navajo Nation President
Dutch translation by Alice Holemans, NAIS
Dutch translation by Alice Holemans, NAIS
* Native Amerikanen nemen stelling tegen gas leases in zuidwest- Colorado
Verklaring van Native Amerikanen aan Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Fracking bedreigt water en archeologische sites in zuidwest- Colorado!
Bron: Censored News:http://bsnorrell.blogspot.be/2016/02/native-americans-oppose-gas-leases-in.html
February 11, 2016
By Hand Delivery
Ruth Welch
Director
Colorado State Office
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
2850 Youngfield St.
Lakewood, CO 80215
Re: Tribal Concerns with Federal Fossil Fuel Leasing in Colorado
Statement of Concern
We, the undersigned individual Tribal Members and representatives of Independent Native American Environmental movements from the Four Corners Area, have been asked for our input regarding recently proposed Federal Gas Leases outside our current “Reservation” Boundaries, but on lands traditionally used by several tribes in Dolores County, Colorado.
Since the 1950’s the Four Corners area has been termed a “National Sacrifice Area” which allowed for unchecked mining of uranium and coal. There is a well-documented history of health problems among our people which can be directly connected to the mining and milling of uranium and the mining and burning of coal.
Recently the fracking boom has brought massive changes to our country with hundreds of new well-pads, roads, storage tanks, pipelines, and open venting of methane gasses on an unprecedented scale. The effects of this boom have been enormous and always adverse.
We know that aquifers are affected by injection wells and have had our share of water problems already from the recent boom. In Counselor, New Mexico the water has already been cut off to residents and the school due to fracking concerns.
Dolores County has more known archeological sites than any other county in Colorado and these sites, although currently under control of the United States, have always been held in great reverence by our Native People. When we go near these old ruins we do so with respect. Our elders tell us not to pick up artifacts and children are told to be quiet and not play on the ruins because the “Old Ones” are still present there.
Native people have been at the forefront of climate change solutions. We have participated in international discussions on climate change in New York and in Paris where the United States agreed with every other country on Earth that we need to urgently address climate change.
Therefore, we believe that it would be unwise to continue allowing extractive industries to take any more fossil fuels from Federal Land. When and if these sacred places are returned to Native People, we would like them not to be ruined.
Our children, both native and non-native will inherit this earth together. Our collective future is not mutually exclusive and we believe that we are all related. We borrow this earth from our grandchildren and it would be tantamount to child neglect to ruin this land for short-term financial gain.
Keep it in the ground.
Signed:
Organizations:
Black Mesa Water Coalition
Diné Citizens Against Ruining the Environment
Dooda Desert Rock
Dooda Fracking
Dyspatch
Nihígaal bee liná
Individuals:
Adam Dolezal, Diné Nation
Berkeley, California
Alison McCabe, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Anita McCabe, Diné Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Audrey Cooper, Lenape Nation
Ithaca, New York
Aurora Truijillo, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Carol Johnson, Diné Nation
Durango, Colorado
Cheyenne Antonio, Diné Nation
Pueblo Pintado Chapter, New Mexico
Chili Yazzie, Diné Nation
Shiprock, New Mexico
Dallas Bitsue, Diné Nation
Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Daniel Tso, Diné Nation
Aztec, New Mexico
Desiree McCabe, Diné Nation
Fruitland Chapter, New Mexico
Dirius Jim, Diné Nation
Chinle Chapter, New Mexico
Ed Becenti, Diné Nation
Window Rock, Arizona
Elouise Brown, Diné Nation
Burnam Chapter, New Mexico
Ira M Vandever, Diné Nation
Baca-Pruitt Chapter, New Mexico
Jihan Gearon, Diné Nation
Flagstaff, Arizona
Joshua B Nelson, Cherokee Nation
Norman, Oklahoma
Joshua J Concha, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Joyce L Barkley, Saint Regis Mohawk Nation
Akwasasne, New York
Kenneth Augustine, Diné Nation
Nageezi, New Mexico
Kim Howe, Diné Nation
Shiprock, New Mexico
Kim Smith, Diné Nation
St Michaels, Arizona
Larry W Emerson, Diné Nation
Tsedaak’aan, New Mexico
Laura Red Elk, Diné Nation
Pueblo Pintado Chapter, New Mexico
Lori Goodman, Diné Nation
Durango, Colorado
Louise Benally, Diné Nation
Flagstaff, Arizona
Lyla June Johnston, Diné Nation
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Maria Jim, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Mercury Bitsuie, Diné Nation
Houck Chapter, New Mexico
Naki Lewis, Diné Nation
Pinedale Chapter, New Mexico
Nick Ashley, Diné Nation
Black Mesa, Arizona
Patricia McCabe, Diné Nation
Taos, New Mexico
Remy Fredenberg, Diné Nation
Forest Lake, Arizona
Scott Perez, Akwasasne Mohawk Nation
Mancos, Colorado
Scott D Peters, Akwasasne Mohawk Nation
Akwasasne, New York
Shaine Degroat, Diné Nation
Fort Defiance, Arizona
Shell Shorty-Floyd, Tewa Nation
Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Thomas Johnston, Cheyenne Nation
Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Whitney Mauer, Piscataway Nation
Ithaca, New York
Cc: Barack Obama, President of the United States of America
Sally Jewell, Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior
Brian Deese, Senior Advisor to the President of the United States
Neil Kornze, Bureau of Land Management Director
Diana DeGette, Congresswoman Colorado District 1
Ed Perlmutter, Congressman Colorado District 7
Russell Begaye, Navajo Nation President
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