Leupp residents want their share of C-aquifer<br>

S.J. Wilson/Observer

Leupp Chapter President Thomas Cody, left, Angela Barney Nez, staff assistant/Speaker’s Office and Navajo Nation Council Delegate Leonard Chee listen to community concerns regarding Leupp water..

“A hasty decision was made by the president,” Al Scott said. “The community at large was not informed. Maybe this matter should have been put on the ballot. Every single person in the community should be informed. Water is precious. Why should we use water to move another natural resource?”

Edward Scott of the Canyon Diablo area asked what benefits community members might expect from the development.

“This water is coming out of my front yard,” Edward Scott said. “What will be my benefit?”

Calvin Johnson received a standing ovation for his observations that both the Hopi and Navajo tribes receive only 0.0031 cents per gallon for the water sold to Peabody Coal Company for coal slurry— while using 62 gallons of Navajo and Hopi water per second.

He voiced his frustration that many people in the community did not have running water. Some, he said, have no other way to bring water to their home, and purchase it at a machine in a grocery store, paying 35 cents per gallon.

“If a person utilizes 50 gallons per week, that comes to 2,400 gallons per year at $840 for water per year. In comparison, the tribe receives $1,000 per acre feet of water.”

That’s enough water to fill a football field one-foot deep. Ultimately, Johnson pointed out that the use of C-aquifer water for coal slurry might bring money to the Navajo Nation.

“What about us?” he asked. “None.”

Shirley responded to these concerns, explained that he saw the MOU as a commitment between the involved entities—including the Navajo Nation—to have integrity with each other.

“We haven’t given any of your water yet. We don’t know that we will. It’s up to you to decide,” Shirley said.

“I’m trying to meet your needs for water to your household to the best of my ability,” Shirley continued. “I’m only one man, trying to help as many people as I can. Let’s come together and see what we can work out.”

Shirley told community members that he felt that a lot of people are saying the same thing, that the Navajo interests must come first and reminded them that it would take a lot of water to bring economic development to the Leupp community.

Chee told the president that every single person who had spoken so far had said the same thing—that no water be taken to Black Mesa.

“We are having the same feelings that were felt about the Snowbowl decision,” Chee said. “I believe the same thing is happening to the people here.”

An opinion Leupp area residents have voiced on several occasions during community water meetings is that the Navajo Nation needs to act quickly to stake out its share of C-aquifer water.

“We have been told that C-aquifer water lying beneath the Navajo reservation is Navajo water,” Chee said. “There is information that suggests that groundwater outside the boundary line is also Navajo water. If that is true, if other entities beat us to the punch, they still need our approval. If so, the argument that we have to act quickly is not true.”

After approximately five hours—much of this time taken by angry community members expressing their frustration with the president, Shirley left the auditorium.

In his wake, a member of his administration commented that someone had been misleading the people of Leupp, and that the MOU was not binding. But from their comments throughout the day, it was clear that members of the Leupp community are unsure of who is misleading whom.