City of Winslow points out failures in proposed coal slurry

WINSLOW-Even lawyers representing the city of Winslow say they were not given enough time to thoroughly review the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed coal slurry operations from Black Mesa to Nevada.

A proposed Office of Surface Mining "preferred alternative" would draw over 10.35 million gallons of water per day from the Canyon Diablo area, just north of Two Guns, Ariz. off Interstate 40.

"The DEIS overlooks a number of factors that would affect Winslow and surrounding areas," said Winslow City Attorney Dale Patton.

David Brown, the City of Winslow water rights lawyer who has been working for the adjudication of surface water rights on the Little Colorado Rive area for the last 14 years, spoke briefly to Council and audience.

"In 2005, we submitted a letter on behalf of the city of Winslow, Holbrook and some of our other clients, requesting that the (DEIS) study include certain things, among which would be an economic study to look at the affect that pumping would have on the entire area," Brown said.

He then added that the DEIS report was too great in length to be reviewed in such a short time.

"At first glance, it (DEIS) does not do some of the very important things we requested, and other things that people asked the report to consider," Brown said.

In response to these concerns and from those of the Winslow and surrounding Native American community, Winslow City Council put forward and unanimously approved a resolution in response to the Black Mesa DEIS.

The resolution recognizes the mine's economic benefit to the Navajo and Hopi and also how the proposal would benefit them further with a water supply; however, it points out specifically what they believe was not addressed.

According to the resolution, failures in the DEIS include:

1. Not stating if future groundwater withdrawals by the city of Winslow are included in the DEIS projections for groundwater draw-down.

2. There is evidence that the proposed groundwater pumping for the project may cause a concentration of poor quality water near where the city of Winslow gets its supply - the DEIS does not identify these impacts.

3. It failed to identify any appropriate mitigation measures to protect the quantity and quality of water available to Winslow, and the Clear Creek and Chevelon Creek.

4. It failed to discuss the use of poor quality water instead of good quality water.

5. It failed to evaluate alternative means of transporting good quality water for municipal uses by the Navajo and Hopi in combination with poor quality groundwater for coal slurry purposes.

6. It fails to offer any necessary approval or agreement for the proposed project by the city of Winslow, Navajo and Hopi tribes or any other stakeholders to protect their groundwater supply.

The city of Winslow formally requested that these concerns be reexamined and re-evaluated then revised to address the previously outlined inadequacies with the DEIS.

For these reasons, the city of Winslow formally requested an extension or reopening of the comment period for 60 days beyond the past Jan. 22 deadline so the City could try to evaluate the effects of the proposal.

The City also formally requested that it be included in the planning process for the water supply projects proposed for the Black Mesa Mine, Kayenta Mine and Navajo and Hopi communities.

(John Bianchini is associate editor of the Winslow Mail, a sister publication to the Navajo Hopi Observer).

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