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Show THE SALT LAKE TIMES FPIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1972 the Hopi people and our attor- ficient as we were a thousand neys and the United States Gov- years ago. Already many of our g ernment who are the trustees of people are finding our land, studied this situation jobs. We have built a Tribal Ad- Hopi Tribal Chairman Defends Coal Mining on Reservation The following is a statement about the controversial mining of coal from the Black Mesa area of the Hopi Indian Reservation in Arizona, by Clarence Hamilton, Chairman of the Hopi Tribal Council: Let me preface my statement by saying that I do not pretend to represent every single Hopi Indian, just as Governor Jack Williams does not always express the opinion of all Arizonans. But lie is the elected Governor of Arizona and as such represents the state in many of the things that he says. In that same sense, I represent the people of the Hopi Tribe as Chairman of the Tribal Council. And I do speak for the Tribal Council Itself. Many of the local, regional and national news media have devoted considerable time and space to the views of some of our tribal members to the effect that they are not in favor of the mining of coal from our tribal lands. It is right that every minority be heard and that their views receive good exposure. Unfortunately, however, these views often are given broad coverage while the less exciting views of the establishment (if I may call myself that) are not given equal coverage. In addition, there are some national columnists who give their opinion, I am certain, thinking that they are doing the Indians a favor. Let me give you a couple of examples. During the fall of last year, n one of the editorial cartoonists did a cartoon that was widely printed. The picture showed two large tractors tearing up land and knocking down a sign which read, PRIVATE INDIAN LAND. In the background, the picture showed giant power plants with smoke puffing out. The tractors each had a sign on them which said, PLOW-BODSTRIP MINING, INC. The caption on the cartoon showed one of the tractor operators talking to the other saying, major Los Angeles television well-payin- sta- tion became concerned about what they called an environmental disaster. This news organization sent a reporter and camera team to spend two weeks in the area to film a five-pa- rt on this subreport is It ject. interesting to note that not once during the study did they get a statement from me or any of the elected officials of the Hopi Tribe, nor when they were making their five-pa- rt report did make it clear that the Tribal they Council and the United States Department of the Interior had studied this proposal for many months even for several years and had entered into a contract with the operators of the mine and that the Tribal Council had repeatedly, in subsequent years, confirmed their position on the value of the contract. In this TV series, they did, however, quote liberally from one radical activist who claimed to speak for the Hopi and for the Navajo. They quoted a few other Hopi people who gave their views, but not one elected official of the tribe. In short, they spent five television shows making it appear that the coal mining operations on the Hopi and Navajo Reservations are completely bad and with no redeeming facts about them. This is just not true! Another quick example: I am not infavor of just leaving the coal in the ground where it is of no value to anyone. This brings out another important point. Before I get into this subject, however, let me make certain that no one misunderstands my position. I am definitely in favor of protecting all aspects of the environment and particularly the environment of our Hopi lands. I am also very much in favor of conserving our natural resources and utilizing them wisely. This very moment, on the other side of Phoenix there is a meeting of the Colorado Plateau Environmental Advisory Council. The goal of this organization AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN to preserve the environment of STILL BUY WITH A HANDFUL the Colorado Plateau is an exOF GLASS BEADS. cellent one. And, many fine and The implication is clear that dedicated people are involved in the Navajo and Hopi Indians are this program. However, the Noa bunch of uneducated savages vember issue of their newsletter who have sold their Manhattan carried on its first two pages Island of coal for $24 worth of what was called a Statement of This beads. Frankly, we resent that Hopi Religious Leaders. statement says in part, The implication. Great Spirit has told the Hopi Another example: In September of last year, a leaders that the great wealth and resources beneath the lands at Black Mesa must not be disturbed or taken out until after ;urification when mankind will know how to live in harmony c. among themselves and with well-meani- Page Five four-corne- rs ng well-know- Y na-,ur- This statement was said to be signed by seven people wTho claim that they are Hopi Religious leaders. The route that must be followed to become a Hopi Religious leader is a very formal and specific one. It is not sufficient just to decide that you are a Hopi religious leader. And, these people just do not represent the mainstream of Hopi Religious thought. As a matter of fact, our Elders have told us that the Creator has placed valuable resources for us in the ground and that it is our obligation to discover the resources and to use them for the benefit of man. And, this is exactly what we are doing. Yet we realize the importance of assurdeing that our lands arc not stroyed in the process. From as early as I960 to 1966, very carefully. We negotiated prices to be paid. We obtained agreement on the restoration of the Black Mesa land to its original characteristics. The Peabody Coal Company has started some test plots, but so far Mother Nature has refused to cooperate. Their seeding along the roadcuts were made successfully but the Navajo sheepherder also refused to cooperate. Just recently the Arizona Forest Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs spent $3,000,000 reseeding the area that was destroyed by fire near White River. Land can be improved and the Peabody Coal Company is bound by our contract to restore the reservation land. Of the 40,000 acres leased to Peabody, only about eight or ten thousand acres will be mined. Actually this land has very little grass on it right now due to overgrazing. The land restoration is, of course, not our only concern. We are concerned about the possible depletion of our valuable water resources. We have taken extensive precautions to make sure the water table is not adversely affected by the mining of coal. More than $160,000 has been spent by the Indian Tribes involved, the Peabody Coal Company, and the U. S. Geologist Survey, to install water level monitoring devices. If the water would drop below a certain level, Peabody would have to find other water sources. Peabody draws its water from the deeper wells, far deeper than the local wells go. We are also concerned about the potential of serious, long-rang- e pollution of the atmosphere. The pollution of the air is a problem which is not now serious in the Black Mesa area. After living on the reservation continuously and working with the operators of the power plants, we have seen their willingness to go to almost any expense to make certain that the power plant emissions do not harm the atmosphere of this area. All things considered, we are glad they are there. In a real sense, we consider ourselves fortunate to have these power plants developed in the area around our reservation. Income from the sale to these plants can be of great benefit in improving the economy of my people. Without the power ulants, we would have no market for the coal and our economy would suffer. We are not a island set out here in the great southwestern desert. We need cars from Detroit and manufactured goods from Southern California. We must have something to sell them in exchange. While our silver overlay jewelry, our kachina and our pottery and our scenery are the finest in the world, wo cannot hope that we can produce and sell these in sufficient quantities to exchange them for the products that we need from the outside. Like any other community, we need to produce and sell something which Ihe outside world wants to buy. Electric power is one such thing. A number of years ago we leased some oil rights and made what we thought was a good settlement. This turned out well for us. Now we have made this agreement for the sale of our coal and we are convinced that the moneys that are coming from that agreement give our people the first real hope of developing our industry and people in a way that will allow us to become self-su- f four-corne- rs self-sufficie- ministration Center, paid 25 per- Increased Property Tax May Be Passed On To Tenants Roland V. Wise, Internal Revenue Service District Director, released information on the correct method for landlords to use when passing on allowable propyoung people. Right now there erty tax increases to residential are 160 young Hopi in universi- rentors. Mr. Wise said that the economties that are being educated by ic made available from stabilization regulations perscholarships these funds. With the completion mit landlords to pass on increase of the Navajo Power Plant at in property taxes to tenants. He Page, the demands for coal will stated that to be eligible for this increase and our income will sim- provision in the regulations, the ilarly increase and then we will increase in property taxes must be able to send more of our occur after Dec. 28, 1971. The Director explained that a young people to the colleges and universities. rental increase is not allowable The education of our youth is until after an installment of the not the only thing we plan to do property tax increase does in with our money. We hope to at- fact become payable. tract industry with jobs for our For an example, he cited a people just like we did with case where a local property tax BVD. That plant cost the Hopi a becomes payable on Nov. 1, 1971, lot of money from the oil lease with the first of two installments sales and in return we will ulti- becoming delinquent on Dec. 10, mately get back what we spent. 1971 and the second installment We could haveleft it in the bank becoming delinquent on April 10, to draw interest but that would 1972. In this case, he said, rents not have helped the hundreds of can be increased to pass through families that work there. This is the installment of the increase in what we plan to do for our peo- allowable costs which became ple. Again, let me thank you for delinquent in April, 1972. But the opportunity of discussing the rent cannot be increased to cover the December 10, 1971, inthese ideas with you. cent toward the new Cultural Center and built a number of homes for our people. We believe that much of our future hope is in the proper development of our stallment. Further information Hardware Sleigh Ride Schedule Alan Muir, Superintendent of the Hardware Ranch in Blacksmith Fork Canyon, issued the following schedule for sleigh rides to the wintering elk herd: on the allocation of other allowable cost for rental increases is explained in the Dec 30, 1971, Federal Register. Information on the Economic Stabilization program is available at all local offices of the Internal Revenue Service. Monday through Thursday, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Friday through Army Private Steven Trump, Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. son of Mrs. Shirley Trump, 1107 Weekend visitors can expect North 13th West, recently comlarge crowds and some waiting pleted the nine week chemical for their turn on the sleighs. The equipment repair course at the limited parking facilities at the U. S. Army Chemical Center ranch may cause some inconven- and School, Ft. McClellan, Ala. ience to visitors if a large crowd During the course, he was is present, but personnel at the trained to repair masks and to ranch will try to accommodate maintain such chemical corps all visitors. The public is asked items as flame, smoke and conto park in designated areas and tamination equipment. He is a 1969 graduate of West be courteous to other drivers area. the High School. using k nt mm Generation gap? We never heard of it. I"if TBtVDSUlSnKrSTBOCESOX '"STRAIGHT KRTUCKY BOURBON WHISKEY HWWWirtiWip LAjifS B KAMctsiuJtig NINTWCM K PROOF KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY DISTILLED BY THE JAMES B. AND BOTTLED BEAM DISTILLING CLERMONT, BEAM, KENTUCKY M C0 PW'MI rn K |