Arizona Legislators Hold Hearing On Navajo Generation Station

Navajo Generating Station

Arizona Rep. Mark Finchem released a call to action today to save the Navajo Generation Station. Finchem says the station is a casualty “of War on Coal, wounded but not terminal.”

Today, an Arizona legislative hearing panel convened in Page Arizona to discuss that plant’s future.

The plant has been in operation since 1976.

In March, Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye and Vice President Jonathan Nez addressed employees of the Station at the LeChee Chapter House in Page, to discuss the plant’s future.

President Begaye gave a full history regarding the history of the Navajo Generating Station as well as many of the lease discussions that have taken place to date with a focus to meeting the July 1st deadline for the lease extension negotiation. A thorough discussion took place followed by a brief question and answer period. Several members in attendance stressed that they didn’t want to break up their families by the job loss and the potential need to leave to search for jobs.

“We were back in Washington D.C. this week to meet with the Department of Interior and the owners and operators of the Navajo Generating Station. It is the position of the Navajo Nation that our goal is to keep the NGS open through 2030. There are over 3,100 direct and indirect jobs that are affected by the NGS and Kayenta Mine with over $180 million dollars in annualized wages. In addition, an ASU study stated that NGS provides an economic impact to the region of over $230 million. A closure would be a devastating impact to Arizona,” said Begaye.

Related articles:

Court Rejects Cases On Navajo Generating Station Impact

Navajo Generating Station Owners To Work With Navajo Nation To Keep Plant Running

Navajo Nation President Reassures Navajo Generating Station Employees

Representative Mark Finchem, (R, LD-11) said today in a press release, “While each of the people who gave testimony during the Page community meeting on 28 April have helped by sharing their concerns and providing greater insights about questions we will have to address, and while I still have more questions than answers, I am even more greatly disturbed to think the Hopi People will face an economic catastrophe and displacement. From what I have heard, I do not believe allowing the NGS to prematurely close would be in the best interest of the citizens of Arizona.”

Finchem says convincing testimony, including a study prepared by Navigant, communicated the case that NGS can continue to be competitive with natural gas and other fuel types through 2040. The information presented counters the argument suggesting that natural gas would render the plant not viable.

“I am deeply distressed to see that the Navajo Nation appears to be on the verge of facing a tough period of their history. Today the radical environmentalist special interest lobby to close all coal plants, after Trump declared the war on coal ended. If they prevail, and if we as Legislators and community leaders from across our State do not stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our “water tribes” throughout our State; then once again people’s lives, families, entire communities will be forced to relocate to secure new jobs, new careers, basic services. Radical environmentalists suggesting coal ash was a problem, but little did they know SRP makes wall board out of the coal ash.

Finchem argues that continued operation at full capacity of the NGS is fundamental to the economic future of these stakeholders. “Almost a week ago -on Earth Day- I saw people marching with signs demanding, ‘Fact Based Government,’ and urging people to ‘Resist Ignorance,’ I could not agree more with either sentiment,” said Finchem. “While radical environmentalists and globalist-thinking politicians who place ideology above sovereignty, and the welfare of American citizens may call the destruction of NGS, Kayenta Mines, and associated energy networks acceptable collateral damage in the fake environmental war, I do not.”.

Sen. Sonny Borrelli (R, LD-5) said, “I favor an all-of-the-above-energy strategy to provide a balance in our community. President Trump is making good on his promise to restore jobs to the coal industry, so far 27,000.”

“I will continue, after we leave Page, to investigate and work toward economic stability for all stakeholders, including the households, industries that create jobs and those entitled to the water moved about Arizona with electricity,” concluded Borelli.

The two representatives are asking the public to email Secretary Zinke, “to stop the war on coal, and keep the plant open for 5 more years.”

Sign the petition here: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/halt-the-war-on-mining-jobs

About ADI Staff Reporter 12168 Articles
Under the leadership of Editor-in -Chief Huey Freeman, our team of staff reporters bring accurate,timely, and complete news coverage.