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"What a gift it has been to visit the Hopi world and to drink from one of their remaining springs and learn first-hand how a precious way of life is being unjustly threatened."
George Burdeau, Native American Filmmaker
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"The assistance of Wild Angels has been significant and is greatly appreciated."
Chairman Taylor, Hopi Tribe
"The Hopi elders and religious leaders were wise to enlist Wild Angels in their efforts to protect crucial water resources in ways that are positive for business."
Gary Johnson, Governor of New Mexico
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The Crisis
Peabody Coal currently extracts over 3.3 million gallons of pristine, potable water from the region's sole-source aquifer every day to slurry coal 273 miles to Laughlin, Nevada. As a result, the sacred springs and streams that the local people have depended on for over 1,000 years are vanishing. What were major springs are now totally dry. There are viable alternatives, including alternate water sources and modes of transporting the coal. |
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The Threat of Forced Eviction
If water losses are not stopped, the Hopi and thousands of Big Mountain Navajo will be faced with having to leave their homeland.
Implications for all Native American peoples
Water is central to the Hopi religious practices and traditions, including caring for the land and sacred springs. The Hopi believe that upsetting the natural balance and their covenants with The Great Spirit will doom the tribe and the world itself to destruction. |
The Hopi represent deep and historical spiritual integrity
The Wild Angels Difference
Wild Angels was formally asked for assistance by The Hopi Tribal Chairman, elders and religious leaders due to our unique approach to environmental campaigning.
The effectiveness of our innovative and multi-targeted efforts to protect this sacred resource can be seen in our successes so far.
Successes so Far
After months of work, we have several breakthroughs to report in our work to help protect Hopi and Navajo water resources...and their way of life.
- Convinced Time Magazine to do a story about this issue. We spent nearly two weeks with the Chicago Bureau Chief and photographer arranging interviews, providing information, and flying them to the source to cover the issue first-hand.
- Initiated a majority shareholder's resolution within Lehman Brothers, Inc., the majority owner of Peabody Energy, in order to encourage them to stop using the pure water of the aquifer to slurry coal.
- Carried out tremendously successful air and ground tours to familiarize media, business and community leaders, filmmakers, other Native American groups, and concerned citizens about this crisis.
- Begun a media and communications campaign including radio interviews, and contacts with national and regional print media.
- Led a grassroots mail campaign, sending hundreds of letters to government leaders and Peabody Coal executives.
- Provoked the interest of two accomplished documentary filmmakers in producing a film focusing on the crisis.
There's More to Be Done
- Secure a commitment from Peabody Energy to end their extraction of water from the Navajo aquifer by December 2003
- Help the Hopi and Navajo tribes pursue alternative, sustainable and just income sources that help develop their economic autonomy.
- Work to get the U.S. Government to commit to providing an alternative water supply for the coal slurry operation (most likely from the Colorado River/Lake Powell).
It's a Collective Effort
Wild Angels is joined in this campaign by several groups invested in a win-win solution. This group of partners includes:
- NRDC
- Black Mesa Trust
- Sierra Club
What You Can Do
Visit our Act Now page, send emails and get your voice heard!
Write Letters
Richard S. Fuld, C.E.O., Lehman Brothers
Address and email:
101 Hudson St.
Jersey City, NJ 07302
mburke@lehman.com
Irl Englehardt, Chairman, Peabody Energy
Address:
Irv Englehardt, Chairman
Peabody Energy
701 Market Street
St. Louis, MO 63101
Gail Norton, Secretary of the Interior
Address:
Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior
US Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Ask them to move quickly to end the extraction of water from the Navajo aquifer currently used for coal slurry. Pumping from the aquifer for the industrial use of this pristine drinking water is an immense waste and should cease no later than the end of 2002.
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