Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. met with protesters of a proposed power plant on the reservation but said he was sticking by the project.
Protesters who live in the Shiprock, New Mexico, area have occupied the power plant site for the past week. They say they are being pushed off their land and are worried about the environmental impacts of the $2.5 billion facility.
But Shirley said the Desert Rock Power Plant will provide jobs and $50 million in annual revenues for the tribe. He spoke to protesters for about an hour about the project.
Get the Story:Shirley visits protesters (The Farmington Daily Times 12/19)
Cone: Open files (The Gallup Independent 12/18) Relevant Links:
Desert Rock Clean Air Act Proposed PSD Permit - http://www.epa.gov/region09/air/permit
Desert Rock Energy Project - http://www.desertrockenergy.com
Din� Citizens Against Ruining our Environment - http://dinecare.indigenousnative.org Related Stories:
Navajo vice president meets with protesters (12/15)
Navajo protesters block work at power plant site (12/14)
Navajo Nation to own 25 percent of power plant (12/11)
EPA extends comment period on Navajo power plant (10/31)
Navajos criticize tribe's proposed power plant (10/06)
EPA takes comments on Navajo Nation power plant (10/3)
Editorial: Public comment on Navajo power plant (09/21)
Commentary: Environmental justice for Navajos (07/26)
Navajos worried about power plant emissions (7/25)
EPA sets high standards for Navajo power plant (7/21)
Photos show Navajo opposition to power plant (7/19)
Navajo Nation power plant reduces emissions (05/19)
Navajo Nation Council OKs power plant lease (5/15)
Dine group seeks to stop power plant on Navajo Nation (06/16)
BIA holds hearings on reservation power plant (03/29)
EPA seeks to reduce mercury from power plants (03/16)
EPA to issue new rule on mercury emissions (3/15)
EPA proposes rule to curb power-plant emissions (3/11)
Senate committee deadlocks on 'Clear Skies' bill (3/10)
Report faults EPA for mercury rule favoring industry (3/8)
Bush nominates career scientist as head of EPA (3/7)
Report: EPA's mercury proposal biased towards industry (02/04)
EPA to delay regulations on mercury emissions (04/30)
EPA drafts new rules to reduce air pollution (12/05)
Bush administration proposes to ease mercury rules (12/3)
Tribes mull toxic fish study findings (8/1)
Toxic fish threaten tribal subsistence (7/31)