Meetings seek public input on Desert Rock

Diné Bureau

FORT DEFIANCE — The first of five additional public meetings to hear comments on the Desert Rock Energy Project will be 4-8 p.m. Monday in Cortez, Colo. Three others are set this week on the Navajo Nation and will end Thursday in Albuquerque.

The second round of hearings was scheduled by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Regional Agency, to hear comments from those living in potentially affected area of the reservation. Residents in the disputed area of Burnham/Nenahnezad chapters were left out of the first round of hearings on the proposed coal-fired power plant.

Sithe Global LLC and Diné Power Authority, partners in the project with Sithe holding majority interest filed a notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, which was published in the Federal Register in November.

Monday's meeting will be held in the Cortez Middle School Cafeteria. On Tuesday, a hearing is set 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Sanostee Chapter, followed by another hearing, 4-8 p.m. at Burnham Chapter. The hearings move to the Auxiliary Gym in Shiprock on Wednesday and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque on Thursday. Both of those meetings also are 4-8 p.m.

All meetings will begin with an open house followed by a brief presentation about the proposed project and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decision-making process. A Navajo interpreter will be available. For more information, contact Loretta Tsosie of the BIA regional office in Gallup, (505) 863-8296.


Shooting the bull
CHINLE — Navajo Nation Rangers and Canyon de Chelly National Park Rangers are seeking the owner of a red brindle bull, one of two animals found recently, shot to death in the canyon.

Ranger Joe Watchman of Navajo Nation Resource Enforcement and Park Ranger Melissa Bergman are asking for help in locating the owner of the bull, which was found around March 18 along with a white cow below the Crack in the Hole trail.

The owner of the white cow has been located, however, the bull's brand was unreadable, Watchman said.

Anyone having information about the shooting and individual(s) responsible is asked to contact the Navajo Nation Rangers Office (928) 872-6701 and ask for Watchman, or call Bergman at Canyon de Chelly, (928) 674-5500.