Grant award for renewable energy project

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — The Intergovernmental Relations Committee approved a resolution Wednesday sponsored by Delegate Amos Johnson accepting a grant award to pursue alternative energy project development for land purchased under the Navajo-Hopi Relocation Trust Fund.

The grant award from the U.S. Department of Energy is worth $295,200, with a match of $73,800 from the Navajo Nation for a total of $368,000.

Application for the grant was submitted March 25, and the Navajo-Hopi Land Commission Office was notified Aug. 21. The award is to the office for renewable energy development on Paragon Ranch in New Mexico.

The Navajo-Hopi Land Commission has selected lands in the Paragon area to develop a 100 megawatt or larger generating project. Revenue from the sale of electricity will be used to continue rehabilitation and improvement of the social economic conditions of the people and communities impacted by the 1974 Navajo and Hopi Land Settlement Act.

The project would demonstrate the viability of large-scale renewable energy technology to replace coal-fired power stations as energy sources in the Southwest and the viability of a Native American tribe to collaborate with industry and government partners on such a project.

The Land Commission Office is the Navajo Nation entity responsible for development of more than 22,500 acres in the Bitsi-Paragon Ranch area located east of N.M. Highway 371, about halfway between Farmington and Crownpoint. The Nation is likely to acquire another 12,500 acres contiguous to those lands following resolution of mineral rights issues, according to the office.

The Intergovernmental Relations Committee also approved legislation sponsored by Delegate Leonard Chee accepting the relinquishment by the Bureau of Indian Affairs of approximately 47.73 acres of Leupp Community School.

“The current property at Leupp Schools, the BIA owns over half of it, so this action by IGR, BIA would relinquish those two parcels of land back to the Navajo Nation, and in that same resolution, the same acreage would be leased to Leupp Community Schools Inc.,” Chee said.

The only concern from was some debris and old culverts left on the premises, however, Chee said BIA has committed to remove those at its expense.

“The reason we’re doing this is housing for school staff and maybe public housing on this two parcels of land. Currently, we have $3.7 million in construction funds from AHASDA (Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act),” he said. “You’d be helping the community of Leupp and also the children that attend that school.”

IGR approved the legislation 6-0. The Resources Committee also approved the resolution Tuesday by unanimous vote.