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Congressman Bishop “Red Washes” Tribal Prosperity and Energy Development

Date
October 4, 2016
Contact
Rebecca Sobel, (267) 402-0724, rsobel@wildearthguardians.org
In This Release
Climate + Energy  
#GreaterChaco, #KeepItInTheGround
Santa Fe, NM – Today Utah Congressman Rob Bishop held a field committee hearing entitled “Tribal Prosperity andSelf-Determination through Energy Development,” which presented a one-sided view of energy development on tribal lands. Navajo community members who requested to present their opposing views at the federal congressional hearing were denied this opportunity, and the Congressman’s staff refused to distribute Navajo Chapter Resolutions showcasing an opposing view to fracking at their media table.

Despite attempts to stifle community voices, water protectors silently held banners during the hearing that read “Rep Bishop: Work for the People not for Gas Companies,” “Fracking=Ruptures, Contamination, Explosions, Climate Change,” and, “No More Extraction/Honor Native Lands.” When the hearing concluded, tribal community leaders Daniel Tso and Kena Chavez-Hinojos refused to leave until their statements of concern regarding energy disparity and environmental, health, and social impacts were heard by committee members.

Fracking related impacts are being felt throughout tribal communities, and especially in Navajo country.Since 2013, over 365 new oil wells have been drilled in the Nageezi-Counselor-Lybrook area between Cuba and Bloomfield along the US 550 corridor in New Mexico. The Four Corners area already sits under the nation’s largest methane hot spot, linked to oil and gas activities. Residents living close to oil wells complain that the incessant noise, night time lighting and fumes from flaring are causing a host of health problems from headaches, inability to sleep, nausea, chest pain, irritation of eyes, nose and throat, difficulty breathing and upper respiratory symptoms of coughing, congestion and severe asthma. As a result, local Chapter Houses have passed Resolutions challenging fracking activities. (See: Torreon/StarLake Chapter Resolution, Counselor Chapter Resolution, Ojo Encino Chapter Resolution, and the Dine’ Medicine Men’s Association Resolution.)

After the hearing adjourned, Daniel Tso attempted to speak with Congressman Bishop to share his position that the panel did not hear from impacted community members regarding the health and safety of communities, but the Congressman refused to giveDaniel his card.

As Representative Bishop refused to hear the stories of on the ground impacts of energy development on tribal lands, statements are reprinted below:

“There are over 500 tribal nations in the United States and Congressman Bishop’s hearing represented less than one percent of us. Instead, the “hearing” only listened to corporations that operate within tribal nations and didn’t hear from any tribal members who are living with the impacts of these activities.”

– Daniel Tso, former Torreon Council Delegate, Navajo Nation

“That hearing was insulting; it didn’t have anything to do with our communities and tribal members as human beings. That panel reduced the genocide of our people to industry profit without giving voice to the realities on the ground that we live with daily.”

– Kena Chavez-Hinojos, VOICES Program Manager, Tewa Women United

“The land in Twin Pines is changing drastically with the increase of oil and gas activity in the area. The negative changes in wildlife activity are very apparent. The air that was once clean and fresh is now tainted with the constant aroma of gas. We have lived in a beautiful, secluded area for years, but now an intrusion is happening — an intrusion that has the false promise of “better living.” But, as more well sites are established, I have seen the increase of crime that has affected our communities firsthand. Sacrificing our environment and health is not prosperous for tribal communities. We, too, deserve clean air and clean water.”

-Kendra Pinto, Twin Pines, Navajo Nation

“My biggest concern is that our water will be contaminated. As people stated, what then. Yes, we are watching our lands change before our eyes. It is only getting worse. Our sacred sites stand to be destroyed, some have already been destroyed by oil and gas development without any explanation. Wildlife have left these areas and it seems like most of the birds have left too. There are just so many issues to state.If the receiver of these comments were really serious, they would have held the session on Native Lands that are affected. Not Santa Fe! Oil and gas development is heavily affecting the Native people in the Eastern part of theNavajo Nation and we do not benefit from the developments.”

– Samuel Sage, CounselorChapter Community Services Coordinator, Navajo Nation

“Fracking is the dirtiest and most intensive form of energy extraction and tribal members across New Mexico are already feeling the impacts of this increased activity across our lands, but these voices were conspicuously left out of this hearing process, despite multiple attempts to be included.Clearly, Congressman Bishop can’t find a way to spin the on the ground realities of related increases in cancer and asthma, flaring, road destruction, poor air quality, methane clouds and climate change as “prosperity. We deserve to have an outlet of resources from the impacts caused by fracking. We must think of our future.”

– Cheyenne Antonio, Pueblo Pintado, Navajo Nation

Statements from support organizations:

“This hearing is nothing more than an industry dog-and pony show meant to fast track dirty energy extraction at the cost of public health and climate safety. While the Bureau of Land Management is bending over backwards to accommodate frackers in the Greater Chaco area, Representative Bishop is cherry picking Indigenous industry representatives to red-wash his hearings and tighten the vice grip of oil and gas industry control over tribal lands. Tribal communities across the country-from Standing Rock to Chaco Canyon-are speaking out against this exploitation of land and water for private profit. If the Congressman from Utah was expecting to find a stronghold of dirty energy support in New Mexico, he was sorely mistaken.”

– Rebecca Sobel, SeniorClimate and Energy Campaigner, WildEarth Guardians

“That this hearing assumed energy prosperity on tribal lands is ludicrous considering the revenue generated from oil and gas extraction only lines the pockets of the oil and gas companies and is rarely, if ever, invested back into these impacted communities. Communities like those around Chaco Canyon have yet to be equipped with basic needs like electricity or running water, and don’t have emergency safety resources to respond when fracking operations explode in their backyard.”

– Miya King Flaherty, Public Lands Fellow, Sierra Club

“Water is life and all of us downstream are impacted from fracking, while frontline tribal communities are often the first to feel the worst of these exploitative activities in the form of health and social impacts, the climate costs are certainly felt by all of us. Fracking is wreaking havoc all across the country – explosions, ruptures, water, land, and air contamination. Fracking is a high risk gamble that is threatening Native communities and all of us.

– Mariel Nanasi, Executive Director, New Energy Economy

“Getting kicked out of a hearing for exercising free speech is nothing compared to the injustices felt by community members dealing with fracking impacts. We hope this action compels Representative Bishop to stop trying to hide the true impacts of dirty energy development on tribal and public lands.”

– Jenni Siri, Frack FreeFour Corners

“Tribes are up against many of the most powerful financial and corporate interests on Wall Street, the profit-driven institutions that are bankrolling pipeline plans and other drilling infrastructure and so many others like it throughout the country.Communities will be left to deal with the spills, explosions, water pollution, air pollution, and climate impacts that ensue. We need to keep fossil fuels in the ground, and we need an urgent shift to 100% renewable energy.”

-Eleanor Bravo, National Pipeline Campaign Director, Food & Water Watch

A 2016 Health Impact Report compiled residents’ testimony in the Navajo communities of Counselor area that highlights many environmental, public health, and safety concerns that residents feel have gone unaddressed by the Navajo Tribal Council in Window Rock and by the oil companies operating locally.

“We are heavily affected by the oil and gas development. Our lands are being destroyed, along with the air we breathe and roads we travel on. The oil and gas companies keep getting closer and closer to where we live. We hope someone can listen to us and let them know there are people that live out here.”

-Harry J. Wellito, Counselor Chapter President, Navajo Nation

“My lambs are being born deformed. My family, father, sister have medical issues. It really smells. It bothers us. Something really smells. The people that are doing the work must have no sympathy for us because we’re sick. It’s hurting the earth. The road is getting really busy. Trucks that go through there go really fast and it’s really dangerous. It’s scary.”

-Dorothy Keetso, resident of Counselor Chapter, Navajo Nation

“All the oil and gas development is destroying our lands. I lease land from BLM for my cattle and see the land changing every year. Certain plants are no longer there or grow any more. My biggest concern is our water. They will contaminate it sooner or later and what will we use. We do not benefit from all the oil and gas development, except all the dirty, negative stuff after they have moved on. Our air smells and it is not good. Soon we may not even see the sun anymore.Something has to be done with the ever-increasing development. We have to do it for ourselves, our tribal government will not assist us.”

-Billy Chiquito, Pueblo Pintado resident and livestock owner (Former Pueblo Pintado Chapter President and Council Delegate)

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Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildearth_guardians/albums/72157673525734481

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-q7WU5LJrs; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih5-8dLDrBc