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Navajo nation takes on energy disparity with solar initiatives
In an effort to combat long-standing energy inequities, Navajo Nation organizations are employing solar energy to bring power to off-grid homes for the first time.
Ginger Zee, Daniel Manzo, Kelly Livingston and Kelly Landrigan report for ABC News.
In short:
- Organizations like Navajo Power aim to address energy injustice in the Navajo Nation by powering homes with solar energy.
- A development ban law known as the "Bennett Freeze" hindered development in Navajo and Hopi nations from 1966 to 2009, leaving many without power for decades.
- Partnerships with groups like Native Renewables harness the cultural importance of solar energy, connecting Navajo homes to the grid and creating jobs.
Key quote:
" The Navajo Nation served as the battery for the West for decades (...) We're solving issues using our own resources; it's derived by people from here, built by people from here, and for people that are living here."
— Brett Issac, founder and executive chairman of Navajo Power.
Why this matters:
This initiative aims to provide energy independence for the Navajo nation, where currently more than 15,000 homes don't have power.
LISTEN: What would a just energy transition look like for US tribes?
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Photo by Nadia Supertino on Unsplash
Navajo sheep herding at risk from climate change. Some young people push to maintain the tradition
Climate change, permitting issues and diminishing interest among younger generations are leading to a singular reality: Navajo raising fewer sheep.
Big Stock Photo
After a century, oil and gas problems persist on Navajo lands
The legacy of fossil fuel development on Navajo lands endures in leaks, spills and neglect, reports Jerry Redfern in Capital & Main.
In a nutshell:
Over a century of mineral extraction on Navajo land has raised a critical question: do the gains from extraction outweigh the toll on health and Native culture? Oil wells dotting the landscape are just one aspect of this ongoing tension, with new gas and oil developments and proposed pipelines further exacerbating the dilemma. The struggle for basic utilities persists, despite decades of mineral wealth extraction from Navajo territory.
Key quote:
“You can see the leak of crude oil right there. Lots of crude oil,” Joseph Hernandez, a local right organizer says. “And if you get closer, you can actually hear the venting. It’s straight venting. This is all methane that is going up in the air.” He holds a string in front of the pipe and records it fluttering for the video.
The big picture:
Fossil fuel development on Navajo lands has raised concerns about its potential health impacts. Residents in these areas often face exposure to air and water pollution, which can lead to respiratory illnesses and other health problems. Leaks from oil wells and pipelines can also contaminate local water sources, posing serious health risks. Lack of basic utilities like running water and electricity in many Navajo homes further compounds health challenges, leaving residents vulnerable to a range of issues, including increased mortality during events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the article in Capital & Main.
Gwen Ranniger argues that today, zip code is still the most potent predictor of an individual's health and well-being.
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Photo by Halie West on Unsplash
Industry wants new pipeline on Navajo land scarred by decades of fossil fuel extraction
Developers tout hydrogen as a clean energy source; Navajo opponents say it is another way outsiders will profit by harming their environment and health.
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Climate change adds questions to Supreme Court case on Navajo water
In Arizona v. Navajo Nation, tribal attorneys argue that, by not providing their nation with sufficient water, the United States has breached a trust obligation related to treaties settled in 1849 and 1868.
Supreme Court case could reshape Indigenous water rights in the Southwest
After 50 years, the government hasn’t developed water infrastructure owed to a Navajo Nation farm. Now the Supreme Court is set to weigh in on the government’s water obligations to tribes.
Toxic water project sparks controversy with Navajo neighbors
Missed cues grow Native distrust around a New Mexico research project on oil well wastewater.
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