Federal Regulators have granted Native American Tribes, more Power to block Hydropower Projects on their Land, after a flurry of Applications were filed to Expand Renewable Energy in the Water-Scarce U.S. Southwest. Previously, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted Developers Approval, to move ahead with Planning even if Tribes Objected.
That Practice came to an end last week. Now, a New Commission Policy, allows Tribes to quickly Veto Proposals, forcing Businesses to Cooperate with them, if they want the Federal Government to grant Exclusive Rights to their Hydropower Projects.
“This is the acknowledgement and respect of tribal sovereignty, which is critical,” said George Hardeen, Spokesperson for the Navajo Nation’s President’s Office.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently Rejected Seven Proposals for Projects on the Navajo Nation, which stretches 27,000 square miles (69,000 square kilometers) across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.
When it Issued those Rejections, the Commission also announced the Policy Change, handing Tribes the same Power as Federal Agencies to Block Projects.
“It applies anywhere that a hydropower project might be proposed on tribal lands throughout the United States," said Aaron Paul, an Attorney with Grand Canyon Trust, a Conservation Group.
The Hopi Tribe, which is completely surrounded by Navajo, urged the Commission to cement the Policy announcement in a Formal Rule, worrying a different Administration would be less favorable to Tribes, and Change the Policy.
The pumped Hydropower Projects are essentially big batteries that generate Energy when demand is High and there aren't a lot of other Renewable Sources like Solar and Wind available. Hydropower can be turned on when it is needed and works by releasing Water from an upper Reservoir to a lower one. Later, when the Electric Grid has excess Power, Water is pumped in a loop back up to the Higher Reservoir, Recharging the Battery.
Developers have expressed New interest in building these pumped Hydropower Projects as Coal-fired Plants shut down in the Southwest. The Canyons, towering Mesas and dramatic River valleys in the area, are ideal Terrain, because the Projects require moving Water between different Elevations.
Environmental Groups and some Mmembers of the Navajo Nation argue the Projects require enormous amounts of Water in a part of the Country that already doesn't have enough. Roughly One-Third of the 175,000 People on the Navajo Nation, Don’t have Running Water at Home.
People are Sensitive to how Scarce Water is, and “they would more likely say ‘no’ to these kinds of projects,” Hardeen said.
Some of the Proposals that were Rejected came from Nature and People First. For example, the Company told Federal Regulators it wanted to build the Black Mesa East Project on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, that would have Two Upper Reservoirs, with a combined capacity of 100,000 acre-feet and a single, lower Reservoir with the same Total Storage capacity. An acre-foot of Water serves Two or Three Homes Annually.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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