Department of the Interior Poised to Allow Coal Mining Expansion in Black Mesa

The Department of the Interior and the Office of Surface Mining is set to grant the Peabody Energy Company, the largest coal company in the world, further expansion into Black Mesa, Arizona. Peabody already mines extensively in the region, and in addition to the standard environmental degradations that strip mining causes, Peabody uses precious water to transport coal slurry to power plants in Nevada.

Peabody Coal has asked the Interior Department to grant the company a "life of mine" lease, which would give Peabody unfettered access to the coal in Black Mesa until the coal runs out. As if this weren't bad enough, Peabody is also looking to expanding it's 270 mile pipeline capacity in order to ship more coal slurry to Nevada. The impact of this could further deplete the N(Navajo)-aquifer in Northern Arizona, an area noted for its arid landscape. The Hopi and Navaho tribes in the area are concerned that the increase in water usage could ultimately drain the aquifer, on which the Hopi and Navajo are solely dependent for water.

It has been determined that the N-aquifer has already suffered a decrease in over 50% in the forty years since Peabody started slurry transport in the Black Mesa Coal Mine. This is an area that may receive only 7 to 10 inches of rainwater a year, which in turn recharges the aquifer. However, if the water taken out is grossly disproportionate to the water going in, then the problem of scarce water resources in the West will become a disaster. Currently, 50 gallons a second are being pumped out of the aquifer to be mixed with pulverized coal and shipped off to Nevada to power the homes of Arizona, Nevada and Southern California.

There is also a question of contamination of the pristine waters of the aquifer. As this source of water is depended on for residential and agricultural purposes, any toxic contamination of these waters could further harm not only the land, but also the people and the livestock. Furthermore, like any pipeline, there is the continual problem and danger of spills. When these spills do occur, the slurry water can contaminate surface waters and additional water sources.