Courtesy photo L-R: Arizona’s Tribal Leaders Diane Enos, President of Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, Wendsler Nosie, Sr., Chairman of San Carlos Apache Tribe, T.J. Laffoon, Councilman of Colorado River Indian Tribe, Tribal Council Secretary Merv Scott Colorado River Indian Tribe, Joseph Manuel, Lieutenant Governor Gila River Indian Community, Margaret Baha-Walker, Vice-Chairwoman of White Mountain Apache Tribe and Whatoname Sr., Chairman of Hualapai Tribe meeting with Arizona’s Senate President Robert Burns, Senators Chuck Gray and Frank Pratt at the state capitol on April 12, 2010.

On Monday, April 12, 2010 Arizona’s Tribal Leaders, Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona and water right attorneys held a Special Meeting with Arizona State Senate Leaders at the Capitol building in downtown Phoenix, Ariz.

The topic of this important meeting were three bills that will have a significant impact on laws that provide protection to Arizona’s clean water including Indian reservations. The bills of major concern to the Indian Tribes are bills; HB 2617 Mining Omnibus bill, HB 2289 Resolution Copper Dewatering bill, and SCR 1046 to declare Arizona controls all waters of the state.

The legislation poses a serious threat to the quality, quantity and protection of the state’s water supply and will direct clean water responsibilities of Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to consultants. The proposed changes to the Arizona water protection laws, responsibilities and authority over Arizona water is a major concern to the Tribal leaders and would like the Arizona legislature to take a thorough look at these bill before moving forward.

San Carlos Apache Tribe Tribal Chairman Wendsler Nosie, Sr., pointed out the language in HB 2617 which exempts mining activities from programs such as the Aquifer Protection Permit requirements, the Superfund Act CERLA -Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act and other ADEQ and ADWR state rules and permitting process. He added, “We must do the right thing in protecting our water for all Arizona tribes and citizens of Arizona.”

President Diane Enos, Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community asked the legislature to take a step back and consider the public health and welfare of all of Arizona.

Hualapai Tribe’s Tribal Chairman Wilfred Whatoname Sr., Vice-Chairwoman of White Mountain Apache Tribe Margaret Baha-Walker, Colorado River Indian Tribe’s Councilman T.J. Laffoon, and Tribal Council Secretary Merv Scott and Joseph Manual Lieutenant Governor of Gila River Indian Community provided comments to the senators to ensure the waters of Arizona to remain clean of contamination and protect it from depletion. Senators Albert Hale, and Rep. Christopher Deschene sat in on the meeting providing support to the Indian Leaders.

At the conclusion of the meeting Senator Burns mentioned that the legislature “have a lot to look at” regarding the bills.