This week has been filled with momentous events relating to the San Carlos Apache Tribe, beginning with a meeting in Phoenix on September 28, 2009 between the U. S. Department of Interior’s Assistant Interior Secretary Larry Echohawk who traveled from Washington D.C. to meet with top leaders of Arizona’s Indian Tribes. This meeting no doubt will send a volume of awareness to the elected officials in the United States House and Senate that the San Carlos Apache Tribe has legitimate concerns when it comes to protecting the Oak Flat area from destruction of its environment and future of the natural resources.

The idea of exchanging any amount of land to deliberately destroy its natural landscape in the name of self greed only and later to be left with extreme levels of contamination to the water, air and land is not the outcome wanted. The proposed artificial materials and manmade objects developed at the expense of our environment will be costly to our well-being. Today we hear people talking about global warming and different types of pollution that cause illness in various forms. Medical technology cannot keep up with sickness that cultivate with time, health researchers are doing their best to combat the serious health issues and the cost of health care keeps increasing.

Therefore I ask this question, is the risk of contaminating our future water supply worth it for the benefit of the mining company and politicians who stand to gain the most from this venture? Years from now the officials will come and go, and should the water get contaminated they will up and leave with their families! Then what do we do? The federal government has been negligent in many cases pertaining to natural resources, and it is all too late when they do step in. Is it worth the risk for our families and our future?

On September 29, 2009 the Peridot district dedicated their new community building with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Congratulations to the Peridot district and Councilmen Harding Burdette and Dr. John Bush for their hard work in making this project in 2003 a reality. This facility will accommodate many community events for the residents of Peridot and make the accessibility to their council representative more convenient.

The San Carlos Apache Tribe hosted a meeting with Arizona’s Senator Sylvia Allen and Arizona’s House of Representative Bill Konopnicki after the dedication of the Peridot District community building. We covered several important topics such as the aquifers concerning our water supply, mining operations, roads construction, nursing education program, law enforcement and state funding resources of our local projects. The proposed mining operation was the intense part of the meeting due to the fact that Resolution Copper did not share the environmental impacts (i.e. water contamination) with the state legislature. It was interesting that the representatives of the Arizona’s legislative body asked technical questions concerning mining operations which indicated the legislature of the state of Arizona were not fully informed of the Southeastern Land Exchange proposal.

The highly publicized amount of money and jobs that was going to be generated from this Land Exchange proposal was at the forefront, but the extreme damage and high risks of severe destruction to the landscape (i.e. our water) was not disclosed by Resolution Copper. Which brings us to our opposition to this Land Exchange proposal. If everything is completely researched, why not disclose all the studies related to the proposed mining operations including the risks of water contamination and water consumption safety, where this water is coming from, and subsidence to the landscape? Why make this a national propaganda involving our national leaders? If everything is legal, shouldn’t it be handled in a professional manner to disclose everything rather than have Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl, and Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick to circumvent the environmental laws and railroad this through congress?

My friends and neighbors, our water is the precious part of our livelihood in this region. We cannot survive without it and we must do whatever is necessary to protect it. People come and go, but if your birthplace is here and is the only place you know then what are you going to do if our water is severely depleted or contaminated? I asked you with great humbleness to thoroughly familiarize yourself with this important Resolution Copper matter.

We must do the right thing for our children’s sake as this is their home too, and it is our responsibility to see to it that the future environment will continue to be here for them to live in a safe place with lands that tie them to our cultural strength.

I appreciate your support and your prayers that continue to bless our endeavors.