Posts by Adrian Herder, Media Organizer
Watershed partners assess 2026 Warpath Valley restoration efforts
Watershed partners assess 2026 Warpath Valley restoration efforts BLACK MESA, Ariz. – On Friday, August 14, 2026, Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) watershed partners Natural Channel Design Engineering (NCDE) visited the Haajibáhí (Warpath Valley) watershed for the last time in 2026. The partners spent the day walking the watershed with TNA watershed crew members to assess…
Read MoreTNA responds to MOU between Arizona, the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe on coal community transition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 11, 2026 Contact: TNA responds to MOU between Arizona, the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe on coal community transition FLAGSTAFF, Ariz – In response to this morning’s event at which Gov. Hobbs signed an agreement with the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe committing to work together on issues of coal community transition…
Read MoreNavajo BIA officials invited to see watershed efforts in Hardrock
Navajo BIA officials invited to see watershed efforts in Hardrock HARDROCK, Ariz. – On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) watershed restoration and food sovereignty crew members invited representatives from the Navajo BIA office to walk the watershed to learn about the organization’s restorative economy efforts on Black Mesa. This tour provided the opportunity for TNA team members, guests, and the local family to visit old and recent erosion control structures and inspect the recent wool-in-watershed restoration…
Read MoreGroups formally oppose pumped storage proposal targeting Black Mesa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 27, 2026 Contact: Groups formally oppose pumped storage proposal targeting Black Mesa FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Tó Nizhóní Ání, Diné Citizens Against Ruining our Environment (Diné CARE), Black Mesa Trust and the Center for Biological Diversity have filed motions to intervene urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to deny the preliminary permit application for the Chilchinbeto Pumped Storage project southeast of Kayenta…
Read MoreOljato grazing permittees push back against proposed hydropower project
Oljato grazing permittees push back against proposed hydropower project OLJATO, UTAH – On Monday, July 13, 2026, Tó Nizhóní Ání community organizer Adrian Herder met with impacted community members about the proposed Oljato Pumped Storage Project in Oljato, UT. Rhonda Todecheene, a local resident of Oljato, was in communication with Adrian and expressed interest in hearing…
Read MoreStatement of Tó Nizhóní Ání and Diné C.A.R.E. on FERC Acceptance of Preliminary Permit Application for Chilchinbeto Pumped Storage Project on Black Mesa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 4, 2026 Contact: Statement of Tó Nizhóní Ání and Diné C.A.R.E. on FERC Acceptance of Preliminary Permit Application for Chilchinbeto Pumped Storage Project on Black Mesa Groups representing a wide cross-section of Diné who live both on Black Mesa and across the Navajo Nation are renewing their opposition to a new…
Read MoreTó Nizhóní Ání welcomes 2026 summer interns
Tó Nizhóní Ání welcomes 2026 summer interns FLAGSTAFF, AZ – On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, Tó Nizhóní Ání welcomed the summer interns to the Flagstaff sub-office. 2026 marks the fourth consecutive year the organization has hired summer interns. This year, the interns will work with the Watershed Restoration, Black Mesa Plant Project, and the Business…
Read MoreHataałii groups oppose ONGD 2026 reform proposal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 18, 2026 Contacts: Hataałii groups oppose ONGD 2026 reform proposal The Diné Hataałii Association, Inc. and the Diné Medicine Men Association, Inc. have reviewed the proposal for a new Navajo Nation constitution, prepared by the Government Reform Committee (GRC). We are disappointed to say that the proposal is not ready to…
Read MoreRally to Protect Black Mesa
Rally to Protect Black Mesa WINDOW ROCK, AZ – On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, Black Mesa impacted community members were joined by supporters and other impacted community members for a march/rally during the Navajo Nation Council Spring Session. The Black Mesa region, aka Dził Yíjiin in the Diné (Navajo) language, is under threat from yet another energy project that proposes to use the region’s land and water to generate electricity, which will be exported off the reservation just…
Read MorePumped Storage Faces Renewed Opposition on Black Mesa as FERC Attacks Tribal Sovereignty
For Immediate Release Wednesday, April 1, 2026 Contacts: Pumped Storage Faces Renewed Opposition on Black Mesa as FERC Attacks Tribal Sovereignty KAYENTA, Ariz – Pumped storage developments targeting Dził Yíjiin (Black Mesa) are facing renewed opposition from residents in and around the mesa’s previously-mined coal-lease area on the Navajo Nation. Facing ongoing pressure to develop…
Read MorePresident Nygren, don’t let history repeat itself by settling for less with TEP
President Nygren, don’t let history repeat itself by settling for less with TEP Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is inching closer to negotiating a deal for the right-of-way (ROW) renewal of TEP’s transmission lines in eastern Navajo for another 25 to 50 years. As the federal government pushes for “energy dominance,” existing transmission lines are critical. The Navajo Nation’s negotiations with TEP should ensure fair market rate compensation, since the initial 1973 agreement for one-time payments…
Read MoreKayenta Pumped Storage Hydropower, more risks than rewards
Kayenta Pumped Storage Hydropower, more risks than rewards By Adrian Herder, Community Organizer, Tó Nizhóní Ání KAYENTA, AZ – On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, members of Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) traveled to Kayenta, AZ to learn about the latest proposed Kayenta Pumped Storage Hydropower (Kayenta PSH) project. Nature and People First (NPF) are the developers pushing pumped storage hydropower (PSH) on the Navajo Nation, particularly in the Black Mesa region. Pumped storage pumps water uphill…
Read MoreDiné communities pressured to support Fossil Fuels
Diné communities pressured to support Fossil Fuels By Eleanor Smith, Community Organizer Besides the research and technical assistance Environmental groups such as the one I work for, offer more wholistic considerations of projects and serve as technical assistance for community members who are being bombarded daily with technical proposals and projects from companies and industry who want to use Navajo land and water. The technical aspects…
Read MoreTó Nizhóní Ání Statement on FERC Decision to Permanently Destroy a Sacred Mountain in the Pacific Northwest
Immediate Release March 2, 2026 Contact: Tó Nizhóní Ání Statement on FERC Decision to Permanently Destroy a Sacred Mountain in the Pacific Northwest BLACK MESA, NAVAJO NATION – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued a hydroelectric license to the Goldendale Pumped Storage project. This is the latest move by a Federal Agency to…
Read MorePeople Against Polluters Rally/March
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: People Against Polluters Rally to Demand Closure of Pinyon Plain Uranium Mine and Continued Protections for the Region FLAGSTAFF, AZ – On Saturday, February 28th, community members, Indigenous leaders, environmental advocates, and allies from across northern Arizona gathered in downtown Flagstaff for the People Against Polluters Rally, a public action calling…
Read MoreDiné Community Members Express Concerns on the Proposal to Reform the Navajo Nation Government Advocated by the Office of Navajo Government Development
For Immediate Release February 3, 2026 Contacts: Diné Community Members Express Concerns on the Proposal to Reform the Navajo Nation Government Advocated by the Office of Navajo Government Development WINDOW ROCK, ARIZONA – As Diné community members, we express great concern with the proposed reforms to the Navajo Nation government contained within the Office of…
Read MoreShifting Topographies: Extracting the Landscape Exhibit Closing Reception and Discussion with Tó Nizhóní Ání
Shifting Topographies: Extracting the Landscape Exhibit Closing Reception and Discussion with Tó Nizhóní Ání On Saturday, December 20, 2025, Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) closed out the SHIFTING TOPOGRAPHIES: Extracting the Landscape exhibit at the Coconino Center for the Arts (CCA) in Flagstaff, AZ. In the early Fall, our organization was approached by members of the…
Read MoreWool in Watershed Restoration Pilot Project Install
Wool in Watershed Restoration Pilot Project Install What started as an idea in August 2025, while passing through one of the lesser-wooded communities on the Navajo Nation, morphed into a mini-pilot project. The Navajo Nation is in no short supply of wool and mohair; often, communities that don’t use wool for weaving discard the wool. Here…
Read MoreHydropower Developers’ no-show at Kayenta Chapter meeting leaves Impacted Communities with more questions than answers
For Immediate Release November 20, 2025 Contact: Hydropower Developers’ no-show at Kayenta Chapter meeting leaves Impacted Communities with more questions than answers Chapter officials table hydropower resolution, ask for more community info sessions as FERC seeks to end a policy blocking permits on Tribal land, absent Tribal support. KAYENTA, Ariz— On a cloudy, rainy Wednesday afternoon, the Kayenta…
Read More3rd Annual Save the Confluence Family Gathering
3rd Annual Save the Confluence Family Gathering Earlier this month Tó Nizhóní Ání team members traveled to the westernmost edge of the Navajo Nation to be in solidarity with the families behind the Save the Confluence efforts. In the early 2000s, a project was proposed above the confluence in an area where the Navajo Nation meets the Grand Canyon National…
Read MoreYouth Printmaking Workshop
Youth Printmaking Workshop On Monday, October 6th, 2025, Tó Nizhóní Ání organized a Youth Printmaking Workshop at the Hardrock Chapter House, which began at 8 AM by setting up and receiving community to ending the event by mopping, wiping the last countertop, and giving away the last bowl of tóshchíín (blue corn mush). The Printmaking…
Read MoreWorld Rivers Day 2025
Happy World Rivers Day! #WorldRiversDay is a celebration of the world’s waterways. It highlights the many values of rivers and strives to increase public awareness, and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world. Here on the Navajo Nation, our current boundary of our homeland is marked by some of the major rivers vital…
Read MoreKey Navajo Nation leadership absent in Kayenta Mine Permit Renewal meeting
Key Navajo Nation leadership absent in Kayenta Mine Permit Renewal meeting OPINION | Adrian Herder, Tó Nizhóní Ání For more than five years, Peabody Western Coal Co. has been conducting reclamation activities at the former Kayenta Coal Mine without a valid permit. The permit, which must be renewed every five years, expired in July 2020,…
Read MoreTransition Navajo
Just and Equitable Transition Navajo Nation For decades the Navajo Nation dedicated precious resources to single extractive industries after years of enduring pollution and resource depletion. It’s time to change our ways! We must no longer serve industrial purposes. We must bolster our local economy. Adopt fresh perspectives, embrace renewable energy integration, and create pathways…
Read MoreSummer Interns 2025
Tó Nizhóní Ání Summer 2025 Interns and Volunteers As we close out the summer and transition into the fall season, Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) would like to take this time to thank our Summer 2025 Interns and Volunteers who spent their summer with us. Whether that’s in-person in the office and on the watershed or…
Read MoreRemembering Chei Johnny
Remembering Chei Johnny Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) would like to express gratitude to the late Johnny Weiss, who passed on July 10, 2025. Those close to Johnny described him as a ‘trailblazer in solar energy”, a teacher to thousands. At TNA we knew him as “Chei Johnny”. He was not only an awesome instructor but our…
Read MoreTó Nizhóní Ání raises concerns about gas expansion in the Four Corners Region at the Arizona Corporation Commission
Tó Nizhóní Ání raises concerns about gas expansion in the Four Corners Region at the Arizona Corporation Commission August 25, 2025 Contact Shiprock, NM – On Monday, August 25, 2025, Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) submitted comments to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) Docket No. G-00000 A-25-0029 to raise concerns and issues about the impacts of…
Read MoreNavajo Nation Council Public Hearing on Coal
25th Navajo Nation Council Public Hearing on Coal On Friday, May 30, 2025, the Office of the Speaker held a public hearing on coal at the Forest Lake Chapter House in Forest Lake (Tsiiyi’ Be’ak’id), Arizona. This open forum allowed participants to share their input and comments regarding the Federal Executive Order 14241, “Reinvigorating America’s…
Read MoreTEP Transmission Line ROW Renewal (Updated)
*This landing page has been updated to reflect information TNA recently received in a FOIA request and contains information on the original TEP ROW contract with the Navajo Nation* Did you know Tucson Electric Power (TEP) is requesting a transmission line right-of-way (ROW) renewal from the Navajo Nation? To find out more, read the information…
Read MoreDemocratic Senators held press conference to highlight the dangers of HB2679
Press Release Arizona State Senate Democratic Caucus 1700 W. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85007 April 29, 2025 PHOENIX – Democratic State Senators, joined by former corporation commissioners and environmental policy experts, gathered to highlight the dangers of HB 2679 (power; public utilities; UCC; securities). HB2679 shifts from historical uses of securitization, a financing mechanism, by expanding how it…
Read MoreTó Nizhóní Ání statement on presidential orders to prop up coal companies
For Immediate Release April 15, 2025 Contact: BLACK MESA, NAVAJO NATION – Recently, President Trump announced several executive orders to prop up coal. Nicole Horseherder, Executive Director of Tó Nizhóní Ání, issued the following statement in response: Besides the fact that coal has been disastrous for our health and planet, President Trump’s efforts to rescue failing coal…
Read MoreHydrogen: Too Dangerous, Too Risky
Hydrogen: Too Dangerous, Too Risky Hydrogen, touted as a move towards ‘clean energy,’ is being proposed on the Navajo Nation. Developers approached former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez in 2021 with the promise of delivering hydrogen projects and economic prosperity. These projects involve producing blue hydrogen and constructing a 200+ mile-long hydrogen pipeline to transport…
Read MorePilot Project Conclusion
Tsiyi’ Tó Pilot Project Conclusion On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, the Tsiyi’ Tó Watershed Project & Training concluded its pilot project effort in partnership with Natural Channel Design Engineering, Inc. The trainee crew revisited the restoration sites now that structures had up to 9 months to restore the local drainage and ecosystem. Monsoon rains and…
Read MoreInternational Day of Forests
International Day of Forests Friday, March 21, 2025, was the International Day of Forests! Here on Black Mesa (Dził Yíjiin), forest and woodlands make up a large part of our communities, from pine trees on Black Mesa’s northern edge to piñon-juniper for the central and southern edge of our region. This year’s theme, Forest and…
Read MoreArtist Talk: Corey Begay
Artist Talk: Corey Begay On Friday, March 7, 2025, Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) organized our first open house/artist talk during the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Flagstaff, Arizona. Despite the snow that accumulated all day, we continued with our event, with less than 20 people in attendance. This past year our organization has expanded…
Read MoreBlack Mesa Map
Black Mesa Cartography Map Our map was featured on Esri’s Maps.com: www.maps.com/a-water-map-for-the-desert In 2024 Tó Nizhóní Ání embarked on a media mission to create the Black Mesa region’s first ever cartography map. Created in partnership with Four Corners Mapping & GIS, this map is more than just a reference—it’s an invaluable resource for Black Mesa. This…
Read MoreAZ Environmental Day 2025
Environmental Day at the Capital 2025 On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Tó Nizhóní Ání organizers traveled down to Pheonix, Arizona, for Sierra Club’s Environmental Day 2025. This year’s theme was Time to Act! Extreme Heat & Climate Justice. The theme was very fitting for this year in northern Arizona. As we near the end of…
Read MoreLocal Community Advocate: Delegate Notah
Thank you, Honorable Delegate Nathan Notah, for being proactive in your community! On January 16th, Delegate Notah reached out to our organization, Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA), regarding the Tucson Electric Power (TEP) right-of-way (ROW) renewal impacting his chapters and requested technical assistance. TNA had been educating Chapters in TEP right-of-way renewal since November 2024. TEP…
Read MoreGrassroots Response Event 2025
Grassroots Response to Buu’s 2nd State of the Nation On Tuesday, January 28, 2025 Tó Nizhóní Ání hosted the 2025 Grassroots Response to Buu’s 2nd State of the Nation live stream event in Window Rock, Arizona. This event featured individuals and organizations from across and near the Navajo Nation who are educating and leading the…
Read MoreMLK Day of Service
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service On Monday, January 20th, Tó Nizhóní Ání field staff Andrew Atencia and our watershed restoration seasonal team members traveled to Munds Draw near Jerome, AZ, to participate, learn, and work in watershed restoration practices in the Verde River Watershed. In partnership with Prescott National Forest, Friends of the…
Read MoreBuu’s 2nd State of the Nation
Buu’s 2nd State of the Nation On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren took the stage in Tuba City, Arizona, to provide his 2nd State of the Nation to over 1,000+ people at Greyhills Academy High School gymnasium. The morning was filled with performances by local Diné artists, speeches from local leaders…
Read MoreRDC Mine Tour 2024
Navajo Nation Resource and Development Committee (RDC) Site Tour of the Black Mesa and Kayenta Mine On Wednesday, November 13, 2024, members of the Navajo Nation Resource and Development Committee (RDC) initiated a tour of the Black Mesa Coal Complex with Peabody Coal Company and other divisions of Navajo Nation Natural Resources. Members of Tó Nizhóní…
Read MoreEncouragement to the Community of Cameron
Encouragement to the Community of Cameron: Regarding the Recent Chapter Meeting on October 27, 2024 November 4, 2024 To the residents of Cameron, I would like to encourage you to assert your position as a community and exercise your rights as Diné citizens. You have the right to be informed about projects that propose to…
Read MoreBond Release Meeting – N9 Phase 1
Bond Release Meeting, Kayenta Chapter House On Thursday, October 24, 2024, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE aka OSM) was on hand for a public meeting at the community’s request. This meeting took place at the Kayenta Chapter House in Kayenta, Arizona regarding Peabody Coal Company’s bond release of 661 acres of…
Read MoreBlack Mesa to Catskills Exchange Program
Black Mesa Exchange From August 16th to the 24th, 2024, the Black Mesa to Catskills Exchange Program began the second half of the exchange program on Black Mesa. Unlike the Catskills visit, the Black Mesa Exchange was only a weeklong but filled with something new everyday. Iris Gillingham of Gael Roots Community Farm and Olivia…
Read MoreHydrogen Informational Summit – Western
Hydrogen Informational Summit – Western Agency On Saturday, October 12, 2024, Tó Nizhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks) organized a Hydrogen Informational Summit at Moenkopi Legacy Inn and Suites in Tuba City, Arizona. Over 30 people across the reservation attended the event in person and many more via Facebook Live. Most participants were Diné (Navajo) and had…
Read MoreHonoring Tyrone Thompson
Hoop House Building Workshop On Friday, September 27, 2024, the Tó Nizhóní Ání Food Sovereignty team facilitated a hoop house and lasagna bed workshop in honor of the late Tyrone Thompson of Leupp, Arizona. Tyrone was a father, an avid grower, and an advocate for food sovereignty here in the Navajo Nation through his work…
Read MoreSave The Confluence Family Gathering
Save The Confluence Family Gathering On Saturday, September 28, 2024, Tó Nizhóní Ání attended the 2nd annual Save the Confluence Family Gathering at the Wilson Residence in Bodaway/Gap, Arizona. The Save the Confluence Family came together to celebrate and reflect on victories since 2009, from the defeated Escalade Project to the recently rejected Big Canyon…
Read MoreNavajo Nation Hypocrisy
Navajo Nation Hypocrisy When does the Navajo Nation government truly stand with its people and communities that are in the direct line of development, extraction and all too often, exploitation? Why does the Navajo Nation support front line communities in some instances and stand with industry at other times? We would like to know. The…
Read MoreWorld Water Week 2024
World Water Week 2024 On Friday, August 23, 2024, members of Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) traveled to Stockholm, Sweden for World Water Week 2024, an international leading conference on global water issues organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). The first half of the TNA team flew out of Phoenix for New York where…
Read MoreReaction to demolition of smokestacks at San Juan Generating Station
For For Immediate Release: Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024 Contacts: Reaction to demolition of smokestacks at San Juan Generating Station Advocates have been working for years to facilitate a transition to clean energy, ending coal’s polluting legacy and the region’s economic over-dependence on fossil fuels Overflight and drone footage of the site and demolition are available…
Read More3rd Watershed Work Session
Tsiyi’ Tó Watershed Project & Training: 3rd Work Session On August 7th and 8th our third work session on the Tsiyi’ Tó Watershed Project and Training had us building examples of erosion grade control structures alongside the 5 mile stretch of Tsiyi’ Tó Wash. We started our two days with driving to the top of the…
Read MoreBlack Mesa to Catskills Exchange Program
Catskills Exchange By Raeanna Johnson, Raina Silver, Iris Gillingham, and Liv Bigtree. On June 18, 2024, the Black Mesa to Catskills Exchange Program began with two Diné (Navajo) youth, Raeanna Johnson and Raina Silver, from the Black Mesa region, traveling to the Catskills Mountains region of New York. The rest of the exchange participants, who…
Read MoreRDC Regular Meeting
Resource and Development Committee Regular Meeting Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) provided a report in Diné to the Navajo Nation Resource and Development Committee (RDC) on hydrogen and proposed hydrogen projects on or near the Navajo Nation on Monday, July 22, 2024. More specifically, TNA reported on its educational efforts over the last three years across…
Read MoreSummer Session Demonstration
25th Navajo Nation Council Summer Session Demonstration On Monday July 15, 2024, Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) attended the opening of the 25th Navajo Nation Council Summer Session. TNA took this opportunity to continue the message that Navajo communities and chapters are concerned and also directly oppose the proposed GreenView hydrogen pipeline. As Community Organizers with TNA, we…
Read MoreDiné Solidarity for Pushpum
Diné Solidarity for Pushpum Webinar The Navajo Nation Resource and Development Committee (RDC) has approved travel for its members to attend and participate in the Navajo Pacific Northwest Natural Resource Tour as it relates to large scale, irrigated agriculture and hydroelectric power pumped storage from August 1-3, 2024 in the Pacific Northwest in or near…
Read MoreProtect Navajo Water Logo
Logo Breakdown: Protect Navajo Water In June 2024, our organization proudly unveiled our Protect Navajo Water logo at the 2024 Heritage Festival at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Arizona. We wanted this logo to represent the beauty of Navajo water and why we need to protect it. Our logo was brought to life…
Read MoreTri-State advances transformative ERP
Tri-State advances transformative electric resource plan with unopposed settlement filing (June 27, 2024, Westminster, Colo.) In an important milestone in its energy transition, not-for-profit wholesale power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association filed an unopposed comprehensive settlement of Phase I of its 2023 Electric Resource Plan (“ERP”) with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”). If…
Read MoreHydrogen Informational Summit Northern Agency
On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, our organization hosted a hydrogen informational summit at the Shiprock Chapter House in Shiprock, NM. Over 50 people from Shiprock and the surrounding communities attended the event, most of whom were Diné (Navajo) and had already heard about the proposed GreenView hydrogen pipeline but wanted further information. Some believed that…
Read MoreWatershed Assessment Week
Tsiyi’ Tó Watershed Project/Training Assessment Week The Watershed Restoration campaign at Tó Nizhóní Ání has begun! In partnership with Natural Channel Design Engineering Inc., our campaign began phase one of the pilot project in the Tsiyi’ Tó Wash watershed in Hardrock, Arizona. Tsiyi’ Tó means “within the wooded area, there is water.” We are excited…
Read MoreGrassroots Response to Navajo Water Rights Settlement
Response from Grassroots, Diné Water Rights Coalition to the Navajo Nation Department of Justice, President Buu Nygren, and the Navajo Nation Council The Diné Water Rights Coalition, formed in 2012, comprises Diné community group organizations like Tó Nizhóní Ání and individual community members concerned about the Navajo Nation’s future water rights. The Diné Water Rights…
Read MoreGroups representing coal-impacted communities ask ACC to follow through on the agency’s public duty to provide a coal transition framework
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, March 25, 2024 CONTACT: Groups representing coal-impacted communities ask ACC to follow through on the agency’s public duty to provide a coal transition framework Despite years of acknowledging the need to help those impacted by early coal plant closures, Commissioners continue to turn their backs on rural and tribal communities PHOENIX…
Read MoreBlack Mesa to Appalachia
Black Mesa organization travels to the Appalachia region Last week, Tó Nizhóní Ání team members traveled to Southwest Virginia, Eastern Kentucky and Western North Carolina for a cross-culture exchange from the Black Mesa region here in the Navajo Nation to the Central Appalachian Region. Our team spent the week from March 5th to March 10th…
Read MoreACC turns it’s back on rural and tribal communities in Arizona that are reeling economically from early coal plant closures
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 CONTACT: ACC turns its back on rural and tribal communities in Arizona that arereeling economically from early coal plant closures PHOENIX – Despite repeatedly recognizing the responsibility that electric utilities have for providing assistance to communities harmed by the early closure of coal plants they own and operate, the…
Read MoreFederal Officials Reject Three Huge Arizona Pump Storage Projects Targeting Black Mesa
For Immediate Release, February 15, 2024 Contact: Adrian Herder, Tó Nizhóní Ání, (928) 380-3914, a.herder92@gmail.comRobyn Jackson, Diné C.A.R.E., (928) 228-5805, robyn.jackson@dine-care.orgTaylor McKinnon, Center for Biological Diversity, (801) 300-2414, tmckinnon@biologicaldiversity.org Federal Officials Reject Three Huge Arizona Pump Storage Projects Targeting Black Mesa FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.— Heeding widespread community and Tribal opposition, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied preliminary permit applications today for three proposed…
Read MoreGrassroots Response
Grassroots Response & Discussion on Buu’s State of the Navajo Nation Address On Tuesday, January 23, 2024 grassroots organizations and community groups across the Navajo Nation gathered at the Navajo Nation Veterans Memorial Park in Window Rock, Arizona for a livestream response and discussion on Buu’s State of the Navajo Nation Address. This livestream event…
Read MoreEnvironmental Day at the Capital 2024
Environmental Day at the Capital 2024 On Thursday, January 25, 2024, Tó Nizhóní Ání staff traveled to the Arizona State Capital to participate in Environmental Day at the Capital 2024 hosted by the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter. The year, the theme was Save Water, Save Life, and we heard from various speakers advocating from…
Read MoreKlee Benally 1975-2023
Ahéhee Dawn Kish dóó Alejandro Higuera, thank you for the photos of Klee. Donations are being accepted for the Family of Klee Benally. The family extends their appreciation for the fierce outpouring of support. They cannot thank you enough. Ahéhee’!
Read MoreEcoFlight Tour over Black Mesa
EcoFlight Tour over Black Mesa Friday, September 22, 2023, a Tó Nizhóní Ání team member and other local Black Mesa residents joined EcoFlight for a tour of the western and northwest areas of the Black Mesa region. The tour began at the Tuba City Airport in Tuba City, AZ and traveled up Blue Canyon east…
Read MoreHeinz Family Foundation Names Nicole Horseherder the 28th Heinz Awards for the Environment
PITTSBURGH, September 20, 2023 — The Heinz Family Foundation today named Nicole Horseherder, co-founder, Tó Nizhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks), and Colette Pichon Battle, co-founder of Taproot Earth and former executive director of the Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy, recipients of the prestigious 28th Heinz Awards for the Environment. As part of the accolade, Ms.…
Read MoreArizona Public Service (APS) Rate Case – Testimony/Public Comment
Navajo coal-impacted community members traveled to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to testify and provide public comment before the Administrative Law Judge on the Arizona Public Service rate case on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona. View the recorded livestream at the link here: Hearing – E-01345A-22-0144 – Arizona Pubic Service Company After the…
Read MoreTó Nizhóní Ání strongly opposes H.R. 4374
House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources 1324 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20510 July 12, 2023 Tó Nizhóní Ání is a 501(c)3 organization located on the Black Mesa Plateau in Northeast Arizona on the Navajo Nation. Tó Nizhóní Ání was organized to protect the water source of Black Mesa…
Read More18 Navajo Chapters Oppose Huge Pumped Storage Projects Threatening Arizona’s Black Mesa
For Immediate Release, July 14, 2023 Contacts: 18 Navajo Chapters Oppose Huge Pumped Storage Projects Threatening Arizona’s Black Mesa BLACK MESA, Ariz.— Tó Nizhóní Ání, Diné Citizens Against Ruining our Environment and the Center for Biological Diversity submitted resolutions to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today from Navajo chapters and agencies opposing three pumped storage…
Read MoreDził Yíjiin Nanise’ Project
Black Mesa Plant Project The Black Mesa Plant (Dził Yíjiin Nanise’) Project began with an orientation from the project facilitator Arnold Clifford, a renowned Diné Botanist from the community of Bitł’ááh Bito’ (Beclabito), NM, in the spring of 2023. This project is the first for Dził Yíjiin (the Black Mesa region), where local Diné interns…
Read MoreTucson Electric Power (TEP) Rate Case – Testimony/Public Comment
Navajo coal-impacted community members travel to Tucson, Arizona, for the Tuscon Electric Power rate case to provide testimony and public comment on the need for just and equitable transition support for tribal coal-impacted communities. For Immediate Release, April 12, 2023 Contact: Adrian Herder, Tó Nizhóní Ání, info@tonizhoniani.org Nicole Horseherder, Tó Nizhóní Ání, info@tonizhoniani.org Navajo Coal-Impacted…
Read MoreTEP Rate Case – Public Comment
Tell the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to support rural and tribal communities hit hard by the closure of coal plants and mines owned by Tucson Electric Power (TEP). Tucson Electric Power has asked the ACC to allow it to increase rates and service fees by nearly $200 a year for the average residential customer. Tucson…
Read MoreNo Black Mesa Pumped Storage Project | #NoBMPSP
What is the Black Mesa Pumped Storage Project? The Black Mesa Pumped Storage Project (BMPSP) is a pumped storage hydropower project proposed by Nature & People First. This energy development company wants to build three “Pumped Storage” energy projects along the northeastern edge of Black Mesa which would require 450,000 acre-feet of Navajo water. See…
Read MoreADOT, Don’t Leave Tribal Communities Out Of Your AZ EV Plan
Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), don’t leave the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe out of your AZ EV Plan! Arizona is eligible for up to $76.5 million in National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program funding across five years. NEVI would fund a national network of EV Fast Charging stations along interstate highways. The NEVI…
Read MoreBlack Mesa Reclamation
Since the Black Mesa mine closed in 2005 and the Kayenta mine in 2019, efforts to return mined land to its pre-mining condition have been far from successful. Moreover, it is still unclear whose responsibility it is to reclaim groundwater aquifers that have been destroyed or depleted due to the mining. The window to fix that…
Read MoreJust & Equitable Transition – Navajo
COAL COMMUNITY TRANSITION BACKGROUND Several major coal-fired power plants that have helped ensure a reliable supply of electricity for Arizonans for decades have recently closed or are on the brink of closure. These plants include the Navajo Generating Station (NGS), the Four Corners Power Plant, the San Juan Generating Station, and the Cholla Power Plant.…
Read MoreFour Corners community groups fight to retain hard-won public benefits in merger case appeal
Today, four northwest New Mexico community groups, along with the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy (CCAE), joined an appeal to the state’s Supreme Court challenging the rejection of a merger between PNM Resources and Avangrid, a global leader in renewable energy. Through their participation in last year’s merger case, these groups secured commitments for significant public investment…
Read MoreHardrock Chapter Solar Celebration
The future is looking bright for Hardrock Chapter on the Navajo Nation. Tó Nizhóní Ání joined Native Renewables as they hosted the Hardrock Chapter Solar Celebration in Hardrock, Arizona, on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. The morning was filled with great speakers from Vector Energy out of Chandler, AZ, Sunnova Energy from Houston, TX, Hardrock Chapter…
Read MoreNavajo, U.S. officials must defend restoration of Black Mesa before it’s too late
by Nicole Horseherder, Executive Director, Tó Nizhóní Ání Photography by EcoFlight Years ago, on Black Mesa, our livestock drank from springs and seeps across the plateau. Water appeared in the mornings, and our animals grazed the native grasses that had sustained them for generations. Today, my family still lives and works on Black Mesa, raising…
Read MoreACC Kills Energy Rules and Defeats Clean Energy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 26, 2022 Contact: Sandy Bahr, sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org, (602) 999-5790 Arizona Corporation Commission Kills Energy Rules Defeats Clean Energy and Accountability Measures PHOENIX, AZ － Today, following nearly four years of workshops, public meetings, and thousands of supportive comments, including the support of both small and large businesses, the Arizona Corporation Commission…
Read MoreDiné Residents of Black Mesa Tell Why They Support Build Back Better Plan
Biden’s Build Back Better Plan has the potential to help Black Mesa (Dził Yíjiin) heal from decades of exploitation Tó Nizhóní Ání released a video in which Diné residents of Black Mesa make the case for why they support the Build Back Better plan being considered by Congress. (Diné is the original name of the…
Read MoreRed Mesa Community Left in the Dark about Solar Project
Red Mesa Community Demands Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), Open Discussions with Community on the Lack of Community Engagement and Consent Issues Red Mesa community members gathered at the NTUA Red Mesa District Office to urge NTUA to cease progress on the development of the Red Mesa Tapaha Solar Project. Until NTUA thoroughly explains the…
Read MoreVOICES FROM BLACK MESA
DiAndre Francis, 23, is Ta’neezahnii from Hooshdódii Tó, located on Black Mesa in northeastern Arizona. DiAndre is a recent graduate of Indiana State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in public health. Currently, DiAndre is working at the Piñon Health Center as a biostatician with the COVID-19 task force. DiAndre’s inherent need to help his community…
Read MoreNTUA fails to acquire community consent in Cameron solar project
By Jessica Keetso, Tó Nizhóní Ání Organizer *Disclaimer: The author has a history of working with the Cameron chapter since 2016 as a Little Colorado River Watershed Chapter Association (LCRWCA) organizer and currently as a Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) organizer. Ms. Keetso’s paternal grandparents (Keetso/Beard) and extended relatives originate from the Dziłibáí (Gray Mountain) area.…
Read MoreÁSHINEE’ NIHIMÁ: IN LOVING MEMORY
It’s with heavy hearts that we send our condolences to the Tó’aheedlíinii Naakai Dine’é family of Ts’í’ii Bitó. Mae Wilson Tso passed on January 12, 2021, at the age of 83 years old. She was a prominent figure in the Black Mesa region for being a weaver, a pastoralist, an herbalist, and, most notability, a…
Read More27 WOMEN LEADING THE CHARGE TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT
Scientists have called our current, climate change–threatened era the Anthropocene, but as the eco-economist Kate Raworth once joked, women are left out of the narrative so often that it sometimes feels like the Manthropocene. Presenting 27 standouts who prove that women are leading the charge to protect our environment and our future. Cover Photo by…
Read MorePEABODY TO CANCEL HEALTH CARE BENEFIT FOR RETIRED COAL MINERS
Peabody Energy is ending a health care benefit program for retired miners as a cost-saving measure. The St. Louis-based coal giant announced plans last week to discontinue coverage of medical expenses for workers enrolled in Medicare and to stop providing life insurance to retirees, The Casper Star-Tribune reported. The change is expected to go into effect…
Read More‘EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON THE CORN’: AS CROPS WITHER, THE HOPI FEAR FOR THEIR WAY OF LIFE
For 2,000 years, the Hopi have been growing corn in an arid landscape, relying on the rains. Now climate change threatens their farming traditions. READ MORE
Read MoreVIDEO: A JUST TRANSITION AT NAVAJO GENERATING STATION
For 50 years, outside power companies profited from the exploitation of precious Navajo & Hopi water and resources, which supported coal plants like “NGS” and polluted Navajo land, depleting the source of drinking water for many Navajo and Hopi. Watch now → https://bit.ly/JustTransitionNGS
Read MoreACC RECOGNIZING JUST AND EQUITABLE TRANSITION FOR TRIBAL COMMUNTIES
NATIONAL ECONOMIC TRANSITION PLATFORM
BREAKING: Leaders from coal communities across America today released their historic platform for bolstering regions hit hard by the declining industry–a crisis deepened by the Covid pandemic. In their National Economic Transition Platform, local, tribal and labor leaders call on national and federal leaders to make a big, bold investment in communities from Appalachia to…
Read MoreWORC REPORT ON RECLAMATION JOBS
Help us spread the word via social media with the following handles and hashtags. Ahéhee’! Handles: @NNPrezNez @NavajoCouncil @RepRaulGrijalva @peabodyenergy @OSMRE @BlackMesaTrust @DineCARE1 Hashtags: #NavajoEquitableEconomy #NavajoNation #HopiTribe #ReclamationJobs Navajo/Hopi This is cleanup on the #NavajoNation a year AFTER Kayenta coal mine closed. Hundreds of miners are eager to go back to work on reclamation but…
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