Interview
Elouise Brown, Dooda Desert Rock
Elouise Brown is the
President of Dooda Desert Rock, a group of Navajo activists that was
formed to prevent a new coal-fired power plant near Farmington. Sithe
Global Power has proposed a 1,500-megawatt coal-burning power plant,
the “Desert Rock Energy Project,” which would emit over 12 million tons
of carbon dioxide, ozone, mercury and other pollutants into the air
each year. The Navajo Nation is already plagued by pollution produced
from the two existing coal-fired power plants in the area, which are
among the dirtiest in the country.
Why is stopping this plant important to you and the group?
This
place is so beautiful. This is the most beautiful place on Earth. When
you look at the land and the people, you have to picture the power
plant being there, and think about how much damage it’s going to do.
And
I know that after the plant is built and the coal is gone, they’re not
going to reclaim the land like they say now. All the promises are not
going to be kept, like before. The chemicals coming out of the smoke
cause asthma, cancer, birth defects and other health problems. We don’t
have a choice but to protect Mother Earth and Father Sky.
What have you been doing to stop the construction of this plant?
We
worked to stop an $85 million tax break for Sithe Global Power during
the last legislative session. I went to the Roundhouse everyday, and
worked 15 hours a day, to make sure it wasn’t going to happen. If
you’re not going to go full force, you shouldn’t even bother. And it
takes determination and patience.
Ultimately, Sithe didn’t get
their $85 million. The good Lord was watching out for me and we
straightened things out. I think what made a difference was my presence
every single day. For every committee, I was there.
Can you tell me about the people involved in Dooda Desert Rock?
There’s
a core group of about 18-20 people from the Dixon and Gilmore families
on the reservation. We didn’t plan to have a camp when this first
started, but now the camp is kind of our campaign headquarters. It’s
also become an education cente
What are the next steps in the process?
We’re
going to each Navajo Chapter House, trying to get resolutions passed.
There have also been public hearings to discuss the Environmental
Impact Statement, so we were working to get comments to the Bureau of
Indian Affairs.
What can people do to help?
People
should submit comments and tell their friends. This isn’t a Navajo
issue, this is a global issue. We all breathe the same air. If we don’t
put a stop to it now, it will hurt future generations.
We also
need money for our camp and for traveling to hearings. We have a Web
site (www.desert-rock-blog.net) where people can donate online.
