Letter Writing Party for Black Mesa

JOIN US FOR AN EMERGENCY LETTER WRITING PARTY TO PROTECT BLACK MESA, AZ FROM PEABODY
COAL'S MASSIVE EXPANSION PLANS & MEDICINE LAKE FROM CALPINE ENERGY CORPORATION.
?

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS 'CLEAN' COAL! Tapping America's coal reserves as proposed by
the Bush Administration,
would require obliterating Black Mesa, AZ, which is home to traditional indigenous
communities for generations!!
Please support a "NO ACTION" decision in solidarity with indigenous Dineh
and Hopi communities. The deadline for our comments to be heard is approaching.
We must use this window to voice our opposition!

Join the Pitt River, Klamath, Modoc and other tribes in demanding that Calpine drop
plans to
build geothermal power plants in the Medicine Lake Highlands. Medicine Lake and the
Highlands
are very sacred to the area's Indigenous peoples, and a power plant would pollute,
desecrate and destroy these sacred areas forever, as well as threaten the huge pure
aquifer
that feeds California?s largest spring system. (See link below for more info.)

WHEN:
MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 2007, directly after the Action for Medicine Lake at Calpine
headquarters in San Jose.
7 PM- 10 PM.

WHERE:
(A private residence located just off Telegraph, 4 blocks from McArthur BART.) Address removed by poster, since i'm not sure if it is ok to put it on indybay. call or email for location.

Sample letters, pens, paper, stamps, and refreshments will be provided.
Feel free to bring your laptop.

WHO:
Black Mesa Indigenous Support, Indigenous Action Media, & Native Coalition For Medicine
Lake representatives will be available to
provide information on the issues and be on hand to answer questions.
See you soon!

CONTACT INFO:
blackmesais [at] riseup.net
510-390-5017


*If you're not familiar with these issues, we will have background information available.

*SUMMARY OF THE BLACK MESA PROJECT:
Massive mining plans are underway that have serious environmental, social,
and human rights impacts. Peabody Western Coal, the world's largest coal
company, is attempting to obtain a 'Life of Mine' permit from the federal
Office of Surface Mining (OSM): which means a lease extension application
that would permit them to mine indefinitely, and dramatically increase the
current rate of coal production to turn Black Mesa (where Big Mountain is located)
into a massive energy center for domestic and international export.

It is unacceptable that this proposal could further the termination of
indigenous cultural existence. The U.S. government has previously passed
laws that terminate indigenous ancestral ties to these lands by currently
restricting access to their lands and enforcing relocation. The LOM permit
calls for additional restricted access to ancestral lands and relocation.

The LOM permit would allow the coal company the rights to billions of
gallons of water a year from two major aquifers for their industrial coal
production use.

This proposal is not the solution to global warming or to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, but instead, Peabody's BMP will only only add to
the escalating greenhouse emissions.

-----------
Join us January 29th Action in San Jose for Medicine Lake
Native peoples and supporters will protest Calpine's plans for a power plant that would
be built
at Sacred Medicine Lake near Mt. Shasta. Organizers say, "The Sacred Medicine Lake
Highlands
is under direct threat of geothermal development from Calpine Energy Corporation."
If passed, the geothermal projects would transform the sacred Medicine Lake Highlands
into an
industrial wasteland with multiple power plants, 24-hour drilling and lighting,
landscape-fragmenting
pipelines, toxic plumes exuding dangerous levels of arsenic, mercury and hydrogen
sulfide. These
projects clearly would constitute a major threat to the huge pure aquifer that feeds
California?s largest spring system.
More on IndyBay: http://indybay.org/newsitems/2007/01/22/18350777.php
--------------------------------
*CALLING ALL SUPPORTERS/SHEEPHERDERS TO BLACK MESA:
Families on Black Mesa who are living near Peabody's mining activities
and/or resisting relocation and may face future mine expansion are
requesting volunteer sheepherders to come stay with them. If you're
interested we can discuss it in person at the letter writing party or visit
http://www.blackmesais.org for more info and to contact us.

*BIG MOUNTAIN CANNOT BE EXCLUDED FROM THE LEGACY OF THE FOUR CORNERS ENERGY WARS:
Since the beginning of the Big Mountain resistance elders would say: "We are
resisting relocation and the coal mining not only for ourselves
but for the whole world. Black Mesa must not be desecrated because of its
sacredness --it provides life to all living things including all the human
races." Elder resisters of Big Mountain have referred to the coal as the
Mother Earth's liver.

We must not allow history to repeat itself by allowing the US government
and mining interests to put profit over people, antiquity, and water
resources.
Thank you!
~Black Mesa Indigenous Support

http://www.blackmesais.org