hereâs an article about the original thread, including a transcription of the tweets & some context (May 28, 2019)
another article that goes more into the issue of water (May 28, 2019) (âThe Havasupai Tribe has, in fact, voiced concerns about groundwater pumping near the Grand Canyon. In 2016, the tribe sued the city of Williams and other well owners, saying the drilling of more wells for resorts, developments, theme parks and uranium mines, among other businesses, increasingly threatens the tribeâs water. [âŠ] Duthie said those sorts of concerns shouldnât hinder Stiloâs proposal for the hotel on Kotzin Ranch because the company wouldnât use a well.â)
as of January 24, 2020, Stilo had submitted a âa revised proposal for roads and utility easements connecting to parcels of land they own that are surrounded by the Kaibab National Forestâ (unanimously approved). opening these roads would require âsome blasting.â as regards the groundwater:
Gitlin also worried that the new proposal did not adequately protect the areaâs groundwater.
The proposal promises that commercial water needs â which during peak season, would be 275,000 gallons a day â would have to be hauled in by truck. It still allows âresidential usesâ to be met by pumping groundwater.
In the proposal, Stilo offered to agree to a âcomplete prohibitionâ on commercial groundwater use, except in the event of âtechnological breakthroughs resulting in proven zero-impact upon groundwater resources.â
It suggested a restrictive covenant or a conservation easement to enforce that restriction, but itâs not clear who would be responsible for that enforcement.
effectively, plans for development are going forward, & previous reassurances that no immediate proposals were being made seem like lies.
itâs worth mentioning in light of some other comments going around that the issue here isnât preserving the untouched pristine beauty of nature or somethingâthis kind of terra nullius-inflected rhetoric in fact relies upon colonialist & genocidal logicâbut rather the responsibilities & livelihoods of the people who belong to the land & stand to be harmed by these proposals.
incidentally, the Havasupai Tribe have a COVID-19 relief fund that you can donate to here, in addition to emailing & calling the people listed above.
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