TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION
 

OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE
 

h/tt!! / S V'" /' - U?e? ,. .ht.. 

ALL 0 F U S ~T,OG ET H E ~~~onn---t

NED	 NORRIS JR. 

CHAIRMAN'." ".. 

ISIDRO LOPEZ
 

VICE CHAIRMAN
 

December 11, 2009 

Laura Yoshii 

Acting Regional Administrator 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX
 

75 Hawthorne Street
 

San Francisco, California 94105-3901
 

Re:	 Request to Consult on the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning Navajo 

Generating Station, EPA Docket No. EPA-R09-0AR-2009-0598 (74 Fed. Reg. 44313 

(Aug. 28, 2009)) 

Dear Ms. Yoshii: 

Thank you for your letter ofNovember 13,2009 inviting the Tohono O'odham Nation to engage 

in government to government consultation with Region IX ofthe U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency over the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning the Best Available 

Retrofit Technology determination for the Navajo Generating Station. This letter and the 

attached Tohono O'odham Legislative Council Resolution No. 09-644 are fOlwarded as a request 

to initiate such consultation. We would like to hold this consultation before the Tohono 

O'odham Nation submits comments on the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. 

In order to accomplish meaningful consultation, the Tohono O'odham Nation requests an 

extension ofthe December 28,2009 deadline for comments to March 1,2010. 

We realize. that t..ltere will be~nother opportunity to submit connnents after the PropoSed Ruie 

has been pUblished. However, because the environmental, economic and political issues 

involved in this decision are important, complex and multi-faceted, the Nation needs to consult 

with the EPA and the Bureau ofReclamation before it can take an initial position or offer a 

meaningful perspective to decisionmakers. As you know, both EPA and the Bureau of 

Reclamation have a trust responsibility to the Tohono O'odham Nation, and are bound by 

Executive Order 13175, as reaffirmed by President Obama's recent Tribal Consultation 

Memorandum, to provide meaningful and timely consultation to the Nation. The Tohono 

O'odham Nation only became aware ofthis issue upon receiving your November 13, 2009 letter, 

and by attending a meeting called by the Office ofArizona Governor Jan Brewer on November 

25,2009. We cannot complete the necessary consultation prior to the December 28, 2009 

deadline. 

. - "';-', ,',:: . ~, -.... ':­ "'-..... -

P.O. BOX 837 'SElLS, AlUZONA' 85634 ' J ',,\ 

PHONE: S20-383~2028 ' FAX: S~383~3379
·ta\ira Yi:$hii 

u.s. litWlrorimet1tal=PtoteetiM Agency 

~~-erAber 1t, 2009 

Page 2 

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~~~_c~~~~j~;~-?~~,i;-ii~~~~~~=~~--i~,i;,~IW-t!c~-~~
 
RESOLUTION OF THE TOBONO O'ODJIAM LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 

(Acceptlnl u.s. Environmental ProtectionAgency's Invitation toConsult on Adwance Notice 

ofProposed RalemaJdllgConcern....the NawaJo Generating Stadon aDd IDIpacts on the 

Nadon's WaterResonrces) 

RESOLUTION NO. 09-644 

1 WHEREAS, sowere.DlndlaD tribesskare a unique trust reladonshlp with tbe United States of 

2 America.wldcllis embodiedIntheConstitndon ofthe United States, n1Ullerous court 

3 opbdons, statutes, ueeuthe orders, and federal alency poUcles; and 

4 WHEREAS. the United States Coqress has recogDlzecl the federal lowernment's "trust 

5 responslbUldes to protectIndlanwater rqbts" and the United States DepartmeDt of 

6 tile IDterior has upressly acbowledled Its trust responsibility concerning tribal 

7 water l'esolU'ceS (Western Water PoUcy Reriew Act of1992, Pub. L. 10Z-S7S, title XXX, 

8 § 100Z(9). reprintedatn U.S.C. § 171; 55 Fed. Rq. 9221 (1990)); and 

9 WHEREAS, the Bureau of Reclamadon within the DepartmeDt of the IDterior has llkewIse 

10 acknowledged Its role as a trustee for trtbal water resources aDd Iaa.s pledged to 

11 protecttribal assets(JncUan Pollcy ofthe Bureau ofReclamadon. FebrniU}'25, 1998); 

12 and 

13 WHEREAS, after lIUUIy years ofnegotiations with federal, state. aDd prlwate parties, the Tokono 

14 O'odllam Nadon agreed to settle substandal water debts aad other claims In 

15 accordaDcewItb the termsoIPub. L.I08-451,theArIzonaWaterSettlemeDtsAct,Title 

16 In, tile Southern Arbona Water RIghts SettiemeDt Act Amendments ("SAWRSA 

17 Ammendments~;and

18 WHEREAS, _dertlleSAWRSAAmendments,theNadonbasanannuaiendtlementof66,000acre19 feet of central ArboRa Project water (SAWRSA Amendments, Sections 104(a) and 

20 116(a)); and 

21 WHEREAS. the SAWRSAAmendmeDts req,DIre tlaat the United States "pay to tile CeDtralArIzona 

12 PI'OJedopentbaaageneythelkedoperadoD.mainteDaace, and replacementcbaqe5 

23 associated with the deUwery ofthe Nadon's central ArlzoDa Projectwater" from the 

24 Lower Colorado RIver Basin Dewelopment FUDd (SAWBSA Amendments, Section 

25 119(g)(6) and section 107(a)(2)(1\)); and 

26 WHEREAS, the Ualtecl States Is also oblilated to pay the variable operatlDa costs, lneludiDa the 

27 cost ofelectJ:ldty to naD the P1UllPSwhich operate the Central Arbona Project, frOID 

28 the Cooperathe Fund orlglllaDy established and IOnded by the Southe... ArIzona 

29 Water BJabtssettlemeDtAd of1982 aDd reauthorized by section no oftbe SAWRSA 

30 Amendments(SAWRSAAmeDdments, section 110 (b)(I)(A)); and 

31 
IUlSOI.UTION NO. 09-M4 

(AcceptblIU.S. Enril'onmentalProtectlonAlenCJ'slnvitationtoConsaltonAclvanceNotkeotProposed 

Rale....1dDIConcendDa the NavajoGeneratlalStation and Impacts on tbe Nation'sWaterResources) 

pqeZors 

1 WHEREAS, theUDitedStatesEDvIrolllllentaiProtedlonqency("EPA")lIaspDbUslledanAdYanced 

2 Notice olProposedRulemakbll(UANPR") concel'lllDaproposedalrpoUDtlon controls 

3 lor Navajo GeDeratlnl StatioD ("NGS'') (74 Fed. Rq. MJU; ADgast 18, 10" .uNGS 

4 RlI1emakbal'')); and 

5 WHEREAS, tile NGS Is a coal·llred power plaDt on tile Navajo Nation dlat leDerates eledrlcltJto 

6 pDlDP CAP water, and nlVeDlies derived from escess NGS power slIIes .Dpport tile 

7 LowerColorado River BaslD lJew'e1opmeat FUDd, wb1cll pays for tile fb:ed operation, 

8 malatenance, aDd replacement costs associated wltII deUverles 01 tile Nation's CAP 

9 entitiemeDt; and 

10 WHEREAS, the NGS and associated c:oaI mining operations provide sDbstantlal reveDDes to tile 

11 Navajo NatioD aDd Hopi Tribe, aud provide Jobs to tribalmembers; aDd 

12 WHEREAS, OD November ZS, ZOO, the Oftke 01the Governor 01ArlzoDa coonllDated a meetlnl 

13 betweeDcertalnArbODatribesaDdBnreauolReclamatloD,thesaItRDerProJect,tile 

14 CeDtralArboDa WaterConsenatlon District, aud otllerwaterand power"tereslsID 

15 the State 01Arboaa to dlsenss tile NGS RulemaldDa; and 

16 WHEREAS, several eDtlde. wllo made preseDtations at the November 2S, Z." stakelaolders 

17 meetlDg IIqned that the proposed poUDtloD coDtrols lor NGS wID Delatlvely affect 

18 ArDoDa ..dIaD tribes In a nDmber olways, IndudlDg bJdramatlcallJlDcreasIDg the 

19 cost oldeUverlDlCAPwaterand rednclDl reveDuestothe "owerColoradoRlverBaslD 

20 DeveiopmeDt Fund; and 

21 WHEREAS. tile cost aDd avaUabUlty ofe1edrldty from NGS wOI impact the variable power costs 

22 associatedwltbtile dellYel'JoftlleNation'sCAPendtl.emeDtandtIIererorelllsoImpact 

23 the SAWBSACooperath'e FD.d; aDd 

24 WHEREAS, tile EPA, Navajo Nation. and HopiTribe were Dot..rited to the stakellolders meetiDI 

2S aad meet:in8 part1clpauts bad DotprerionslJcoDsutedwltIltile NatioDre&ardlnltile 

26 NGS Rulemakbal; .Dd 

27 
RESOLUTION NO. 19-6H 

(AceeptbalU.S. EnrironmentaiProtectionApacy'slantadontoCoasDltoaAdnRceNotk:eofProposed 

R1deJDaJdDIConcendnll tile Na"ajo GeaeratIDll StatiORaad I_pads oa the Natloa'sWater Resoarces) 

PaploU 

1 WHEREAS, federal departmeats and aleades are mandated bJ l!Jr:ecuUYe Orde.. 11175, 

2 "Co_altatloa aad Coonlbaatloa with ladlan Tribal Go"eI'Dmeats" «"CoDSaltatioa 

3 Onter")toconsultwithtribeswlleafOI'Dl-.Jatbllaadlmplemeatml pollcies O..taJdall 

4 otheractloasthatIla"ea.abstaatlald.lrectelrectoaaaJladlaatribe(be«:ath'eOrd.er 

S nl7S (No"ember 6, Z••••); alld 

6 WHEREAS. theCODSaltatioaOnle..aadaddltloaalexecaUveord.enaadIllelDOraada reqlllre that 

7 aD Exee1Ith'e B..aada aaeades ea.are tllat tlaere Is Huaeaabqfal" aad "timely" tdltal 

8 IDpatwllea formalatllli orImplemeatla&pollciesthat bve tdballmpUcadODS; and 

9 WHEREAS. Presideat Obama receatlJ reatllrJDed tile federal loveI'Dmeat·s commltmeat "to 

10 l'eIula..and meaalalfal consultatloa aad coDaboratioa with tribalotlldalsID poUcy 

11 declslonstbatIlavetdballmplkationslaeladlal,asaaIDltIaIstep,tIo'oacllcomplete 

12 aadconslsteatImplementatloa ofEllec..t1."e Order11175"«74Fed. Rei. 57881 (Nov. 5, 

13 Z'09) ("Tribal Coasaltatioa Memoraadlllll")); aad 

14 WHEREAS, EPA ReKIoa 9 has adopted. an "App..oach to Consultatioa with Tribal GoYel'Dllleats 

15 .BeIard.1D1 Noa-Enforcemeat Related Matten," which describes coasultatioa "as 

16 lDellldlDlameaalDlfalandtlmelJ10vel'Dllleat-to-lovel'Dmeatdlaloplewithelected 

17 0.. daly-appolDted oilldais of tribal lo"erameats or aDthorized IDtertrtbal 

18 ol"laalzatious"; aad 

19 WHEREAS, thelaterTrIhalCo.adlofAdzoaa,byResohltloa.7I9,"'.al'ledtheEPAtoateadthe 

20 period lor tribes to commeat oa the NGS RalemaJdal aDd lias also caUed Dpoa EPA 

21 Rqloa 9 to consalt with Arboaa ladlaa tribes, the BareaD of LaDd Maaalemeat, 

22 B....ea.. olladlaa AIIalrs, aad B..rea.. ofReclamatioa; _d 

23 WHEREAS, ID a No"ember 11, Z.09 letter the EPA Rqloa 9 ActIDI Administrator 1Drited. tile 

24 Tohoao O'~am Natioa to c:oasalt and to commeat oa the NGS Ralemald-I and 

2S ateadedtheperiod rorsDbmls.loaoltribalcommeatstoDecemberZ8, ZOO9, ollly.b: 

26 weeks after the consaltatloa letter was seat to the Natloa aad otller atrected tribes; 

27 and 
RESOI.UTlON NO. 09=H4 

(Acc:eptlDIU.S.EnftrolUllentalProtectloaAlenq'sIDYltationfoConsD1tonAdv_ceNotk:eofProposed Rale".1dnICoDcernIDItbe NanJoGeneratIDIstationaad Impaas on.eNadon'sWaterResources) 

Pap&oU 

....,......., .,.0 ..__ ._. ,,__._.I_.I"t __ _ __ •• • __ _ _ .•- -- .­

2 aad other Adzoaa l.dIaD tribes _d, III accordance with the federailovel1Ulleat's 

3 trut obll8adon to tribes, the Co...uatlon Order, the Tribal Consaltado. 

4 lIemol'lllld.... and EPA poOdes, all aJfeeted tribes are entitled to a mea......... aDd 

5 timet)' opportaaltyto co....t on the Navajo GelleradD. Station ANPR; aad 

6 WHEREAS, becaue the Navalo GeneradD. Stadon ANPR raises hIKlIly complell environmental, 

7 teduloloak:a1, economic, alld I'OIIcy ....e. dlat wlIl reqlllre atellslve aaaIJsIs. tile 

8 NadoD will need additional time beyoDd the December Z', Z0I9 deadllDe to couult 

9 with tile EPA III a meanlallUlaad timely way aadto ••bmltIts resaltlnl comments. 

10 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Tohono O'odham Lealslatlve CoDDeO hereby 

11 (1) desll-tes the Nadon's Chab'penon aDd Lellslatlve Water Resources 

12 Committee as the om....'. vested with aDthority to coumt willi aDd snbmlt 

13 wr1UenCOIIIJIIeDbitotheEPAcoDcera1D&NawaloGeDeratlnaStationANPR;aDd 

14 (Z) aqestheEPAtootendthe tr1baIcommentdeacllbaeoDtheNavaloGeneradDl 

15 StatloDANPRtollarelll,ZI18lDordertoprowldetheNatioDaDdotherdeeted 

16 tribeswith a "mea.In""" aDd "timelY' opportnnlty to consnlton the Navajo 

17 GeneratIDl Station ANPR. 

18 Tile IorqolDlResol.doDwas passedbytileTollollo O'odllamL~IsIath'eCo.ncUo.tIIe18TR• Day 

19 ofDlCEIIBEIl. Z8M at a meetlDl at widell a q.oram was present with a vote orz.....41 FOR; -I­


20 AGAlNST;D.NOT VOTING;and117.1MWABSENT,plD'SaaDttotilepowenvested111 theCo_dlby
 

21 ArtIcleVI.section 1 illortheCoJUtltution oftile TohoDO O·Odbam Nation. adoptedby the TolloDO
 

n O·OdbaJII Nadoa on I-.ary 18. 1986; and approved by the Aednll Deputy AssIsteDt secretary ­


23 IDdIaD AtI'a1rs(OperatloRS)on MarcIl ',19",PID'SDaDttosection16 oItheAdolJ••e 1',19)4(4'
 

24 Stat.9M).
 

15
 

26 TOHONO O'ODIIAM LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
 

27 

28 

29 

31 

30 ~~~ 32 ~daYOr j).et.eW) ~;r;;..;..-_,ZOM

33 
RESOLUTION NO. 89-6M 

(AceepdDIU.s.EnnronlllentalProfectlonAiency'sInritatlontoCoIualtonAdyanc:eNotk:eofProposecl 

Raleaaaldn.lConc:endnltbe Navajo GeneratlnlStatloa and Impacts on tile Natlon'lIWldel'Relloan:es) 

PBleSo15 

1 ATTEST: 

3 

2 ~.

4 bonae WUsoa, Le.....th'e 8ecI'etaI'J 

5 

6 l.i2-daYOI ,1809. 

7 

8 satdResollldoa ._S.bmltteclIO~Yalto'tiIJlceOfthe~.oftheTOhOnOO'Od.ham

9 Nadon oa tile --tJL- day 01 L{ru1 , 2819 at ';-eO o'dock,-lk..-.M., 

10 p.....a"to theproYldo..ofseetlo. 5 ofArtideVUoltheCoastltatlonaad wU1 becomcfelredh'e 

11 apon Ids approval or upon his IaDnre to either approve or dlsapproye It witIdD M hours of 

12 sabllllttaJ. 

13 

14 TOHONO O'ODIIAM LEGISlATIVE COUNCIL 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 I~ APPROVED ontbe II~ dayof !Jl~~ ,18" 

24 

2S I I DISAPPROVED 

%6 

27 

28 

·~Jtr 29 NED NOIUllS, JR., CIL\I1lMAN 

30 TOnONO O'ODIIAM NATION 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 lletDrDed to the f.eIIsIatlYe secretary on tile II day of 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42