Last week, the U.S. Department of Interior, in conjunction with the Navajo Generating Station and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation conducted a four-city listening tour regarding the future of the NGS.
The tour stopped in Page on Wednesday at the Page Community Center. It had previously visited Phoenix, and after Page went to Kykotsmovi and Window Rock. The Page Community Center was filled to capacity, with the majority of those in attendance men and women with jobs tied to the plant, which included workers from Peabody Energy, which operates the Kayenta coal mine, the boilermaker’s union and others.
The intent of the listening sessions was to provide attendees an opportunity to share with officials from the Department of the Interior their opinions regarding the future of the Navajo Generating Station.
In 2013, the Navajo Nation Council voted to approve an amendment to the 1969 lease, to extend current operations to the end of 2044. But in recent years, the price of natural gas has fallen to record lows making natural gas a viable longer-term and economical alternative to coal power.
But because so many workers will lose their jobs if the plant closes, the Department of the Interior has expressed interest in exploring options to keep NGS open beyond the December 2019 lease expiration.    
Those in attendance were given a three-minute period to address decision-makers with their opinion of why the plant should remain in production or shut down. The vast majority of those in attendance expressed a desire for the power plant to remain open beyond December 2019, the month the plant current lease expires.
The first to express a statement was Chip David, representing Congressman’s Tom O’Halleran’s office, who gave a brief statement saying the congressman was “ready to assist in any way we can.”

Dwight Lomatewa, a Hopi from Hopi and an employee with Peabody Energy, said working at Peabody and being able to provide for his family gave him a sense of pride and purpose, and expressed his desire that NGS will continue to operate long into the future. He was particularly concerned that the already high unemployment rate on the Hopi Reservation would shoot much higher if the plant shuts down.
During the meeting, which lasted for more than three hours, 42 people — welders, chemists, mine workers, mechanics and numerous other trades — stepped up to the microphone and expressed their opinions. Most told of how their job gave them great pride, allowed them to provide for their immediate and extended family, allowed them to send their children to college and how it gave stability to their family and community. Many expressed deep concern that if NGS closes they’ll be forced to travel to find work in their field and how that would disrupt their family and community ties.
Page Mayor Bill Diak and Coconino County Supervisor Lena Fowler both expressed their concern that the closing of NGS will have negative economic impacts on Page and the county. Besides the jobs lost directly from the plant’s closures, other businesses and institutions in Page and the county could see a significant shrinkage of revenue as these wage owners move away to find other employment.
“We are very concerned about NGS’ closure,” said Diak. “Page is an economic base for a large area, from Tuba City north there is no shopping except Page. We have certain businesses that rely on the power plant and those jobs that will not be able to stay open.”
Fowler expressed similar concerns from the county’s perspective.
“I am concerned about the proposed closure of NGS,” she said. “It will impact this area negatively. This is our job generator here. It keeps our families whole.”
Fowler told listeners that she is looking at options to help keep the plant open as well as looking at way to minimize its impacts if it does close.  
The final speaker was Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye, who told those in attendance that he and the Navajo Nation are working hard to keep the plant open if they’re able. Begaye explained in detail what companies he’s been meeting with trying to make that happen.
“Thank you for speaking from your heart,” he said, “from your experiences and the impact that NGS and Peabody has made on your lives. What I really like hearing is that you educated your children and how those children are coming back and helping build this nation to what it should be.”
The tour also heard some dissenting views as well, from people in favor of NGS shutting down. Annie Walker told how her community of Sand Springs (between Tuba City and Leupp) was affected by Peabody.
“Our community went dry,” she said. “There’s arsenic in the water. I don’t think I can ever forgive Peabody for that.”
The public is invited to submit their opinions if they want the plant to remain open beyond 2019 or shut down. To do so, go to ngs@usbr.gov. Comment submissions remain open until June 18, 2017.