Many of the same development vs. environment issues we see in Salem, Massachusetts are repeated for the Navajo who are considering a new coal-fired power plant.
What other forms of energy development are possible: wind, solar? Will the technology provide power relatively cleanly? And should the Navajo be held to a standard higher than that of the rest of America? At least they are actively debating the issues in New Mexico.
As reported in the New York Times, Navajos and Environmentalists Split on Power Plant, leaders of the Navajo Nation are seeking to build a coal-burning power plant at Desert Rock. Other Navajos oppose the plan as a desecration of the land, a threat to local and regional pollution, and as contributing to global warming. The controversy echoes the choices facing groups like the Navajo who could benefit from electrical power, employment, and economic development.