The Hopi Tribe and the Navajo Nation are working to reopen coal mines in northeastern Arizona that employed hundreds of tribal members and provided revenues for both tribes.

The coal mines were shut down on New Year's Day. Operator Peabody Coal said there was no reason to continue operations because a power plant in Nevada -- the sole purchaser of the coal -- closed down rather than pay for environmental upgrades.

Tribal leaders hope to reopen the mines and the power station and address environmental and other issues. Separately, they are locked in a legal battle with Peabody over royalty rates, a facet not covered in the USA Today story.

A coalition of Indian and non-Indian environmental groups has been fighting to keep the mines closed. They are seeking to force Southern California Edison, the operator of the power plant, to turn over "pollution credits" to finance renewable sources of energy and create jobs.

Get the Story:
Power plant shutdown fuels fight between tribes, utility (USA Today 3/14)

Relevant Links:
Hopi Tribe - http://www.hopi.nsn.us
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org
Peabody Energy - http://www.peabodyenergy.com

Related Stories:
Navajos, Hopis out of work as mine shuts down (01/04)
Former Hopi chair: Hopis force action on Peabody (11/03)
Hopi chairman warns of losses due to plant closure (03/24)
DOI office concludes field hearings on Peabody permit (01/20)
Supreme Court takes action on Indian law cases (01/11)
Decision could keep power plant open past 2005 (12/15)
Top Interior official resigns from Bush administration (12/08)
Peabody takes coal lease dispute to high court (12/01)
Tribes will be hardest hit by power plant closure (10/19)
Company agrees to fund Black Mesa water study (10/14)
Tribes fear shutdown of Peabody's coal mines (08/17)
Peabody loses another round in Navajo coal lease fight (06/16)
Tribes seek conditional permit for generation station (6/15)
Grassroots battle against Peabody sees success (06/07)
Judge won't dismiss Navajo Nation suit against Peabody (04/27)
Peabody continues top-level access at Interior (03/17)
Court opens window for Navajo Nation trust suit (10/27)
Peabody seeks to dismiss Navajo Nation claim (06/18)
Court appears ready to toss Peabody appeal (04/15)
Supreme Court's trust rulings criticized (4/14)
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