Navajo Nation paid $192K to 'stay out' of deal

FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2003

The Navajo Nation's agribusiness was paid $192,000 to "stay out" of a deal over the sale of water from the San Juan River, The Farmington Daily Times reports.

A Navajo chapter president said the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry was given the money by two power plants who in turned purchased water from the Jicarilla Apache Nation. According to a memo from the Navajo Department of Justice, the power plants bought the tribe's "silence."

The Navajo Nation has senior water rights on the river. The tribe is one of several parties to a water sharing agreement recently approve by the state of New Mexico and the federal government.

Get the Story:
Jicarillas sell water to power plants (The Farmington Daily Times 6/13)

Relevant Links:
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org

Related Stories:
State, feds accept water sharing agreement (6/11)
Navajo Nation approves water use agreement (04/18)
Navajo Nation panel to vote on water agreement (4/17)
Editorial: Navajo farmers should cut back on water (04/04)
Navajo farmers offered money for water usage (4/2)
Navajo water agreement not dead, local officials say (03/24)
Navajo Nation panel turns down water deal (3/19)