The Hopi Tribe
Media Release
For immediate release: (April 10, 1997). For more information contact
Maxine Namoki at (520) 734-2441, Ext. 106.
Washington, D.C.-Hopi Tribal Chairman Ferrell Secakuku and members of the
Lobby Task Team traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to speak with
legislators on budget allocations for the Turquoise Trail Project.
Chairman Secakuku spoke optimistically, "The trip was fruitful and
we're pleased that funding allocations are being supported for this
project. The Turquoise Trail will benefit both the Hopi and Navajo
tribes."
The Turquoise Trail Project, a joint venture between the Hopi and
Navajo Tribes, began in the early sixties when Peabody Coal Company
secured a lease to mine coal in the Black Mesa area. In negotiations with
Peabody, the two tribes had secured a hiring preference for their tribal
members but at that time there was no direct route to the mine. The Hopi
tribe realized that a road connecting the mine to the communities on the
reservation was needed and that if such a road could be built, it would
meet a variety of needs. Not only would this road provide excess to the
northern part of the reservation where much of the fuel resources (coal,
wood) are located but it would provide an alternative route for travelers
entering Arizona from the Four Corners area. To address this need, the
Hopi Tribe sought funds for the development of the road.
The Hopi Tribe requested for a grant from the Four Corners
Regional Commission to do a study which would identify an alignment, do an
environmental impact statement on the selected alignments, and start the
design for the roadway. The grant was received and preliminary
engineering work was contracted to the Arizona Department of the Arizona
Department of Transportation (ADOT). An alignment for the road was
established and preliminary engineering on the road design begin on the
section of road from the junction at AZ State Route 264 to the Dinebito
Wash approximately 17 miles. The grant ran out in the early part of the
seventies and at that time funding was sought to complete the road.
This second effort was made in cooperation with the Navajo Nation
as the two tribes joined to lobby the Congress for appropriation to
complete the road. With the Assistance of Senator Goldwater, the lobby
successfully had approximately $400,000 appropriated through the Bureau of
Indian Affairs (BIA) which allowed the project to continue. This was
followed by two other appropriations by PL 101-516 for $4,684,0000 on
November 5, 1990 and PL 102-143 for $2,700,0000 on October 20, 1991.
Then in 1991 when ISTES was passed, a totoal of $5,000,000 was
appropriated at $1,000,000 a year through 1997. With these appropriations,
work on the road has been progressing, but because the appropriations have
not come in large amounts, some of the funds have been used to repair the
existing roadway and not on extending the road.
At present, 19 miles of the road has been constructed with a 5
mile extension of the road to be completed this summer. The Hopi Tribe is
still pursuing the completion of the Turquoise Trail. We hope that the
information contained in this document will help you to understand the
great benefits this road will bring not only for our community but to the
entire Northern Arizona region. Your support and efforts to help us
secure funding for this project.