The Little Colorado River near Salt Trail Canyon earlier in October 2019. Photo by Delores Aguirre
By William LongReed
It’s been two years since the Navajo Nation Council voted — 16 opposed and 2 in favor — to stop the Grand Canyon East Rim project known as the Grand Canyon Escalade.
The then-Confluence Partners wanted more 400-acres of Navajo land. The partners’ plan included a resort and a gondola that would ferry tourists down the steep, rocky cliffs of the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River.
The Save the Confluence families stood up against big money. The partners, which included our own people, lost “millions” of dollars in their efforts.
The Escalade may be dead, as far as we know. But now, like weeds, have sprung up two proposed dams on the Little Colorado River that would take away land in Bodaway — the same land we fought to preserve during the Escalade debacle. And, there are even more attempts on the horizon looming to take Dine’ land.
I say to the people, be vigilant.
LongReed is from Bodaway/Tuba City.
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