Navajo Nation is the largest area occupied by Native American Tribes.¹ The Navajo Reservation spans the Colorado Plateau and sprawls across Northeast Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Navajo Nation is famous for the astonishing scenic wonders such as Monument Valley, Shiprock Peak, and Window Rock.² Despite the fact that the surface of the Navajo Reservation is scarce of shrubbery, the rich natural resources underneath Navajo land draw investors’ attention. Over the last century, many companies have come to Navajo Nation and persuaded the Navajo to engage in land development activities such as livestock ranching, uranium mining, and coal mining.³ One of the most famous natural resource developi
Coal mining was one of the United States’ first exploited resources. Today, the United States supplies the rest of the world with about 21% of the distributed coal.¹ Coal is also a large supplier for energy within the United States borders. According to the United States Energy Information Administration, coal accounted for 17.8% of energy consumption in 2017.² It is no surprise that coal companies take advantage of this high demand. While coal can supply the country and the world with the ability to produce a significant amount of energy, it also comes at a price. Air pollution, public health, land disruption, and global warming are a few of the top concerns. Many environmental groups, scie
Maricopa county is one of the most populous in the U.S., and in 2017 grew by over 74,000 people, more than any other county in the nation.¹ Much of that gain went to the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metropolitan area, which takes the title of 11th largest metro area. Phoenix proper was given the distinction of fastest-growing city in the U.S. as well as claiming the 5th spot in the list of the most populous cities. That growth is great for the economy, local businesses and startups, and cultural enrichment. Such an influx of people also means more consumption, of energy, water, and fuel. It’s not surprising that the air quality in densely packed cities is worse than in less-populated areas, and t
A hotbed of controversy lies just 30 miles southeast of Tucson concerning the proposed opening of the Rosemont Copper Mine. The Rosemont Copper Mine is a planned, open-pit copper mine. The plans are currently undergoing a review and permitting process by the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. To say that the permitting and approval process has been going smoothly would be a total falsity. Many environmental and legal activists have taken a stand against the proposed mine because of the potential environmental impacts to the Santa Rita Mountain Range. According to Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, an environmental group, the “open pit for the Rosemont Copper mine will be ex
