hereās an article about the original thread, including a transcription of the tweets & some context (May 28, 2019)
another article that goes more into the issue of waterĀ (May 28, 2019) (āThe Havasupai Tribe has, in fact, voiced concerns about groundwater pumping near the Grand Canyon. In 2016, the tribe sued the city of Williams and other well owners, saying the drilling of more wells for resorts, developments, theme parks and uranium mines, among other businesses, increasingly threatens the tribeās water. [ā¦] Duthie said those sorts of concerns shouldnāt hinder Stiloās proposal for the hotel on Kotzin Ranch because the company wouldnāt use a well.ā)
as of January 24, 2020, Stilo had submitted aĀ āa revised proposal for roads and utility easements connecting to parcels of land they own that are surrounded by the Kaibab National Forestā (unanimously approved). opening these roads would requireĀ āsome blasting.ā as regards the groundwater:
Gitlin also worried that the new proposal did not adequately protect the areaās groundwater.
The proposal promises that commercial water needs ā which during peak season, would be 275,000 gallons a day ā would have to be hauled in by truck. It still allows āresidential usesā to be met by pumping groundwater.
In the proposal, Stilo offered to agree to a ācomplete prohibitionā on commercial groundwater use, except in the event of ātechnological breakthroughs resulting in proven zero-impact upon groundwater resources.ā
It suggested a restrictive covenant or a conservation easement to enforce that restriction, but itās not clear who would be responsible for that enforcement.
effectively, plans for development are going forward, & previous reassurances that no immediate proposals were being made seem like lies.
itās worth mentioning in light of some other comments going around that the issue here isnāt preserving the untouched pristine beauty of nature or somethingāthis kind of terra nullius-inflected rhetoric in fact relies upon colonialist & genocidal logicābut rather the responsibilities & livelihoods of the people who belong to the land & stand to be harmed by these proposals.
incidentally, the Havasupai Tribe have a COVID-19 relief fund that you can donate to here, in addition to emailing & calling the people listed above.