By Felicia Fonseca | The Associated Press
The Navajo Nation’s approval of a lease extension for a coal-fired power plant on the reservation came after hours of contentious debate and a slew of amendments. Now, the owners of the Navajo Generating Station must decide whether they can agree to the changes.
The legislation signed by tribal President Ben Shelly on Tuesday extends the lease from 2019 to 2044 and boosts yearly payments to the tribe from $3 million to $43 million. It also provides money for scholarships and gives the Navajo Nation a shot at partial ownership of the power plant near Page.
Lawmakers on Monday tacked on more than a dozen amendments to the lease and accompanying legislation. Among them was the reinstatement of a $1 million signing bonus, a requirement that the power plant owners control fly ash — a byproduct of burning coal that’s not currently regulated by the federal government— and give Navajos preference in employment so long as it’s permitted by federal law.
Also: Interior Department boosts estimates of oil-and-gas resources in North Dakota
