Second Mesa Culture Center Website 2016 (2021)

Tribal code

Ask Donna

What actually matters in this document.

Text

Second Mesa Culture Center Website 2016

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

The 2021 Hopi Tribe

Comprehensive Economic

Development Strategy

U.S. Economic Development Administration

Prepared by:

Hopi Tribe Office of Community Planning and Economic

Development and Land Information Systems

OCPEDLIS

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

About This Update

This 2021 Hopi Tribe Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy is a modest

modification from the similar documents that have been produced by the Hopi Tribe over

the past few years. In other words, most of the content remains unchanged, with a few

modifications and updates.

First, the Resiliency section was revised and updated with additional information.

Second, The Tribal Council Listing (as of 3.18.21) tourism, housing, and water sections

has been updated.

Third, New projects was added to the Strategic Projects section.

Fourth, Information was added regarding jobs and investments (pages 9-10)

Fifth, a section was added on the COVID-19 response and CARES Act spending (pages

34-37)

Sixth, The Action Plan items (Evaluation of Progress on Action Plan and Goals) are on

pages 127-133.

Finally, minor edits were provided throughout the document to increase clarity.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Hopi Tribal Council

Executive Branch

Timothy L. Nuvangyaoma, Hopi Tribal Chairman

Clark W. Tenakhongva, Hopi Vice Chairman

Barbara Lomayestewa, Tribal Secretary

Wilfred L. Gaseoma, Tribal Treasurer

Violet Sinquah, Sergeant at Arms

Village of Bakabi

Velma Kalyesva

Clifford Qotsaquahu

Dwayne Secakuku

Village of Kykotsmovi

David Talyumptewa

Danny Honanie

Phillip Quochytewa, Sr.

Herman G. Honanie

Upper Village of

Moencopi

Michael Elmer

Robert Charley

Philton Talahytewa, Sr.

Hubert Lewis, Sr

Village of Mishongnovi

Village of Sipalouvi

Vacant

Alverna Poneoma

Rosa Honanie

Delores Coochyaptewa

Mervin Yoyetewa

Pansy K. Edmo

First Mesa Consolidated Villages

Albert T. Sinquah

Dale Sinquah

Wallace Youvella, Jr.

THE FOLLOWING VILLAGES CHOOSE TRADITIONAL GOVERNMENT AND DO

NOT HAVE VILLAGE REPRESENTATION ON THE TRIBAL COUNCIL.

Village of Shungopavi

Village of Oraibi

Village of Hotevilla

Village of Lower Moencopi

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Table of Contents

Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................................5

Scope of Plan...............................................................................................................................................................9

Village-based Outreach and Economic Development Priorities ........................................................ 11

Project Implementation Phase ......................................................................................................................... 14

2019 SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................................ 14

Current State of Hopi............................................................................................................................................ 31

Background .............................................................................................................................................................. 31

Strategic Adjustments and Activity Relating to COVID-19 ................................................................... 34

Socio Economic ....................................................................................................................................................... 37

Education .................................................................................................................................................................. 59

Water .......................................................................................................................................................................... 62

Solid Waste ............................................................................................................................................................... 70

Public Utilities ......................................................................................................................................................... 71

Energy ........................................................................................................................................................................ 76

Transportation........................................................................................................................................................ 92

Economic Development ...................................................................................................................................... 95

Land .......................................................................................................................................................................... 104

Department of Natural Resources ............................................................................................................... 113

Economic Resilience .......................................................................................................................................... 114

First Mesa Consolidated Village Priority Projects ................................................................................. 126

Plan of Action for Implementation .............................................................................................................. 127

Appendix A ............................................................................................................................................................ 140

Reservation Vegetation Zones ..................................................................................................................... 142

Paavahu: Water Resources .......................................................................................................................... 146

Tutskwa niqw toko’at: Land and Mineral Resources.......................................................................... 152

Appendix B ............................................................................................................................................................ 164

Key Success Factors Categories. .............................................................................................................. 165

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Executive Summary

The Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (herein after known as

“CEDS”) has been prepared by the Hopi Tribe to serve as a guide to assist the tribe in

promoting greater economic development and economic self-sufficiency for the Hopi

people and their reservation communities. The CEDS examines and evaluates the current

state of the Hopi Tribe’s infrastructure and facilities as necessary components of the tribe’s

overall plan to develop and maintain its reservation lands as a permanent sustainable

homeland for the Hopi people. The CEDS will also identify the economic development

challenges facing Hopi through an examination of the policies and procedures that either

help or hinder Hopi in the pursuit of its strategic objectives, along with an analysis of

proposed projects and their possible impacts on the Tribe’s present and future economic

development and upon its members. The assertion of its sovereignty and establishing a

strong strategic plan and organization, along with good leadership will enhance the ability

of the Hopi Tribe to implement the CEDS framework. The framework or viewpoint of the

CEDS will be to assess the Tribe’s current situation and offer recommendations and

strategies for improving and to continuing a resilient and sustainable Tribal nation. The

CEDS is a living document that reviews all projects whether under EDA or other Federal

funding and actively annually updated by consultant Joelynn Ashley 2015 to 2017. The

tribe intends to review and update the CEDS annually as a collaborative effort lead by

OCPEDLIS.

The CEDS had identified and reviewed the current external national and state

policies regarding climate change and the economic challenges and threats posed by this

issue for the Hopi Tribe through the Clean Air Act (CAA). The national movement has

swayed the pendulum from fossil fuels to renewable energy, given the decline with natural

gas. Having no tax base, the Hopi Tribe over the last 40 years has relied on its Black Mesa

coal leases with Peabody Energy to produce the bulk of its governmental revenues. The

coal revenues have been relied on historically to produce 88%2 of the Hopi Tribe’s General

Fund – the revenues that are used to fund the essential governmental services provided by

Analysis of Economic Impacts on the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation of a Stringent NOx BART Decision for the Navajo Generating

Station, March 1, 2010, Pg. 39. Prepared for the Hopi Tribe. ICF Resources, LLC, Fairfax, VA 22031 Letter Dated March 1, 2010

from Leroy Shingoitewa, Chairman, Hopi Tribal Council, to Jared Blumenfeld, EPA; Document number 0211 in the docent for the

ANPRM: EPA-OAR-2009-0598.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

the Tribe to its people. Fueled by growing concerns over global climate change, dramatic

changes in federal environmental policies with respect to coal-fired energy production pose

huge economic challenges for the Tribe, which will essentially face a collapse of its

economy if its coal sales were to end with a potential closure of the Navajo Generating

Station (NGS) located in Page, Arizona. Note: NGS did close in December 2019.

The Hopi Tribe is among the most underdeveloped and most vulnerable populations

in the United States and has already suffered enough from stringent and inflexible

environmental regulations.3 The shutdown of the Mohave Generating Station (MGS) has

already imposed a highly disproportionate economic burden on the Tribe. The shutdown

of NGS, the sole remaining buyer of Hopi coal after environmental regulations shut down

MGS ten years ago, would devastate the Hopi Tribe…”4 The Hopi have suffered lost the

revenues from MGS, a lost between $3.6 million to $6.8 million5, as a result of these

challenges and that the loss of NGS will spell economic calamity in the absence of

alternative revenue sources and a diversified economy that is not heavily dependent on a

single revenue source.

The CEDS will discuss how the climate change and the change in the energy

industry continues to affect the tribe’s future finances and will review current tribal

policies, plans and proposed projects in light of the challenges posed for the Hopi Tribe by

climate change and the current state of the energy market. In order to deal with the

continued challenges, the Hopi Tribe’s goal will be to increase jobs opportunities, housing,

and overall economic growth by creating and developing a sustainable economy for the

future generations of Hopi members. At the same time, the CEDS must be used to

implement in a way that protects and respects the cultural and natural resources of the Hopi

People, in particular, their land and water.

The CEDS is comprehensive in nature and is intended to create a collective

inventory of the critical needs, projects/problems, and opportunities for a resilient Hopi

economic development plan. The CEDS focuses on the critical need for water, sewer and

electrical infrastructure and need to strengthen the Tribe’s ability to organize and move a

project moving forward towards completion, including actual construction. The strategy

3 Ibid at pg 7.

4 Ibid at pg 7.

5 Ibid at pg 7.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

will incorporate input and guidance from the Hopi Tribe’s Tribal Government, as well as

from the autonomous Hopi Villages, and individual community members.

The Village and Clan authority over lands and sacred sites are included as part of

the CEDS. The CEDS will be utilized as a document not only for planning economic

development, but also as a means of protecting the Village’s right to develop their own

plans for future housing, small to major infrastructure improvements/developments and

other initiatives within each village’s jurisdiction. The Villages are in control of planning

and development, both by growth in housing, or by other economic development. Village

efforts are included into the CEDS so that the document can create awareness for all

members; even where no development is planned, leaving the village to handle its own

growth, according to its own decisions as time goes forward.

The Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy will be a guide for the

Tribal Council, the Villages and the people to be utilized for applying for federal, state,

and local funding opportunities that will assist the tribe in facing the challenges of building

a sustainable homeland in a remote reservation environment with few direct links to the

regional and national economies.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Scope of Plan

This plan has a ten – fifty-year scope and focuses on the essential framework of

where the Tribe and its internal departments and programs will be over the years leading

to the next 2017 CEDS summary through a strategic analysis utilizing the SWOT analysis,

consisting of identifying the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The 2017

CEDS SWOT analysis will then work on identifying the strategic direction and action plan,

followed by an evaluation framework, through various public meetings and work sessions

conducted over a period of time. Each section has identified tribal departments/programs,

which have set a goal and list of priorities that will be setting the short or long terms plans

through the CEDS. The recovery from the projected future loss of the tribe’s coal revenues

will be critical in lessening the economic impacts on the Hopi Tribe and its members. This

plan will serve as the foundation for both direct short term and future long range planning

in that effort.

The CEDS will compile the list or inventory for all major projects and identify the

priority listing for key or necessary projects. Those projects will then be reviewed to

determine their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) through

continued updates for the CEDS.

A CEDS Plan is also concerned with the number of Jobs created/or retained, the

number, types and amount of major investments undertaken in the region, the reduction in

unemployment rates and the number of group business training sessions. This information

has been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic, and by the fact that the Tribe was under

strict lockdown for much of the time that the current CEDS update was put together.

At the same time, there were investments made during this period: The HAMP

(Hopi Arsenic Mitigation Project) which is a $20 million project funded by the federal EPA

(Environmental Protection Agency) and IHS (Indian Health Services) to bring healthy

drinking water to Hopi Villages (pages 30-34); the construction of the Kykotsmovi Travel

Center (pages 65-66); and infrastructure and new modular office development at Turquoise

Wells/ Tawa’ovi. The Hopi tribe is also in the process of finalizing a lease on Tribal fee

simple land for the potential construction of a 100MW solar array.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

These investments created mostly temporary construction jobs. The Kykotsmovi

store, however, will create about seven full-time jobs. Of note is that the Hopi Tribe decided

not to lay-off staff as a result of the coal revenue cutback or COVID-19. There have been

some temporary lay-offs from private businesses on the Reservation during the lockdowns.

The most up-to-date unemployment data that could be found is for 2019 (pages 22-23). No

business workshops were scheduled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the lockdowns.

Looking to the Future

The Hopi Tribe’s elected officials will set the policies and plans that will guide the

departmental staff in implementing strategies aimed at diversifying the tribe’s economy

away from dependency on coal revenues through development of other forms of revenue

income.

By diversifying the tribe’s economy through strategically planned and

implemented economic development, the Hopi Tribal Council will have the opportunity to

create a self-sustaining economy that reflects the core Hopi traditional and cultural values

that have sustained the Hopi in their homeland over many hundreds of years. The approach

will be to set goals/recommendations to implement the work.

Community and Economic Development Strategies



Energy and Renewable Energy Development



Businesses such as Solar and/or Wind Development



Eco and Cultural Tourism “Center of the World” concept



Tawa’ovi as a main destination



Traveling Tourists visit to a Hopi Visitor Center



Traditional Hopi Farming



Light industrial and manufacturing



Hopi Constitution and creating a tax base



Hopi Tribe Gaming



Hopi Business Council



Hopi Tribe Elections and Terms

Improvement to the Quality of Life

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy



Safe Drinking Water



Housing



Veterans Center



Senior Citizen Center



Youth Center and/or Boys and Girls Club



Self-Sustaining Hopi Tribal Utility Authority



Utility infrastructure (water, sewer and energy

The vision statement, goals and objective should respond to the analysis of the area’s

development potential and problems (i.e., SWOT analysis). The goals should reflect the

desires of most regional stakeholders and should also be realistic and limited to a

manageable number.6 Some should address things that can be realized within a short

period of time, while others require a longer period for implementation. The vision,

goals, and measurable objectives will provide a strategic framework for public and tribal

decision-making and serve as the basis for the formulation and focus of the action plan.

Village-based Outreach and Economic Development Priorities

The Hopi Tribe engaged the services of consultants to assist Hopi Villages to identify and

implement projects that address the pending jobs and budgetary crisis stemming from the

probable closure of the Peabody Mine. This work was conducted from December 2017 through

September 2018. In total, over 40 face-to-face meetings were held with Village leaders, staff and

volunteers.

The table on the next page shows the meeting activity for the 11 Villages/Communities that chose

to participate in the process.

Outreach Meetings

Village/Community

December

5-7, 2017

January

23-26,

2018

March

12-15,

2018

April

17-19,

2018

May

15-18,

2018

June

11-15,

2018



July 24-26,

August 1,

2018



Bacavi

Lower Moencopi

Kykotsmovi



Mishongnovi

Sichomovi

Sipaulovi



Shungopavi

Spider Mound

Tewa



August

27, 2018



CEDS Content Guidelines FY 2015 pdf.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Upper Moenkopi

Walpi



When the outreach process ended in September of 2018, the 11 Villages were in various stages

with respect to project selection and implementation. In addition, the respective priority projects

would require a variety of economic development services as shown in the table below

(business/marketing, capacity building, engineering analysis, grant writing, housing assessment,

land use planning, project development, strategic planning and Village outreach.)

Prioritization of Projects (as of September 2018)

Bacavi

Hotevilla

Kykotsmovi

Lower Moencopi

Village

Mishongnovi

Shungopavi

Sichomovi

Sipaulovi

Spider Mound

Tewa

Upper Moenkopi

Village

Walpi

Multiple-Village

Services

Five projects are in the preliminary

discussion stages

Outreach efforts to engage the Village

have yet to result in a meeting.

Land Use Plan including community

mapping and land ownership

Poosiwlelena project development

Hydroponics project development

The first meeting with Mishongnovi

Village took place in July 2018

Grinding Mill project

Tourism Development Strategy

Mesa geologic analysis and

recommendations

Marketplace Project

Update Master Land Use Plan

Eight projects are in the preliminary

discussion stages

Administrative office space project

Outhouse system

Joint Village Strategic Plan

Hopi Tourism Strategic Plan

Although funding was not available to extend the Village outreach effort into a project

implementation phase, many of the priority projects still remain intact and could benefit from

such economic development expertise. The table below shows the type of activity necessary to

advance Village-based priorities.

Phase Three Workplan

Village Outreach

Strategic Planning

Project Development

Land Use Planning

Housing Assessment

Grant Writing

Engineering Analysis

Action Item

Capacity Building

Village/

Community

Business/Marketing

Type of Service

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Village

Priority

Bacavi

Yet to officially designate

priority project

Hotevilla

Kykotsmovi

Lower

Moenkopi

Village

Still awaiting invitation for

first meeting; no projects

identified

Land use plan including

community mapping and

land ownership

identification

Poosiwlelena project

development

Hydroponics project

development

Mishongnovi

Shungopavi

Yet to officially designate

priority project

Grinding Mill Business Plan

Tourism development

strategy

Sichomovi

Mesa geological analysis

Sipaulovi

Marketplace project

Spider Mound

Updated Land Use Plan

Tewa

Eight projects are under

consideration as the priority

project for Tewa.

Projected Activity

Offering business planning assistance to the

Community Service Administrator for a

preliminary/confidential agriculture-related business

development project.

To be determined.

Drone-based mapping services were completed; final

Land Use Plan yet to be delivered

Existing project documentation has been reviewed;

initial work has been completed to refine the project

location parameters. Continued development of the

project should be conducted as a part of a broader

commitment to address the land and infrastructure

requirements for the project.

Funding from the Economic Development

Administration (EDA) Assisting Coal Communities

(ACC) has been committed to the Hopi Tribe for this

project. Feasibility analysis will be completed in

calendar year 2019.

To be determined.

The project priority was changed in the Summer of

2018 from “water filtration project” to “grinding mill.”

The next step for the project might be the development

of a business plan.

This project has been funded by the Economic

Development Administration (EDA) Assisting Coal

Communities (ACC) program. The Tourism Strategic

Plan is anticipated to be completed during calendar

year 2019.

Outreach has been conducted to the United States

Geological Survey (USGS). Pending the response

from USGS and potentially from universities, this

analysis may proceed.

Up through August 2018, it was presumed that this

project would be positioned for a grant request for

Indian Community Development Block Grant

(ICDBG) funding. Potential conflicts amongst

Villages and Clans caused the project not to be

submitted for ICDBG funding in early 2019. This

situation is in flux at the moment.

The drone-based mapping activity has been completed

and a report is in process for Yuwehloo Pahki

Community. This will enable their engagement with

the Joint Village Strategic Plan (JVSP) to be more

successful.

Awaiting invitation by Village to focus upon project

selection and implementation.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Upper

Moenkopi

Village

Administrative office space

project

Walpi

Outhouse system

The Village is coordinating with the Tribe to gain

consensus on the historic ownership situation of the

building and any current environmental hazards

(asbestos, for example). Grant writing services for the

project can begin once preliminary issues are resolved.

Assistance is being provided to understand outhouse

system alternatives and funding sources. Grant

writing services can then be offered.

Project Implementation Phase

Given that considerable groundwork has been accomplished in collaboration with

Hopi Villages and Communities, it is recommended that “Phase Three/Implementation”

commence once funding sources are available for the project. Although the 2018 USDA

Rural Development Communities Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant (CF

TAT) was not approved, a 2019 application would enable this Implementation Phase to

commence. Other funding sources might also be available for the project Implementation

Phase.

2019 SWOT Analysis

The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) content guidelines

require that a SWOT Analysis be completed. A SWOT Analysis is defined as “an indepth analysis of regional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.”

The Hopi Tribe utilized an enhancement to the traditional SWOT Analysis which

is referred to as the Key Success Factor Analysis (KSFA). The KSFA recognizes that all

communities have 88 Key Success Factors that are relevant to the successful

implementation to one or more of 25 economic development strategies. These economic

development strategies are options that tribes, communities and regions can select to

improve their economic condition and overall quality of life.

On Thursday, April 18, 2019, the Hopi Office of Community Planning and

Economic Development and Land Information Services (OCPEDLIS) participated in a

session with the Community Service Administrators (CSAs) to conduct the KSFA.

Although Village members and leaders may have differing viewpoints from the CSAs,

the CSAs provide an informed audience in which to conduct the analysis. In general,

CSAs are aware of the opportunities, challenges and priorities of their Village, and have

administrative skills to support such priorities.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Each of the CSAs in attendance were furnished an electronic response card (i.e.

“clicker”) and presented with a 285-slide presentation which basically asks one question

relevant to each Key Success Factor: “does Hopi have a relative comparative advantage

or disadvantage with respect to x.” Each of the CSAs weighed in with their individual

response to this question which was asked for each of the 88 Key Success Factors.

The 88 Key Success Factors are divided into seven KSF Categories: Assets,

Capital, Expertise, Government, Infrastructure, Land and Location.

The results of the KSFA are presented in the following table. The most frequent

(modal) response is bolded and shaded.

Results of Key Success Factor Analysis

Legend:

A = Strong Comparative Advantage; B = Slight Comparative Advantage; C = No Comparative Advantage or

Disadvantage; D = Slight Comparative Disadvantage; E = Significant Comparative Disadvantage.

Category

Assets

Key Success Factor

Quality Residential Neighborhoods

Accurate, long-term analysis of infrastructure needs

and costs

Availability of energy resources

Available, desirable housing

Desirable climate

Existence of recreational amenities

Existing or prospective cultural attraction

Expandable educational institution

Financially sound existing health care facility

High availability of urban services

Local recreational and visitor attractions

Proximity and access to forests and forest products

Proximity to fisheries commodities

Proximity to large volumes of agricultural

commodities

Proximity to nationally recognized attractions

Proximity to raw materials and minerals

Proximity to travel routes

Proximity to urban populations and workforce

centers

Recognizable central business district/downtown

Sufficient base of local businesses

Sufficient local entrepreneurial base

18 27

25 75

40 50

55 27

27 64

27 18

9 64

0 100

36 64

Capital

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

22 Insulation from industrial business annoyances

Ability to secure long-term contracts for forest

materials

24 Ability to secure power-purchase agreements

25 Access to small business financing

26 Access to large-scale capital

27 Access to long-term infrastructure loans and grants

28 Availability of appropriated funds

29 Competitive recruitment incentives

Dedicated local financial resources for staffing

recruiters

31 Local funding for downtown development

Sufficient marketing, promotion, or public relations

32 budget

Expertise

Ability to build a team comprised of energydevelopment experts

Ability to compete in a global market

Ability to identify product and service gaps

Ability to network and attend relevant trade shows

Ability to successfully market materials

Ability to understand industry trends and

opportunities

Capable, experienced economic development

professionals

Competent, strategic-minded hospital and health care

executives

Cooperation of economic development staff and

educational community

Cultural development and advocacy organization

Dedicated business coaching staff

Downtown organization and staff

Existing excellence in local health care

Implementation of national Main Street Four-Point

Approach

Local ability to identify and advance a funding

proposal

Relationship with site selectors

Relative sophistication in coordinating and

marketing local events

Sophisticated tourism development promotion

Sophisticated use of the internet for marketing

Staff focused on attracting retirees and/or lone eagles

Support from local education professionals at all

levels

0 100

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Government

Labor

Infrastructure

Supportive post-secondary education training

program

Team approach to infrastructure finance

Active engagement of downtown buildings and

business owners

Community acceptance of the visitor industry

Community support for needed infrastructure rate

increases

Favorable state policies with respect to office

locations

Local focus on revenues from visitors

Local government support

Local pro-business climate

Projected growth in government budgets

Strong community support

Strong relations between economic development

organization and local businesses

Strong state and/or federal legislative delegation

Support for attracting retirees

Support from local businesses

Local policies and ordinances supporting quality

neighborhood development

Supportive state energy policies and incentives

Adequate housing for labor force

Adequate telecommunications infrastructure

Availability of brownfield sites

Availability of industrially-zoned land for industrial

park development

Availability of land for business prospects

Availability of local buildings

Availability of local infrastructure

Excess water and sewer infrastructure capacity

High-speed Internet

Land/Buildings/Campus for education development

Proximity to transmission lines with excess capacity

Local, available, low-skill labor pool

Local, available, high-skill labor pool

Advantageous location for government or education

expansion

Prospect of an expanded geographic market for

health care

Proximity and access to markets

Proximity to scheduled air service

Strategic location for distribution centers

0 100

9 91

50 50

25 17

9 73

0 100

10 80

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

As described in the Hopi Tribe Prioritized Strategy Report (PSR), each of the 25

economic development strategies (which are described in Appendix B) have been scored

on a scale of 0-100 based on the results of the KSFA administered to the Community

Service Administrators. The scores range from ‘0’ for two strategies (Downtown

Development and Infrastructure Development) to ‘58’ for Cultural Tourism. In general,

strategies that score ‘75’ points and above as “recommended,” scores between ‘60’ and

‘74’ as “borderline” and scores under ‘60’ as “challenging.” As such, all 25 of the

economic development strategies are scored as “challenging.” This may not be

surprising given the remote location of Hopi as well as the absence of infrastructure and

many of the other attributes necessary for successful economic development activities.

Three of the strategies score in the ‘50s,’ including Cultural Tourism, Valueadded Mining and Local/Regional Tourism. Successful implementation of these

strategies may prove to be “less challenging” than others based upon the KSFA. A fourth

strategy, Destination Tourism, scores a ’40.’ Based upon the international reputation of

the Hopi Tribe and tribes of the southwestern United States, Hopi may have an

opportunity to successfully implement this strategy.

All of the other strategies score 34 points or lower. This result, especially when

combined with the effects of many of the traditional ceremonial practices and beliefs of

the Hopi Tribe, underscores the challenge of successful economic development at Hopi.

Hopi Tribe Prioritized Strategy Report

Strategy

Score

Strategy Group

Cultural Tourism

Tourism

Value-added Mining

Value-added

Local/Regional Tourism

Tourism

Destination Tourism

Tourism

Energy Development

Sector-specific

Environmental Restoration

Sector-specific

Health Care Expansion

Community Development

Logistics Centers

Sector-specific

Attracting Government Jobs

Other

Attracting Funding

Other

Value-added Agriculture

Value-added

Education Development

Community Development

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Bedroom Community Development

Community Development

Business Recruitment

General Business

Pass-through Visitor Services

Tourism

Entrepreneurial Development

General Business

Business Cultivation

General Business

Leading-edge Development

Sector-specific

Attracting Lone Eagles

Other

Business Retention and Expansion

General Business

Value-added Fisheries

Value-added

Value-added Forest Products

Value-added

Attracting Retirees

Other

Downtown Development

Community Development

Infrastructure Development

Other

*An analysis of this report, showing the “categories” of Key Success Factors is shown

in Appendix B at the back of this CEDS document.

Strategy-based SWOT Analysis. The “SWOT Analysis” performed through the KSFA

process is somewhat different than the traditional approach. Rather than identifying

the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the Tribe in general (or to

communities in general), such strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are

considered specific to the 25 strategies available to communities for economic

development.

For example, the table shows the “strengths” and “challenges” with respect to the Hopi

Tribe implementing a Business Recruitment strategy. The table shows that the number

of strengths (three) is significantly smaller than the number of challenges (15). So, of

the 18 Key Success Factors necessary for the Tribe to successfully implement a

Business Recruitment strategy, fully 15 of the factors are comparative disadvantages.

And of those 15, 10 of them are “major” comparative disadvantages. In short, the Hopi

Tribe will have a significant challenge implementing a traditional Business

Recruitment approach. This information not only suggests the overall challenge of

implementing the strategy, but it also targets the factors that must be overcome in order

to proceed with successful strategy implementation. A similar table can be made

available for all strategies.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Business Recruitment

STRENGTHS TO BUILD UPON

Major Comparative Advantages

Slight Comparative Advantages

 Local, available, low-skill labor pool

 Availability of land for business prospects

 Strong community support

CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME

Major Comparative Disadvantages

Slight Comparative Disadvantages

 Sophisticated use of the internet for

marketing

 Capable, experienced economic

development professionals

 Support from local businesses

 Availability of local infrastructure

 Local, available, high-skill labor pool

 Access to large scale capital

 Dedicated local financial resources for

staffing recruiters

 Proximity and access to markets

 Proximity to scheduled air services

 Ability to compete in a global market

 Competitive recruitment incentives

 Relationship with site selectors

 Local government support

 Ability to network and attend relevant

trade shows

 Availability of local buildings

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Introduction

The Hopi Tribe’s Office of Community Planning and Economic Development

(OCPED) has secured a grant through the U.S. Department of Economic Development

Administration. The objective of the grant has been to help the Hopi Tribe update the Hopi

Tribe Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The Hopi Tribe has faced

a series of events that have led the Hopi Tribe’s Tribal Revenue to dwindle due to national

and local policies surrounding the sale of the Hopi coal.

With the close of the Mohave Generating Station (MGS) in 2005, the Hopi Tribe

suffered a devastating economic loss of many millions of dollars previously generated by

coal sales to MGS. The Black Mesa mining operation supplied coal to the Mohave

Generating Station from 1970 until December 2005, when the Black Mesa mining

operation ceased delivering coal due to the suspension of Mohave Generating Station

operation.7 The Hopi Tribe is the tribe most dependent on a single source of coal revenues

in the United States.8 The Hopi Tribe must emphasize once more: the shut-down of NGS,

the only remaining buyer of Hopi coal after environmental regulations shut down the

Mohave Generating Station, would devastate the Hopi Tribe and greatly harm the Navajo

Nation.9

The Hopi Tribe has never recovered from the economic impacts of the lost MGS

revenues. Since 2010, the Hopi Tribe’s comments on Climate Change Legislation and to

the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency In Re the Environmental Protection Agency’s

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Best Available Retrofit Technology

for Nitrogen Oxide Emissions at the Navajo Generating Station Docket Number EPA-R09OAR-2009-0598, have stressed the economic relationship of the Tribe to the Navajo

Generating Station (NGS).

The March 2010 report prepared by the Hopi Tribe, and the ICF International

Report on the Analysis of Economic Impacts on the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation of a

Black Mesa Project EIS, ES-3 Executive Summary, November 2008.

8 Analysis of Economic Impacts on the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation of a Stringent NOx BART Decision for the Navajo Generating

Station, March 1, 2010, Pg. 38. Prepared for the Hopi Tribe. ICF Resources, LLC, Fairfax, VA 22031. Letter Dated March 1, 2010

from Leroy Shingoitewa, Chairman, Hopi Tribal Council, to Jared Blumenfeld, EPA; Document number 0211 in the docent for the

ANPRM: EPA-OAR-2009-0598.

Ibid at pg. 38

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Stringent NOx BART Decision for the Navajo Generating Station, March 1, 2010 10

provided an overview of the tribe’s historical economic relationship to the NGS plant.

National Climate Change Policy has hit the Hopi Tribe once with the closure of MGS; the

next chapter may well see those negative economic impacts magnified many times over if,

as may be likely, the NGS plant eventually faces the same fate as MGS back in 2005.

NGS closed in December 2019. The Hopi Tribe will directly lose 544 jobs and

indirectly between 816-1,360 jobs. That will total 1,360 – 1,904 of jobs lost from the NGS

plant closure. The total in payroll and benefits will be a total in 2009 dollars $8 million

dollars for the Hopi Tribe. NGS and Federal Resource Planning Volume 1: Sectoral,

Technical and Economic Trends Report by NREL, November 2016 states: (1) Electricity

produced at NGS is currently more expensive than electricity purchased on the wholesale

spot market; (2) Loss of revenue from surplus NGS power sales could harm water delivery

and economic development, which is called the Arizona Water Banking Authority

(AWBA), affecting future Federal Indian Water Rights Settlements; (3) Renewable

energy, both utility scale wind and solar is in decline; (4) Arizona does have some

productive solar resource potential in the U.S.; and (5) However, the State of Arizona

continues to push for new developments of solar, wind and geothermal generation, which

could all be used as part of the NGS transition strategy.

A recent report titled, Navajo Generating Station (NGS) and Federal Resource

Planning Volume 1: Sectoral, Technical, and Economic Trends prepared by National

Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), November 2016 was generated to work with

stakeholders to develop a Navajo Generating Station roadmap.11 The NGS Working Group

intends to work with stakeholders, including NGS plant owners, Navajo Nation, Hopi

Tribe, CAP, Gila River Indian Community and other Arizona Indian tribes who receive

water from CAP, non-Indian CAP water users, and environmental and community groups,

to develop a roadmap for accomplishing the goals described above.12 The roadmap should

include action recommendations and initial steps to begin implementing key

Analysis of Economic Impacts on the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation of a Stringent NOx BART Decision for the Navajo Generating

Station, March 1, 2010. Prepared for the Hopi Tribe. ICF Resources, LLC, Fairfax, VA 22031 Letter Dated March 1, 2010 from

Leroy Shingoitewa, Chairman, Hopi Tribal Council, to Jared Blumenfeld, EPA; Document number 0211 in the docent for the

ANPRM: EPA-OAR-2009-0598.

Navajo Generating Station & Federal Resource Planning Volume 1: Sectoral, Technical, and Economic Trends. November 2016

Prepared by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) pg. iv.

Ibid at pg. iv.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

recommendations.13 It should be consistent with Federal trust responsibilities to federally

recognize Indian tribes in the region1. 14 The discussion with the stakeholders had met on

January 4, 2013, the Department of the Interior, Department of Energy, and the

Environmental Protection Agency formed a working group and released a Joint Federal

Agency Statement that committed to a broad set of long-term goals for ‘producing clean,

affordable, and reliable power, affordable and sustainable water supplies, and sustainable

economic development, while maximizing negative impacts on those who currently obtain

significant benefits from NGS, including tribal nations.”15

July 1, 2017, the NGS agreements to allow for decommissioning after 2019 must

be executed by the Navajo Nation and delivered to NGS participants. December 1, 2017,

all necessary approvals of those agreements must be received, including any compliance

required by U.S. December 22, 2019, unless agreements have been executed and all

necessary approvals obtained to transfer ownership and operation of NGS to the Navajo

Nation or other parties, decommissioning activities will commence.

The Navajo Generating Station (NGS) is a three-unit, 2,250 megawatt (MW) coalfired power plant located on tribal trust lands lease from the Navajo Nation (Nation) near

Page, Arizona. 16 The plant operates pursuant to the “Navajo Project Indenture Lease”

(1969 Lease), which expires in December 2019.17 In February 2017, the non-Federal NGS

Participants (utility owners known as the Lessees) announced they no longer intend to

operate NGS after December 2019.18 The 1969 Lease generally requires the retirement19

of certain NGS facilities after operations end, and the Lessees expect that retirement

activities will require two or more years to complete.20 The NGS Lessees are in ongoing

discussions with the Nation for a land use arrangement to allow NGS operations to continue

through December 2019, and have retirement activities begin in 2020.21 Without such an

Ibid at pg. iv.

Memorandum: Public Scoping for an Environmental Assessment Covering Navajo Generating Station Operations Through

December 2019 and Retirement Activities Beginning in 2020 (Action by June 9, 2017), May 23, 2017 Pages 1-3.

Ibid at pg. 1

“Retirement” in this document refers to all work that will occur on the NGS lease site after power generation ends, including:

decommissioning, demolition, and removal of facilities, restoration of lands, post-closure monitoring, and access. Retirement does not

include reclamation activities associated with the Kayenta Mine, as required by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act and

as detailed the approved reclamation plan.

Memorandum: Public Scoping for an Environmental Assessment Covering Navajo Generating Station Operations Through

December 2019 and Retirement Activities Beginning in 2020 (Action by June 9, 2017), May 23, 2017 Pages 1

Ibid at pg. 1.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

agreement, NGS would need to stop generating electricity by December 2017, so that

retirement could be completed before the 1969 Lease expires in December 2019.22

The NGS Lessees and the Navajo Nation are considering options that would allow

NGS operations to continue through December 2019, and provide for retirement beginning

in January 2020. 23 Associated transmission uses also are being considered. 24 These

matters are the subject of ongoing negotiations between the Navajo Nation and the NGS

operator, the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement, and Power District (SRP).25

The form and terms of a potential agreement, are unknown at this time. Regardless of the

form and terms of a potential agreement, the current Lessees do not plan on to generate

coal-fired electrical energy at NGS after December 2019. 26 Note: NGS did close in

December 2019.

National coal fired energy sales and national climate policy will eventually affect a

major key aspect of the Hopi economy – the reliable source of electrical energy currently

delivered to the reservation from the Arizona Public Service (APS) coal-fired power plant

located in Joseph City, Arizona. This energy supply is delivered to the Hopi Tribe through

a single 64 KV line to a small substation located in Keams Canyon Arizona. This

substation then feeds one single line, with many spurs off the line from Keams Canyon to

Third Mesa. National policy will take a heavy toll on the Hopi tribe, creating both the

challenge and the urgency to create and implement an independent economic development

strategic plan over the course of the next ten – fifty years.

The Hopi Tribal Government and its elected officials recognize that the urgency to

commit the Tribe to reviewing and considering other options that will either diversify its

coal revenues through developing avenues into other markets for its coal, -knowing well

the foreseen closure of NGS at the end of December 2019 through the development of other

economic development revenue sources through renewable energy such as solar and/or

wind.

Proposed projects will be identified with a necessity to set priorities for

implementation in the near future. The Hopi Tribe CEDS will identify possible future

Ibid at pg. 1.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

projects to increase employment and create a quality of life for all ages of Hopi Tribal

members.

Hopi Tribal Organization

Hopi Tribal Government existed for many hundreds of years before the founding

of the United States. Hopi governmental authority was traditionally exercised at the local

village level through the religious leadership. In 1934 the Hopi chose to organize under a

constitutional form of government under federal legislation known as “the Indian

Reorganization Act of 1934”. The Hopi Constitution established the Hopi Tribal Council

as the governing body for all issues affecting the Tribe as a whole, while local matters were

largely left to the village governments.

Hopi Traditional Sovereignty

As stated in one report concerning traditional Hopi government structure, “They

remained largely self-sufficient communities, an agricultural and pastoral society under the

leadership of village governments, each village continuing to exist as an independent

sovereignty. Being a profoundly religious people, each Hopi Village government was

headed by its principal spiritual leader, the Kikmongwi. The Kikmongwis and other

religious leaders chosen by the various clans governed the religious and secular life of the

village as their ancestors had for centuries before. Under the Hopi system, property rights

were determined village by village, according to clan membership as determined by a

system of matrilineal descent.”27

Hopi Tribal Constitutional Government

Following a vote by the Hopi people adopting a constitution, on December 19,

1936, (As Amended on August 1, 1969; February 14, 1980 and December 7, 1993); the

U.S. Secretary of the Interior approved a constitution for the Hopi Tribe under the Indian

Reorganization Act of 1934. The Hopi Constitution established the Hopi Tribal Council

and gave it the responsibility to protect traditional Hopi lands and its people, and to carry

Report to the Hopi Kikmongwis and other Traditional Hopi Leaders on Docket 196 and the Continuing Threat to Hopi Land and

Sovereignty. (1979). Indian Law Resource Center: Washington, D.C.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

out the tribe’s government-to-government relationship with the United States. The Hopi

Constitution provides in Article III – Organization, that the following (list) villages are

recognized: First Mesa (consolidated villages of Walpi, Shitchumovi, and Tewa);

Mishongnovi, Sipaulavi, Shungopavi; Oraibi, Kykotsmovi, Bakabi, Hotevilla and

Moenkopi.28

By organizing the Hopi Tribal Council, the Traditional Villages did not accept the

modern form of government as reported back to the U.S. Federal Government. The

traditional long-standing sovereignty of each village by way of the Kikmongwi had been

challenged. Today, as recognized in the current Hopi Tribal Council organizational chart:

the First Mesa Consolidated Villages: Walpi, Sichomovi, Tewa; Village of Shungopavi;

Village of Oraibi; Village of Hotevilla and the Village of Lower Moencopi remain constant

to historical and cultural religious beliefs of the traditional Kikmongwi.

Villages

All Hopi villages seem to be experiencing annual population growth.

The

traditional villages must deal with land ownership issues, of which are complicated in

nature when it comes to clan, farm, home and/or village lands. However, under the Hopi

Tribal government, some lands are being set aside for future communities that do not fall

under strict land classifications per the traditional Kikmongwi. With this parallel plan for

future economic development, the difficult dilemma facing the Hopi people is the task of

maintaining Hopi values and other community values, while living and operating within a

larger, more dominant society characterized by an entirely different set of values. 29

Finding a delicate balance to co-exist within the two worlds is difficult but necessary to

achieve the Tribe’s vision for the future without having to sacrifice the Hopi way.30

However, as such, the Hopi constitution’s concept of the “majority rule” defined

by the U.S. Government, can sometimes lead to tensions between the council’s leadership

and that of the village leaders. The western principle of “majority rule”, by empowering

the Council to make decisions by majority vote, rather than through the traditional religious

Constitution and By-Laws of the Hopi Tribe Approved 19, 1936 and as Amended on August 1, 1969, February 14, 1980 and

December 7, 1993. United States Department of Interior Office of Indian Affairs.

Hopi Potskwaniat, November 29, 2011, pg 11.

Ibid at pg 1.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

leadership, was viewed by many Hopi as undercutting the rightful authority of the

traditional Kikmongwi. Meanwhile, the “two world” concept is developing as a new way

for villages to move forward into the future with ideas in developing new housing, schools,

and small to large economic ventures, while at the same time remaining true to fundamental

religious practices and teachings. Today, many villages continue to practice the traditional

form of leadership and do not have elected individuals representing them on the Hopi

Tribal Council. The “majority rule” western perception continues to be a point of

contention when long time respect and understanding for the Kikmongwi traditional

knowledge and ways have been in existence for hundreds of years prior to the “majority

vote”.31

Village Government

The Hopi Constitution states under Article VII – Land, Section 1. Assignment of

use of farming land within the traditional clan holdings of Villages, as recognized by the

Constitution, shall be made by each village according to its established custom, or such

rules as it may lay down under a village Constitution adopted according to the provisions

of Article III, Section 4. Unoccupied land beyond the clan and village holdings mentioned

shall be open to the use of any member of the Tribe, under the supervision of the Tribal

Council. 32 Each village has either a Community Service Administrator or appointed

individual(s) as representatives to handle daily village matters.

Tribal Government

As the Hopi Constitution reads in the Preamble: This Constitution, to be known as

the Constitution and By-Laws of the Hopi Tribe, is adopted by the self-governing Hopi and

Tewa villages of Arizona to provide a way of working together for peace and agreement

between the villages, and of preserving the good things of Hopi life, and to provide a way

Note: The Hopi Tribal Government and its relationship to the various sovereign villages continue to have a variety of interpretations

when dealing with who is a representative from a traditional village; either through a majority vote ruling or a kikmongwi

appointment. This causes government to move slowly in its need to create a self-reliant government and economy. Voting is a

challenge when many do not even come out to vote in Tribal elections.

Constitution and By-Laws of the Hopi Tribe Approved 19, 1936 and as Amended on August 1, 1969, February 14, 1980 and

December 7, 1993. United States Department of Interior Office of Indian Affairs.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

of organizing to deal with modern problems, with the United States Government and with

the outside world generally.33

The Hopi Tribal Council votes to make tribal law/tribal ordinances and policy and

conducts the day-to-day tribal business for both tribal village matters to the governmentto-government relationships with the state and federal entities before the Hopi Tribal

Council.

The Tribal Council includes a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and

Treasurer and Village representatives based on the population of each village.

The Hopi Tribal Council recently adopted the Hopi Tribal Government

Organizational Chart and Hopi Tribal Council Policy Statement Establishing Hopi Tribal

Government Organizational Structure and Function, including appropriate funding to fully

implement the new Organization Plan to become effective January 1, 2016; and hereby

rescinds Resolution H-017-2001 and shall supersede and replace all prior resolutions that

are inconsistent or in conflict with the intent, purpose and provisions of this Resolution.34

Constitution and By-Laws of the Hopi Tribe Approved 19, 1936 and as Amended on August 1, 1969, February 14, 1980 and

December 7, 1993. United States Department of Interior Office of Indian Affairs.

Hopi Tribe Memorandum dated November 30, 2015, Approval of Hopi Tribal Government Organizational Chart and Hopi Tribal

Council Policy Statement – A.I. #142-2015/Resolution H-118-2015.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Hopi Tribal Council Resolution H-118-201535

November 30, 2015, the Hopi Tribal Council approved the Hopi Tribal Resolution H-1182015.

The proposed reorganizational changes had been set below in two phases where the

Hopi Tribal Government, worked to implement over time. Each of the phases has been

completed with the approved H-118-2015 resolution.

Phase I:



The Vice Chairman has no direct authority over the departments/programs that

were under the office from the last reorganization of 1988/1989.

The Council in the reorganization has created the Chief Executive

Officer/Executive

Director

(CEO/ED)

the

direct

line

authority/supervision/accountability of all Department Managers and Directors.

Departments include: Department of Natural Resources; Department of

Community Health; and Department of Social Services;

35 Note: Exhibit A: Currently the Hopi Tribal Council Reorganizational Chart is being reviewed for policy changes to implement

Phase II of the organizational chart.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Two Departments were abolished: Department of Human Services (DHS) and

Tribal Department Manager.

 Three Departments realigned as separate departments are: Department of

Education; Department of Social Services and Community Health Services.

Phase II:



Two new Departments include: Public Works and Public Safety & Emergency

Services.

The CEO/ED has oversight of Administrative and Technical Services offices: the

Offices of Finance, Human Services (Personnel), Management Information

Systems (MIS) under the Hopi Office of Community Planning and Economic

Development (OCPED).

The Office of Realty Services; reporting as a department to the CEO/ED.

(Phase II is currently being reviewed by Hopi Tribal Council task team.)

Hopi Tribal Council H-118-2015 effective January 1, 2016

The Hopi Tribe, Executive Branch is accountable for implementing the laws, policies

and ordinances approved and/or adopted by the Tribal Council. The Chairman and/or in

his absence the Vice Chairman is responsible to conduct the day-to-day business of the

Hopi Tribal government. The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing all tribal

departments and programs. The Executive Director reports to the Hopi Tribal Council.

The executive branch approvals include but are not limited to economic development,

health, education, administrative services and support, natural resources and financial

management. With approved H-118-2015, the various committees reside under the Tribal

Council consisting of: Hopi Tribal Housing Authority (HTHA), Hopi Education

Endowment Fund (HEEF), Hopi Tribe Economic Development Corporation (HTEDC),

Hopi Telecommunications, Inc, (HTI), Hopi Three Canyon Ranch, LLC, Hopi Credit

Association, Hopi Board of Education, Election Board, Veterans Affairs, and Tutuveni.

The Hopi Tribe, Legislative Brach consists of the Standing Committees, Sergeant-atArms, Tribal Treasurer with the Revenue Commission and Tribal Council Secretary. The

Standing Committees consist of: Land Committee (H-13-98; H-30-2016), Water and

Energy Committee, Transportation Committee, Law and Order Committee and the Health

and Education Committee.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

The Hopi Tribe, Judicial Branch and court system interpret the Hopi Tribe’s

Constitution and enforce the tribe’s ordinances and laws.

Current State of Hopi

The current state of the Hopi Tribe’s investments has created a base or foundation

to begin creating jobs. Hopi continues to lag behind other surrounding communities, such

as neighboring communities on the Navajo Nation and other bordering towns. The

possibilities and need for economic growth are clearly apparent when driving through the

Hopi reservation, where only a few restaurants, grocery stores or even gas stations exist.

The Hopi Government and surrounding villages rely heavily on federal funds for support.

The Hopi government maintains all Indian Education and Self-Determination Act Public

Law (P.L.) 93-638 funds that are in the form of contracts for various projects for Hopi.

Other funds from the federal government constitute valuable sources of tribal revenues;

however, the key revenue income comes from the coal sales to Peabody Energy.

Background

The Hopi Tribe is located in northeastern Arizona estimates about 90 miles oneway from Flagstaff through, Coconino County, Navajo County, through the Navajo Nation

lands along Indian Route 2. The main Hopi “1882 reservation” is isolated and entirely

surrounded by the Navajo Nation. The location is remote and extremely rural, with the

closest large economic centers being about 90 – 100 miles away from the main reservation.

This isolation creates economic challenges for purchasing basic food and necessities when

the people are forced to regularly travel to communities such as Flagstaff, Winslow and

Gallup, just to shop and conduct the basic business activities of life. The Hopi Tribe’s total

membership is approximately 14,39036 of which only an estimated 7,815 live and work on

the reservation.

The Hopi Reservation, approximately 3,000 square miles in area, is comprised of

lands surrounding the main population center (District 6), the adjoining Hopi Partitioned

Lands (HPL), and the separated Moenkopi District37 Additionally, Hopi lands are located

Hopi Tribal Enrollment Office, May 26, 2017 pdf file

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

within two non-contiguous geographic areas referred to in this report as the 1882 Executive

Order Reservation and the 1934 Act Reservation. 38

Lands within the 1882 Executive

Order Reservation consist of areas known as District 6 and Hopi Partitioned Lands. 39 The

1882 Executive Order Reservation consists of approximately 2.5 million acres and was

established by an Executive Order dated December 16, 1882 issued by President Chester

A. Arthur. 40 The 1882 Executive Order Reservation is surrounded by the Navajo

Reservation. 41

Lands within the 1934 Act Reservation consist of Moenkopi Village

(sometimes referred to as Moenkopi Island) and allotted lands.42

Approximately 14,390 43 residents live on /off the Hopi Reservation within 14

residential communities or villages.44 The majority of these residents live along the State

Highway 264 corridor in villages near First, Second, and Third Mesas.45 However, three

outlying communities exist – Spider Mound and Keams Canyon to the east, and to the west

the Villages of Moenkopi located adjacent to the Navajo community of Tuba City.46

The remote location creates challenges for responding to job opportunities, due to

the one-way driving route of 90+ miles, take for example from Flagstaff driving to and

from a job either living on the reservation or driving to the main Hopi headquarters. If

housing for workers is not available on the reservation, commuting by the Hopi Senom

Transit System is an option from any Hopi Village to, for example, the City of Flagstaff

totaling a 180-mile round trip. This sort of commute is often mandatory if one wants to

either find a job off reservation or work at a job on the reservation. This is a loss as far as

travel time, and it is a double loss when the only large economic centers for groceries,

clothing and other amenities are located in these various non-Indian communities. Because

of this lack of a vibrant economy of businesses on the reservation, the Hopi Tribe and its

members contribute a steady stream of tribal dollars to the economies of these surrounding

non-Indian communities – all at the expense of much need on-reservation development.

Final Hydrographic Survey Report for the Hopi Indian Reservation: In re The General Adjudication of the Little Colorado River

System and Source. Arizona Department of Water Resource. December 2015. Pg.1-1.

Ibid at pg 1-2

Hopi Tribal Enrollment Office, May 26, 2017 pdf file

2010 Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Prepared by The Office of Planning and Evaluation under an award

from the U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration Project #07-84-06439.

Ibid at pg 5

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

This economic loss is a significant loss to the Hopi Tribe; in that, a high percentage of a

person’s paycheck is spent off reservation for daily living necessities, such as food,

clothing, and other household needs.

The Hopi cultural traditions and beliefs are intricately intertwined into the decisionmaking process when it comes to allocating land for use in economic development projects.

The November 29, 2011 Hopi Potskwaniat (Hopi Strategic Plan) defines Hopi Values as:

Preservation, practice and protection of the religion and ceremonies, cultural customs and

practices; language, arts and crafts, etc., of the Hopi.47 Because of its importance in Hopi

culture, land use issues can sometimes present challenges (due to approvals and permits)

to economic development by way of capital construction for housing, commercial

buildings and other types of infrastructure. Traditional Hopi practices have strong ties to

the land and natural resources.

For example, the ongoing traditional practice of dry

farming in an arid homeland continues to be a very visible aspect of Hopi life. Land

practices and relations to clans and clan lands create binding limits for each village as they

work to create their own economic development ventures through land approvals for

housing and small commercial business sites. Across the main reservation as a whole, land

use will continue to be constrained by traditional land values.

The Hopi Tribe will

continue to face case-by-case decision-making resolution of land use issues when it comes

to deciding locations for future economic development.

Since at least the late 1990’s, the Hopi tribal government has worked to generate

economic development through the purchase of commercial developments off the main

reservation, as a source of revenue and as an investment for the tribe. The ranch lands

located on I-40, the Hart & Drye Ranch, the Clear Creek and Chevelon Ranch, and Aja

Ranch; 26 Bar ranch near Springerville, AZ. There are also the agricultural lands in La

Paz County, the Cibolla property. Additionally, Hopi lands that have been purchased

include: commercial properties in Flagstaff, Sedona, Winslow, and Holbrook.

The

purchase of all these assets will help the Tribe improve and diversify the tribal government

revenues.

Hopi Potskwaniat, November 29, 2011 pg 10

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

The Tribal government will continue to look to increase and diversify economic

revenue through commercial land purchases for the Tribe through Hopi development

corporations overseen by a Board of Directors. The Tribal government has created the

Hopi Tribe Economic Development Corporation (HTEDC) to examine future investments

and other types of economic ventures that will allow the Tribe to increase its revenue. The

Tawa’ovi Project is a master planned project overseen by the Hopi Tribal Council looking

at creating a “new community” where tribal and non-tribal individuals can live, work and

create other economic venues, such as small retail, visiting centers and tribal government

expansion.

The Hopi Tribal Planning Ordinance No. 55, along with the Hopi Tribe Strategic

Land Use and Development Plan give some indication for planning new proposed

communities. The Hopi Tribe has proposed planned community developments such as:

Yu Weh Loo Pahki known as Spider Mound; Tawa’ovi; Side Rock Well and Hollow Mesa

East. The new communities could include: housing, commercial, government/institutional

buildings, recreation, tourism/museum facilities and other small light industrial

developments.

These new developments would all be located on the main Hopi

reservation lands. Off reservation community planned locations can be found on the Hopi

ranch lands or at the Hopi Industrial Park location in Winslow, Arizona.

Strategic Adjustments and Activity Relating to COVID-19

The Hopi Tribe designed a public health protocol that successfully curbed

COVID-19 on the Reservation. From April to June 2020, the Hopi were hit hard, with 1015 new cases per day at one point in a population of just 7,500. Overall, 136 tribe

members developed COVID-19 with 27 hospitalized through June 15.48 In response, the

Hopi Tribe Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) partnered with the Hopi

Health Care Center and the CDC to deploy a team of community health workers to every

household in the villages with high case counts. Community health representatives went

door to door, tested exposed individuals, and provided educational materials to families.

Elizabeth Hlavinka, COVID on the Reservation: How the Hopi Have Fared, November

5, 2020.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Each village was canvassed at least once between July and October. Community

health representatives also recorded interviews with Hopi residents who contracted

COVID-19 and included their testimonies in flyers dispersed to the community as well as

part of radio segments that aired on local stations.

The Reservation's COVID-19 response emphasized sharing community stories to

keep the Tribe connected spiritually and emotionally while still promoting physical

distancing. The Hopi Tribe was the first to coordinate with the CDC to build a

surveillance program like this on a reservation. Hopi best practices have since been

shared with other Tribes across the country.

The Hopi Emergency Response Team (HERT created a set of objectives and key

operations as a part of the Hopi Tribe’s COVID-19 Emergency Response and

Preparedness Plan and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated on March

18, 2020. HERT identified a Community Service Administrator (CSA) to serve as a point

of contact (POC) for the villages. The POC served as the designated CSA representative

to bridge, and coordinate communication with HERT, the Hopi Foundation and the

collective village CSAs. Every Village CSA was ultimately responsible to their

respective village Board of Directors in providing their communities with information,

protocols or guidance received through the Hopi Tribe and the EOC. Required

information was requested of each village CSA to provide an account of information

regarding the needs of their respective Village members.

On July 2, of 2020 the Council passed a Reservation-wide lockdown for all

residents to limit and control the Spread of the COVID-19 virus. On 18 May 2020, a team

from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was deployed on the

request of the Tribe in response to increases in COVID-19 cases. Team efforts, as well as

community adherence to mitigation measures, helped to drive down cases in August. As

cases increased in September–November, the improved capacity gained during the first

wave of the pandemic enabled Hopi leadership to have real-time awareness of the

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

changing epidemiological landscape. This prompted rapid response coordination, swift

scale-up of health communications and redeployment of the community surveillance

program. The Hopi experience in strengthening their public health systems to better

confront COVID-19 may be informative to other indigenous peoples as they also respond

to COVID-19.49 Overall, the multipronged Hopi approach, informed by local data and

tailored to the unique cultural context of the Hopi helped the Tribe drive down cases and

interrupt community transmission.

Although economic development activities were limited, there were notable

instances, such as the Tribes’ response to the Hopi Reservation closure, and how it

impacted the villages. A portion of CARES funds received by the Tribe in response to the

Pandemic were distributed to villages to help them deal with health and economic issues

of residents due to the Pandemic. Additional CARES monies were used for economic

development purposes. Federal CARES were received by tribe from the U.S. Treasury.

The CARES Act Committee created and authorized by the Hopi Tribal Council distributed

the funds.

CARES funds were used for needed infrastructure and to build new Tribal modular

offices. A new water well was built at Old Oraibi where the Tribe is working on plans to

put in the infrastructure for water lines from the well. A right-of-way crossing is being

developed to bring power across Highway 264. The Tribe is working with Arizona Public

Service to put the right of way lines under the highway.

Tawa’ovi is a planned government, commercial and residential community for

Hopi. CARES monies were used to install office modulars and use existing water wells

with diesel generators for electricity. At least eight tribal buildings, including offices for

natural resources, social services and health programs have been built at Tawa’ovi, partly

under the auspices of the Office of Community Development. Eventually larger buildings

will be constructed for Tribal and government programs. CARES Act funds paid for most

COVID-19 response by the Hopi Tribe: impact of systems improvement during the first

wave on the second wave of the pandemic; BMJ Health Journal, Volume 6, Issue 5.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

of the buildings, sewer and waterlines. The workers practiced Pandemic protocols

including social distancing.50

According to the Realty Office Director, Micah Lomaomvaya, his office wants to

work more with the villages on infrastructure and getting utilities to business or residential

sites. Lomaomvaya said during the next year, he hopes to work more with business

development projects since new revenue is needed because of the loss of Peabody Coal

income. One consideration is developing Hopi land along the I-40 corridor.51

Socio Economic

The information gathered on the current 2017 Hopi population and economy is

evolving and thus a best estimate may have to suffice for purposes of the CEDS used from

the online Census.gov website that shows the latest from 2010-2015 census data for the

Hopi Tribe. The Tribe collects data from various entities such as: U.S. Bureau of Indian

Affairs (BIA), U.S. Bureau of Census, Arizona Department of Commerce Navajo and

Coconino County offices as well as from other recent or ongoing projects utilizing recently

collected statistics on household income, unemployment, labor force and other economic

movement.

The census data, tribal enrollment records and tribal database are all ways to collect

the data, however, due to the demographics; the definitions to analyze the data must

accommodate the current living conditions. This results in varying data and how to

understand and utilize the data creates a unique analytical result.

Population

Census data has always been problematic for Hopi especially for the Tribe’s use

for applying for federal or other types of funding for proposed projects. There are

traditional Hopi members who will decline to participate in any type of survey or count

Stan Bindell, Navajo--Hopi Observer, Hopi Realty office wants to help as virus numbers

continue to increase, January 26, 2021.

Stan Bindell, Navajo--Hopi Observer, Hopi Realty office wants to help as virus numbers

continue to increase, January 26, 2021.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

that may be conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau or the Tribe/Village. This reluctance to

take a survey is due to historical trans-generational trauma from outsiders, especially from

the people representing the U.S. federal government. There are other aspects, such as

having a Hopi home on the reservation but, living and working off the reservation for part

of the year, making it difficult to include such part-time residents in the count, and difficult

to qualify for residential purposes. A varying percentage of Hopis live and work off the

main reservation; however, return for ceremonies and other family obligations.

Population

In 2018, Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ had a total

population of 9,268–4,865 (52.5 percent) females and 4,403 (47.5 percent) males. The

median age was 30.3 years. An estimated 30.7 percent of the population was under 18

years, 36.1 percent was 18 to 44 years, 21.6 percent was 45 to 64 years, and 11.7 percent

was 65 years and older.

Population by Age and Sex for Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land,

AZ in 2013-2017

% Male

% Female

Under 5

9.5

10.6

5 to 9

8.4

9.5

10 to 14

8.7

6.7

15 to 19

8.6

6.8

20 to 24

6.0

6.7

25 to 29

8.5

8.9

30 to 34

6.4

6.0

35 to 39

4.4

8.0

40 to 44

5.7

3.9

45 to 49

6.8

3.9

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

50 to 54

% Male

% Female

5.1

4.5

55 to 59

7.0

6.1

60 to 64

5.2

4.9

65 to 69

3.4

5.5

70 to 74

2.4

3.4

75 to 79

1.5

1.6

80 to 84

1.6

1.1

85 and over

0.8

1.8

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2013-2017

Hopi Enrollment Data

According to the Hopi Enrollment Office, the following data was current as of January

2020.

010

1120

2130

3140

4150

5160

6170

7180

8190

91100

100+

Total

Bacavi

117

112

108

699

Hotevilla

165

274

302

261

240

195

157

1742

Kykotsmovi

111

211

241

199

218

147

149

1417

Mishongnovi

185

211

278

214

155

147

102

1357

Moenkopi

202

397

377

383

252

305

214

103

2296

Oraibi

516

Shungopavi

277

382

352

318

193

232

156

2026

Sichomovi

151

196

247

209

194

156

1524

Sipaulovi

122

129

108

100

742

Tewa

174

240

299

235

183

160

131

1530

Walpi

143

134

760

Village

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

TOTAL

1577

2363 2566 2239 1803

1685 1304

689

303

11 14609

Households and Families

In 2018, there were 2,242 households in Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation

Trust Land, AZ. The average household size was 4.12 people.

Families made up 77.2 percent of the households in Hopi Reservation and OffReservation Trust Land, AZ. This figure includes both married-couple families

(33.6 percent) and other families (43.6 percent). Female householder families with no

husband present and own children under 18 years are 10.9 percent of all households.

Nonfamily households made up 22.8 percent of all households in Hopi Reservation and

Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ.

In Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ, 47.2 percent of all

households have one or more people under the age of 18; 36.8 percent of all households

have one or more people 65 years and over.

Types of Households in Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust

Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Percent

Married-couple families

33.6

Other families

43.6

People living alone

19.9

Other nonfamily households

2.9

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2013-2017

Marital status

Among persons 15 and older, 33.4 percent of males and 30.2 percent of females

are currently married.

Population 15 years and over

Never married

Males

50.6

Females

45.3

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Population 15 years and over

Males

Females

Now married, except separated

33.4

30.2

Separated

3.0

3.1

Widowed

3.8

8.9

Divorced

9.3

12.5

Grandparents and Grandchildren

In Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ, 818 grandparents lived

with their grandchildren under 18 years old. Of those grandparents, 34.6 percent were

responsible for the basic needs of their grandchildren.

Nativity and Foreign Born

In 2018, an estimated 99.0 percent of the people living in Hopi Reservation and

Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ were U.S. natives. 91.2 percent of the Hopi Reservation

and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ population were living in the state where they were

born.

Approximately 1.0 percent of Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land,

AZ residents in 2013-2017 were foreign-born. 26.1 percent of foreign born were

naturalized U.S. citizens and an estimated 67.4 percent entered the country before the year

2010.

Hopi’s Current Socio Overview

The current socio economic outlook set forth for the Hopi Tribe and its membership

with the closure of NGS at the end of December 2019 will be re-evaluated to show even

more changes in population migration to border towns to seek employment, or even further

locations to seek housing, schools and employment.

The population of the Hopi Tribe grew moderately at 3.4% in the 2010 Census

when compared to the previous ACS report 2000 Census. This increase in tribal members,

however, may not truly reflect the actual change in the tribe between the census periods,

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

because this rate reflects growth by birthrate alone and not growth through migration, as is

the case with both the State and the County. The American Community Survey (ACS) data

accounts for only the population within the exterior boundaries of the tribal lands. Both the

State (24.6%) and the County (10.2%) grew at much faster rates between the 2000 and

2010 Censuses.52 The 2010 – 2015 census data below from the table below states the

current population of 14,390.53

Table 1. Total Population & Trends

Total Population and

Arizona

Navajo County

The Hopi Tribe

Trends

Total Population 1990

3,665,228

77,658

8,258

Total Population 2000

5,130,632

97,470

10,571

Total Population 2010

6,392,017

107,44954

13,53255

Total Population 2014

6,479,703

108,101

13,532

Total Population 2015

6,817,565

108,277

14,15259

Total Population 2016

6,931,071

110,026

14,28262

Total Population 2017

6,392,01763

107,65664

14,39065

Change in Population

24.6%

10.2%

3.4%

2000-2010

Source: Census 1990, 2000, 2010 (census data spanning 10-year timeframes)

The average growth rate the Hopi Tribe utilized was the 2.5% increase in

population over the course of 10 years. The 3.4% population increase clearly shows an

increase in population growth over the last 5 years from 2010 to 2016. As such, the new

percentage supports the need to increase planning and for key improvement projects both

in the villages and within the tribe overall.

Demographic Analysis of the Hopi Tribe Using 2010 Census and 2010 American Community Survey Estimates. Completed by:

Arizona Rural Policy Institute, Center for Business Outreach, W.A. Franke College of Business Northern Arizona University.

Hopi Tribe Office of Enrollment, May 26, 2017 pdf file

US Census Bureau website for Navajo County, Arizona 2010 census.

Hopi Tribal Enrollment office statistics by year.

56 US Census Bureau website for Navajo County, Arizona 2014 estimate.

Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2016 census.gov

Hopi Tribal Enrollment office telephone conversation June 2015.

Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2016 census.gov

2016 census.gov population estimate as of July 1, 2016.

Hopi Tribal Enrollment Office, July 2016 email.

2010 Census Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2016 census.gov

2015 census.gov ACS 5-year population estimate.

Hopi Tribe Office of Enrollment, May 26, 2017 pdf file

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

The Hopi on-reservation population is scattered throughout the 12 Hopi villages

and other populated areas across the Hopi reservation. The main reservation is located

along Arizona state highway 264 running between the Moenkopi villages in the west to

Keams Canyon on the eastern side of the reservation.

Another community is east, past

Keams Canyon about 16 miles is the recent community named Spider Mound.

While most homes are located within or near the villages; some families obtain land

leases located totally outside of the villages’ land boundaries. Known as scattered-site

housing, these home site locations are becoming important alternative places for the Hopi

to build and live. If a home is outside village boundaries, then they either live near their

livestock or near farmlands. Other locations include: Hopi Trust Lands in Winslow, on

which are located 33 low income-housing units; all of which are occupied.

Employment Status and Type of Employer

In Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ, 44.3 percent of the

population 16 and over were employed; 52.3 percent were not currently in the labor force.

An estimated 28.9 percent of the people employed were private wage and salary

workers; 54.9 percent were federal, state, or local government workers; and 16.2 percent

were self-employed in their own (not incorporated) business.

Class of worker

Number

Private wage and salary workers

Federal, state, or local government workers

860

28.9

1,632

54.9

480

16.2

Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business

Industries

In 2013-2017, the civilian employed population 16 years and older in Hopi

Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ worked in the following industries:

Percent by Industry in Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust

Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining

Percent

0.8

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Percent by Industry in Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust

Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Percent

Construction

6.1

Manufacturing

6.6

Wholesale trade

0.0

Retail trade

10.5

Transportation and warehousing, and utilities

3.3

Information

0.0

Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing

3.9

Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste

management services

2.3

Educational services, and health care and social assistance

35.4

Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation, and food

services

8.2

Other Services, except public administration

2.4

Public administration

20.6

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2013-2017

Occupations

Occupations for the Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and over in Hopi

Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Civilian employed population 16 years and over

Number

Percent

1,057

35.6

Service occupations

725

24.4

Sales and office occupations

544

18.3

Management, business, sciences, and arts occupations

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Civilian employed population 16 years and over

Number

Percent

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

272

9.2

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

374

12.6

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2013-2017

Commuting to Work

An estimated 60.5 percent of Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land,

AZ workers drove to work alone in 2013-2017, and 9.9 percent carpooled. Among those

who commuted to work, it took them on average 20.2 minutes to get to work.

The data in Exhibit B shows the latest enrollment figures per an interview with the

Hopi Tribe Enrollment Office66. According to the Hopi Tribe Enrollment Office, due to a

lack of housing and other employment opportunities, many Hopi move off the reservation

to seek housing and employment in the surrounding communities such as Holbrook,

Winslow, Flagstaff and/or Phoenix, Arizona, or as far as Gallup or Albuquerque, New

Mexico, where many off-reservation tribal members live.

Table B (2017)

Village

Population

2015

2016

201769

Moenkopi Island

2,231

2,263

2,285

Bacavi

684

694

693

Hotevilla

1,700

1,718

1,719

Kykotsmovi

1,367

1,379

1,399

505

506

512

711

725

733

1,289

1,312

1,321

Upper Moenkopi

Lower Moencopi

Third Mesa

Oraibi

Second Mesa

Sipaulovi

Mishongnovi

Hopi Tribal Enrollment Office, Data as of June 1, 2015.

Note: 2015 data from Hopi Tribal Enrollment Office.

Hopi Tribal Enrollment Office, July 2016 email.

Hopi Tribe Office of Enrollment, May 26, 2017 pdf file

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Shungopavi

1,942

1,958

1,986

Sichomovi

1,504

1,514

1,516

Tewa

1,463

1,476

1,485

Walpi

731

737

741

7,815

7,803

7,800

Currently living OFF

6,312

6,479

6,590

14,127

14,282

14,39070

First Mesa

Currently living

HOPI

Total Hopi Enrollment

Population Adjustment

The Hopi Tribal data base shows an upward trend in population growth, increasing

by 3.4% between 2000 and 2010, with little change in 2017 from 2016. As of June 2015,

the Hopi total population is 14,127 with 7,815 living on the reservation and 6,312 living

off the reservation. As of May 2017, the Hopi total population in one year has increased

to 14,390 with 7,800 living on the reservation and 6,590 living off the reservation. Within

one year the on reservation of membership shows a slight decrease by 12 members; where

the number for the off reservation increased significantly by 167 members. An additional

650 non-tribal members live and work on the reservation for a total population living on

the reservation 8,465. In the past, the Tribe will utilize the growth rate of 2.5% to project

Hopi population figures. Due to the increase of 3.4% in population growth within a fiveyear time frame, the Tribe should use the current percentage of 3.4%.

The tribal members that live off the reservation seek other job opportunities as well

as higher secondary education by way of obtaining a post-secondary college degree or

vocational certification. Other reasons for living off the reservation may be seeking

housing and other common household amenities that are not available on the reservation

due to lack of water, sewer and electrical infrastructure.

Enrollment

Hopi Tribe Office of Enrollment, May 26, 2017 pdf file

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

The Hopi Constitution provides under Article II, the membership qualifications all

Hopi have to meet. In some instances, some Hopis are not officially enrolled due to the

membership requirements, although they speak Hopi fluently and live on/off the Hopi

reservation. The Hopi tribal requirements for enrollment depend on documentation of

parents and grandparents and the degree of Indian Hopi blood. Tribal membership

provides individual eligibility of the various tribal programs such as: tribal housing, land

assignments and grazing permits, scholarships, jobs and other various social service

programs of the tribal government.

Population Change

The regional population change during the 2000’s Arizona grew by 29% to over

6.6 million people.71 The region grew ranging from Flagstaff’s leading 22% growth to

Winslow’s less than 7%. The only area included in the region’s trade area that shrank was

Gallup, New Mexico with a 2% decrease.72

POPULATION CHANGE73

April 2010

April 2014 Change

ARIZONA

5,130,632

6,629,455 29.20%

Apache County

69,423

76,156

9.70%

Coconino County

116,320

135,613 16.60%

Navajo County

97,470

114,780 17.80%

Flagstaff, AZ

52,894

64,693 22.30%

Holbrook, AZ

4,917

5,611 14.10%

Winslow, AZ

9,520

10,194

7.10%

Gallup, NM

20,209

19,979

-2.13%

Hopi Reservation

6,312

7,815 6.68%74

With net 9.7% increase of a -5,407 in Apache County to the east and net 17.8% for

Navajo County (which contains most of the Hopi Reservation) and 16.6% for Coconino

County to the west, the region not only lags the state in population growth, it is losing

2010 Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Prepared by The Office of Planning and Evaluation under an award

from the U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration Project #07-84-06439.

Ibid at pg 12.

Census.gov 2017 update with percentage

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

people relative to Arizona’s population growth. 75

Given the region’s relatively poor

economic performance and low-income levels, it seems clear that lack of economic

opportunity is a key factor driving this regional population loss.76 The population trends

is slight with a few percentages in different with the regional population statistics from

2016 to 2017. The numbers and percentages continue to stay steady with 2017 comparison

numbers from 2010 to 2017, only slightly increasing by 1%. As the economy continues to

grow, the population growth will continue to increase to catch up with regional population

loss.

Trade Area Population

The relatively small population base of the Hopi Reservation at about 8,465

persons, even with the additional 10,194 population of Winslow, comprises a fairly small

local trade area and labor market. The regional trade area grows to nearly 33,000 with the

inclusion of neighboring Navajo towns such as Tuba City, adjacent to the Hopi village of

Moenkopi, which occupies the southwest corner of the intersection of State Route 264 and

US Route 160 on the northwestern portion of the reservation. Adding Flagstaff, Arizona

and Gallup, New Mexico as well as bordering Navajo Census Designated Place (CDP), the

trade area expands to just over 120,000.

TRADE AREA POPULATION

Hopi Reservation

Holbrook, AZ

Winslow, AZ

Flagstaff, AZ

Gallup, NM

Total Neighboring Places

Dilkon CDP

Jeddito CDP

Pinon CDP

Tuba City CDP

Hard Rock CDP

Total Trade Area

April 2013

8,435

5,611

10,194

64,693

20,209

12,326

1,265

390

1,190

8,225

1,256

121,468

75 Ibid at pg 13.

Ibid at pg 13.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Given the importance of family to the Hopi culture, for Hopis not living on their

homelands and participating in their religious ceremonies, the population out-flow has

special meaning that far exceeds the economic impact. 77 The greatest impact for the

economically displaced off reservation could be reality of a situation where their children

and grandchildren will not be able to interact with their elders and are not exposed to the

Hopi language or the guidance of learning the Hopi traditional ways on a daily basis.

Among people at least five years old living in Hopi Reservation and OffReservation Trust Land, AZ in 2013-2017, 64.2 percent spoke a language other than

English at home. Spanish was spoken by 1.4 percent of people at least five years

old; 13.1 percent reported that they did not speak English "very well."

Percent of the Population 5 years and over who Speak a Language

other than English in Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust

Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Percent

Spanish

1.4

Other Indo-European languages

0.0

Asian and Pacific Islander languages

0.9

Other languages

62.0

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2013-2017

Employment Area Population

The main reservation population of 7,800 members travel to local bordering towns,

both out on the Navajo Reservation such as Tuba City and Jeddito as well as communities

likes Winslow, Holbrook, Gallup and Flagstaff in order to satisfy the demand for jobs and

other amenities that cannot be purchased on the main Hopi reservation. Driving long

distances to these bordering communities on a daily basis is not unusual for Hopi tribal

members.

77 Ibid at pg 13

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Income

The median income of households in Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust

Land, AZ was $37,148. An estimated 18.0 percent of households had income below

$10,000 a year and 0.8 percent had income over $200,000 or more.

Household Income in Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust

Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Percent

Less than $10,000

18.0

$10,000 to $14,999

6.6

$15,000 to $24,999

13.0

$25,000 to $34,999

9.7

$35,000 to $49,999

15.3

$50,000 to $74,999

16.5

$75,000 to $99,999

8.7

$100,000 to $149,999

7.3

$150,000 to $199,999

4.1

$200,000 or more

0.8

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2013-2017

Median earnings for full-time year-round workers was $32,087. Male full-time

year-round workers had median earnings of $35,504. Female full-time year-round workers

had median earnings of $30,884.

Median Earnings for Full-Time Year-Round Workers by Sex in Hopi

Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Dollars

Male

35,504

Female

30,884

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2013-2017

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

An estimated 73.7 percent of households received earnings. An estimated

31.1 percent of households received Social Security and an estimated 28.4 percent of

households received retirement income other than Social Security. The average income

from Social Security was $13,332. These income sources are not mutually exclusive; that

is, some households received income from more than one source.

Proportion of Households with Various Income Sources in Hopi

Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Percent

Earnings

73.7

Social Security

31.1

Retirement income

28.4

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

7.0

Cash public assistance income

1.3

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2013-2017

The percentage of families living below poverty on the national level has increased,

making the local Hopi poverty rate increase across the reservation. Many Hopi are selfemployed, earning varying incomes in the local arts, crafts and jewelry business. The data

on levels of income from the ACS (American Community Survey) source is inconclusive.

Occasional sales of crafts generate an estimate of $1.9 million, which is probably not only

unreported but also unrecorded as it is used almost immediately to purchase needed items.78

The 2001 Tribal database shows an average annual on-reservation household

income was between $8,637 to $15,776. Between 11% -13.6 of the households’ income

exceeds the Housing Urban Development (HUD) standards for poverty. By Hopi Health

Services (HHS) standards, 61% of the households are below poverty level. By HUD

standards, another 23% are in the Low and Very Low Income categories and 6% are in the

2010 Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Prepared by The Office of Planning and Evaluation under an award

from the U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration Project #07-84-06439.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

moderate category. 79 The median family income on the Reservation has increased from

$15,875 in 1999 to as much as $41,250 in 2007,80 which continues to fluctuate with the

new mean income of $43,778, yet the median is $37,754, still below the national average

of $53,889.81 The census reported the median family income for Hopi residents in 2005 as

$15,875, which is less than one-half the median family income for Navajo County,

Coconino County, and the state of Arizona. In 2005, the median family income for Hopi

residents living in Moenkopi was substantially higher (more than double) than on the

Reservation; this disparity is because Moenkopi residents have better income

opportunities, i.e., working for Peabody Western Coal Company (currently Peabody

Energy).82

Expenses such as mortgage payments, rental payments, utility and public service

fees are not considered in determining poverty levels. Half the households are living in

other forms such as rental housing or shelter. Of the owner-occupied housing, 33.8% have

no mortgage payments and only 2.4% are paying more than 30% of their income on

mortgage payments.

Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ

Source: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

ACS

Income and Benefits

Margin

(In 2015 inflation-adjusted dollars) Estimate of Error

Total households

2,042 (+/- 123)

Less than $10,000

304

(+/- 73)

$10,000 to $14,999

158

(+/- 50)

$15,000 to $24,999

278

(+/- 79)

$25,000 to $34,999

218

(+/- 63)

$35,000 to $49,999

360

(+/- 77)

$50,000 to $74,999

449

(+/- 85)

$75,000 to $99,999

131

(+/- 45)

$100,000 to $149,999

100

(+/- 45)

$150,000 to $199,999

(+/- 26)

(+/- 12)

$200,000 or more

Median household income (dollars)

$37,754 (+/- 3,347)

Ibid. at pg 10

80Hopi Indian Reservation Socioeconomic Study prepared by SWCA, April 30 , 2008

census.gov

82 Hopi Indian Reservation Socioeconomic Study prepared by SWCA, April 30 , 2008

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

ACS

Income and Benefits

Margin

(In 2015 inflation-adjusted dollars) Estimate of Error

Mean household income (dollars)

$43,778 (+/- 3,049

- See more at: https://www.census.gov/tribal/application/#sthash.Mu2JKLYR.dpuf

The 2017 Hopi median household income is $37,75483, with an average $43,77884

for the Navajo County, which continues to be lower than the average U.S. income of

$53,88985 utilizing the 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The

challenges for jobs on the Hopi given the median income summary of the 5-year estimate.

The Hopi reservation’s major employment centers are through governmental

agencies and/or government funded programs. The government jobs are dependable with

the better salaries, health/insurance and retirement packages. The list includes: Hopi Tribal

Government, the various schools (contract/grant), the Indian Health Services (IHS), the

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).

The table below shows the Hopi Tribe’s major employers are:

Business/Employment

2015

2016

2017

Hopi Tribal Administration

491

564

561

U.S. Indian Health Service

261

260

262

Moencopi Legacy Inn/Denny’s Restaurant/

113

112

110

McGee’s Trading Post/affiliates

Hopi Cultural Center Hotel/Restaurant

U.S. Department of Interior Law Enforcement

Kykotsmovi Village Store

U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

Hotevilla Co-op Store

1,080

1,148

1,145

affiliates

Services*

Total

Census.gov

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

*The responsibility for law enforcement services was transferred in 2019 from the US Department of

Interior to the Hopi Tribe. As such, the 2009 update for this employment level is ‘0’.

There are 9 schools that start kindergarten through 12th grade in high school located within

the Hopi Reservation. There are pre-kindergarten, Hopi Head start with facilities located

throughout the Hopi communities.

K-12 Schools

2015

Jeddito Public School (Arizona Public

2016

2017

Keams Canyon, (Grant School)

Hopi Jr. – Sr. High School (Grant school)

Hopi Mission (Parochial School)

Hopi Day School (Grant School)

First Mesa Day School (Grant School)

Second Mesa Day School (Grant School)

Hotevilla-Bacavi

360

352

355

school)

Community

School

(Grant School)

Moencopi Day School (Grant School)

Total

Note:

The Hopi Tribe has recently faced revenue decreases due to the last 3 years of

national to local economic reductions by hiring freezes, wage cutbacks, and other aspects

that affect hiring and income revenue projections. This prediction of hiring freezes and/or

budget restrictions due to budget cuts may occur over the next projected fiscal year of the

Hopi Tribe. Current discussions by the Hopi Tribal Council indicate that there may be

budget cuts and or restrictions. This proposed action would affect many in the way of

reduction in force (RIF) and/or salary adjustments.

The major employment sectors on the Reservation in 2000-2017, according to the

Strategic Land Use Development plan were: Manufacturing at 40%; Educational, Health

and Social Services at 33%; Public Administration sectors that include Hopi Governmental

86 Note: Many of the schools mentioned in the table are going through changes from being under Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to

grant schools.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Indian Health Services at 26%; Wholesale

and Trade at 7%; Transportation and Utilities at 4%, Construction and Agriculture at 11%

each; and Finance, Insurance and Real Estate at 1%. 87 A majority of the jobs and the

income are from income earned from the public administration sector; tribal government

jobs, Indian Health Service and social services. In 2016 the centers for major employment

have not changed, showing that the percentages may have only changed slightly. From

2016 to 2017, the major employment centers continue to stay steady with job employment.

Exhibit II-288

87 Socioeconomic Study in Support of a Hydrographic Survey Report for the Hopi Indian Reservation Socioeconomic Study April 30,

2008. Prepared by SWCA Environmental Consultants for Arizona Department of Water Resources. Pg. at 16

88 Analysis of Economic Impacts on the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation of a Stringent NOx BART Decision for the Navajo Generating

Station, March 1, 2010, Pg. 39. Prepared for the Hopi Tribe. ICF Resources, LLC, Fairfax, VA 22031 Letter Dated March 1, 2010

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

The Hopi Tribal government loss of jobs was projected in this Exhibit II-2 to show

the devastation if NGS revenue should either decrease or be eliminated for the 2016 CEDS.

The concern today will be the decision announced NGS Lessees and the Navajo Nation are

considering options that would allow NGS operations to continue through December 2019

and provide for retirement beginning in January 2020.89

According to an Economic Base Analysis prepared by the Arizona Department of

Commerce, total employment on the Hopi Reservation is estimated to have been

approximately 3,064 in 2010.90 The employment was a low 149 per 1,000 residents, which

is the lowest of all Arizona unincorporated areas. The number of jobs located on the Hopi

Reservation (in 2001) was less than the 2,964 employed residents counted in the 2010

census, indicating that some residents commute to work in other communities.91 The 2017

labor force was 2,876, with 2,507 employed and 369 unemployed.92

Between 2001 and 2004, the Hopi Reservation’s employment fell nearly 25%, one

of the largest declines in the state.93 A gain was registered in utilities, but retail trade,

accommodation and food services, and real estate and rental posted declines.94 There was

also a large drop in other general merchandise stores.95

Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, AZ

Source: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Employment Status

Population 16 years and over

ACS

Margin

Estimate of Error

5,947 (+/- 418)

In labor force

2,876 (+/- 282)

Civilian labor force

2,876 (+/- 282)

Employed

2,507 (+/- 256)

from Leroy Shingoitewa, Chairman, Hopi Tribal Council, to Jared Blumenfeld, EPA; Document number 0211 in the docent for the

ANPRM: EPA-OAR-2009-0598.

Memorandum: Public Scoping for an Environmental Assessment Covering Navajo Generating Station Operations Through

December 2019 and Retirement Activities Beginning in 2020 (Action by June 9, 2017), May 23, 2017 Pages 1-3.

Analysis of Economic Impacts on the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation of a Stringent NOx BART Decision for the Navajo Generating

Station, March 1, 2010, Pg. 39. Prepared for the Hopi Tribe. ICF Resources, LLC, Fairfax, VA 22031 Letter Dated March 1, 2010

from Leroy Shingoitewa, Chairman, Hopi Tribal Council, to Jared Blumenfeld, EPA; Document number 0211 in the docent for the

ANPRM: EPA-OAR-2009-0598.Ibid at pg 14

Ibid at pg 14

See more at: https://www.census.gov/tribal/application/#sthash.Mu2JKLYR.dpuf

Ibid at pg. 14

Ibid at pg 14

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Employment Status

Unemployed

Armed Forces

ACS

Margin

Estimate of Error

369 (+/- 119)

(+/- 17)

Not in labor force

3,071 (+/- 319)

Civilian labor force

2,876 (+/- 282)

Unemployment Rate

12.8% (+/- 3.8%)

Commuting to Work

Workers 16 years and over

Car, truck, or van -- drove alone

ACS

Margin

Estimate of Error

2,500 (+/- 259)

1,432 (+/- 199)

Car, truck, or van -- carpooled

207

(+/- 73)

Public transportation (excluding taxicab)

(+/- 49)

Walked

190

(+/- 66)

Other means

(+/- 20)

Worked at home

595 (+/- 132)

Mean travel time to work (minutes)

17.3

Occupation

Civilian employed population 16 years and over

(+/- 1.8)

ACS

Margin

Estimate of Error

2,507 (+/- 256)

Management, business, science, and arts occupations

924 (+/- 154)

Service occupations

527 (+/- 131)

Sales and office occupations

481 (+/- 102)

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

194

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

381 (+/- 104)

Industry

Civilian employed population 16 years and over

(+/- 70)

ACS

Margin

Estimate of Error

2,507 (+/- 256)

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining

(+/- 50)

Construction

(+/- 47)

Manufacturing

159

(+/- 70)

Wholesale trade

(+/- 17)

Retail trade

256

(+/- 87)

Transportation and warehousing, and utilities

112

(+/- 48)

Information

(+/- 13)

Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing

(+/- 47)

Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services

102

(+/- 67)

Educational services, and health care and social assistance

911 (+/- 137)

Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services

248

(+/- 87)

Other services, except public administration

(+/- 31)

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Employment Status

Public administration

ACS

Margin

Estimate of Error

464 (+/- 100)

Class of Worker

Civilian employed population 16 years and over

ACS

Margin

Estimate of Error

2,507 (+/- 256)

Private wage and salary workers

685 (+/- 138)

Government workers

1,373 (+/- 190)

Self-employed in own not incorporated business workers

449 (+/- 107)

Unpaid family workers

(+/- 17)

- See more at: https://www.census.gov/tribal/application/#sthash.va0uc7Cz.dpuf

The U.S. Department of Interior listed a labor force at only 6,123 in 2010, current

2017 labor force is 5,987 with the potential unemployment rate to increase up to 86.0% for

the Hopi Reservation in 2017. The Center for Economic Advancement at the Arizona

Department of Commerce lists the following unemployment figures for the first quarter of

2010.96

Moenkopi CDP97

First Mesa CDP

Second Mesa CDP

Hotevilla-Bacavi CDP

Kykotsmovi CDP

Shongopovi CDP

Keams Canyon CDP

Jeddito CDP

21.5%

16.0%

24.7%

14.2%

20.9%

45.3%

18.6%

28.3%

The Hopi Tribe showed an increase in job losses experienced throughout the

reservation. The data collected shows the percentages for unemployment for Navajo

County only; not including the national average. The Hopi Tribe continues to remain far

below current national, state and county unemployment rates. The Hopi Tribe continues to

remain at the percentages set in 2010-2017 with no increase in economic development,

therefore no jobs.

The statistics show various perceptions for the Hopi Tribe and where the current

job centers may be located; however, the challenges that continue would be the lack of jobs

Ibid at pg 14

Note: CDP stands for Census Designated Place.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

for all that live on the Hopi reservation. The Hopi Tribe and its government will need to

identify the main goal and set policies or plans on increasing the standards of living and

close the income gap.

Goal: Increase public facilities and generate jobs along with the local Hopi economy.

Objectives:

The Tribe will identify all Hopi investments and assets that can create jobs.

The Tribe shall continue to pursue funding opportunities for small to large

commercial start up projects from small commercial to large tribal projects.

Include educational programs and work force workshops for all ages.

Provide support for increased law enforcement and other public safety

awareness.

Support an on-going fire safety program, including local schools for

inspections to make buildings fire safe. This includes having the water

infrastructure to ensure fire protection for all private, schools, public and other

tribal infrastructures throughout Hopi.

Education

In 2013-2017, 87.2 percent of people 25 years and over had at least graduated from

high school and 10.9 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher. An estimated 12.8 percent

did not complete high school.

The total school enrollment in Hopi Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land,

AZ was 2,403 in 2013-2017. Nursery school enrollment was 232 and kindergarten through

12th grade enrollment was 1,966. College or graduate school enrollment was 205.

Educational Attainment of People in Hopi Reservation and OffReservation Trust Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Percent

Less than High school diploma

12.8

High school diploma or equivalency

42.6

Some college, no degree

22.8

Associate degree

10.9

Bachelor's degree

7.1

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Educational Attainment of People in Hopi Reservation and OffReservation Trust Land, AZ in 2013-2017

Graduate or Professional degree

Percent

3.9

Hopi’s current education system includes 7 elementary schools, Moenkopi Day

School, Hotevilla-Bacavi School, Hopi Day School, Second Mesa Day School, First Mesa

Day School, and Hopi Mission School, Keams Canyon Elementary School. These 6 of the

7 schools receive full funding from the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE); Hopi Mission

School is privately funded.

The Hopi Board of Education, made up of Members from each school, is regulated

entity that reports directly to the Hopi Tribal Council. The purpose is to develop a more

consistent education policy. The existing education ordinance was developed under the

BIA, now known as the Bureau of Indian Education. The Department’s goal is to structure

the ordinance to meet the education needs of the Hopi people according to the current

Arizona State Standards on providing a quality education.

The Hopi Tribe’s Education office indicated, through direct conversation with

Director, Dr. Noreen Sakiestewa, the changes that will be required in order to meet the

challenges of education on Hopi. According to Dr. Sakiestewa, the needed change will be

in the form of having the Hopi Tribal Education Department take control of the grant

schools. These schools would then be under the direct supervision and oversight of the

Hopi Education Department.

The purpose or strategy behind this change would be to provide a quality education

that incorporates strengthening the Hopi language, culture and history into the curriculum

and strengthens nation building through K-12 education. The core values of Hopi would

be able to be translated to the children through western teachings through academia;

however, strengthening the Hopi’lavayi into the K-12 core curriculum would enhance

values of sovereignty at an early age of 5.

Education has been a high priority for the Hopi people. In 2000 the tribal council

established a Hopi Education Endowment Fund (HEEF) of $10 million. HEEF was created

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

by tribal ordinance, through a tribal resolution, to preserve and protect the education fund.

The Hopi Endowment Education Fund receives most of its annual funding from Peabody

Energy (formally Peabody Western Coal Company) – based coal revenues.98 The Hopi

Tribe’s goal is to help Hopi members further their education through the education fund.

The Hopi Tribe’s Higher Education program works with graduating seniors and other tribal

members who want to further their education. As a result of the Mohave Generating Station

closure in 2005, funding has been cut dramatically for Hopi education, including individual

scholarships.99 For example, in 2005 the Hopi Tribe received just over $1.9 million in

educational funding from Peabody Western Coal Company stated in a letter from Hopi

Vice Chairman Honyaoma, Letter to OSMRE, February 6, 2007. In 2006 the figure

dropped to $169,000 and in 2007 the figure remained at $170,000100 due to the shutdown

of Mohave Generating Station. The future scholarship funds will continue to decline given

the current situation of the NGS power plant and imminent closure at the end of 2019.

All vocational training programs are off-reservation in Flagstaff or even as far as

Albuquerque and Phoenix. The training options are limited to demand occupations where

graduates can get jobs. There are options for local training provided by Northland Pioneer

College (NPC). Northland Pioneer College is located in a separate permanent structure.

It has issued Certificates of Proficiency in Restaurant Operations, accounting, Emergency

Medical Training (EMT) and Medical Assistant; all of which are careers needed on Hopi.

The 2010 tribal database shows, 68.2% of the Hopi population over the age of 18

are high school graduates. Of the 68.2%, 27.7% have attended at least some college and

18.6% have earned a college/university degree; 2.1% have attended business school and

12.7% have attended a vocational school.

The Hopi Opportunity Youth Initiative (HOYI) has a recent report from 2014, titled

Itam Lomapootavyani: Working together to build positive pathways for our future

generations, updated April 2015. This recent event had a variety of participants from 18

local organizations and agencies to come together to discuss issues and challenges heard

Socioeconomic Study in Support of a Hydrographic Survey Report for the Hopi Indian Reservation Socioeconomic Study April 30,

2008. Prepared by SWCA Environmental Consultants for Arizona Department of Water Resources. Pg. at 27

100

Ibid at pg 27

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

from the youth. The Hopi Schools have now all changed from Bureau of Indian Education

to grant school.

Goal: Continue education K-12 through post-secondary incorporating the Hopi’lavayi

program of Hopi language and culture curriculum.

Objectives:

Continue working on Hopi core curriculum for all K-12 schools throughout

the Hopi reservation.

The Tribe will work on incorporation of the Hopi language and culture in the

core curriculum.

The Tribe will work with all schools to support Hopi Education through

challenges and changes in curriculum standards.

Water

The Hopi Tribe is currently in the midst of working through the General Stream

Adjudication of the Little Colorado River System and Source, No. 6417, pending in the

Superior Court for Apache Country (LCR adjudication). The Hopi Tribe submits its Third

Amended Statement of Claimant amending its original Statement of Claimant, filed

November 29, 1985, its Amended Statement of Claimant, filed January 29, 2004, and its

Second Amended Statement of Claimant, filed November 12, 2009 and its Third Amended

Statement of Claimant, filed June 3, 2015. The Hopi Tribe reserves the right to further

amend or supplement its Statement of Claimant. The LCR is a judicial proceeding and the

Department (Arizona Water Resources Department) is technical advisor to the LCR

adjudication court.101

The nature, occurrence, and availability of groundwater are critical concerns of the

Hopi Tribe. 102 Groundwater, and more specifically the Navajo sandstone aquifer (Naquifer), is the primary source of water for the 11 Hopi villages and numerous Navajo

communities that adjoin the Hopi Reservation in the Black Mesa, Arizona area.103 The Naquifer is also the source of water to numerous springs and perennial water flows within

101

Final Hydrographic Survey Report for the Hopi Indian Reservation: In re The General Adjudication of the Little Colorado River

System and Source. Arizona Department of Water Resource. December 2015. Pg.1-1.

102

Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc., Hopi Water Resources and the Effects of PWCC and Other N-aquifer Pumping. Prepared

for the Hopi Tribe, September 2, 2010.

103 Ibid at pg 13

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

the area’s washes.104 The springs have special religious significance within Hopi cultural

practices, and the perennial flows in the washes allow for a small amount of irrigated

subsistence and cultural farming.105

The HAMP (Hopi Arsenic Mitigation Project) was designed and funded to address

the fact that water for eight of the Tribe’s Villages is contaminated with high levels of

naturally occurring arsenic. The first phase of HAMP will provide water to designated

Villages. The second phase of HAMP will provide water to sites such as BIA schools,

health care facilities and employee housing. The levels of arsenic contamination currently

exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) safe drinking water standards by

as much as three times the allowable contaminants. The EPAhas ranked the contamination

on the Hopi Reservation as one of its highest priorities and longest running arsenic drinking

water violations. While the primary purpose of the HAMP is to provide arsenic compliant

drinking water, additional benefits to the regional system will include an increase in the

quantity of water available and improved water system reliability.

HAMP was funded at roughly $20 million primarily by the EPA (Environmental

Protection Agency) and the IHS (Indian Health Services) with additional funds coming

from the Tribal reserve account to develop a new field, drill new wells and provide over

forty miles of pipe to connect to village water systems. The project is being administered

by the Hopi Utilities Corporation (HUC) and is under construction with a completion date

of April 2022. Under HUC management the construction company has been laying about

2,000 feet of new water line per day. HUC is a Section 17 corporate entity the functions

independently from the Tribe but is 100% owned by the Tribe and is accountable to the

Tribe as its sole stockholder. The HUC Board includes engineers and utility managers in

addition to Tribal stakeholders.

Infrastructure

The Hopi Tribal Council delegated authority to the Hopi Water Resources Program

(WRP) to implement and enforce policies intended to ensure safe and dependable supply

of water on the Reservation.106 Policies have been developed in accordance with federal

104

Ibid at pg 14.

106

Tetra Tech EM Inc. Hopi Source Water Assessments 2009.

105

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and Clean Water Act (CWA) requirements.107 More

specifically, Hopi Tribe Resolution H-107-97 enacted the Hopi Water Code, made up of

three guidance documents developed in accordance with principals of sound water

management and protection. 108 Since April 2008, the Hopi Tribe was authorized as

Treatment as State (TAS) status, giving them the authority to oversee Clean Water Act

Section 401 certification of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) for

discharge. This certification and approvals for all NPDES permits are under the authority

of the Hopi Tribe Water Resources Program (WRP). This includes, but is not limited to;

the Peabody Energy NPDES permits to construction site NPDES permits.

Hopi Tribe Water Quality Standards (Hopi, 1997a)109

Hopi Tribe Wellhead Protection Manual (Hopi 1996a, and as amended in 2001)

Standard Specifications for Well Construction and Pump Installation (Hopi,

1996b)

The Preliminary Hopi Wastewater Code

Treatment as a State (TAS) for CWA Sections 106 and 319; 401 Certification for

National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and Storm

water Protection Plan (SWAPP) approval.

Ordinance #58 Wellhead and Source Water Protection

Clean Water Action Section 106 Program

Clean Water Action Section 319 Program

Clean Water Action Section 104(b)(3) Program.

Most villages have access to public utilities – water, sewer, electricity and

telephone. The traditional villages maintain their beliefs and are unwilling to accept federal

financial aid for an upgrade to modern amenities and infrastructure.

The traditional villages like Hotevilla has electricity, water and a sewer system that

was completed in the late 1990s; only on the outskirts of the traditional Hopi village

107

Ibid at pg 14

Ibid at page 14

109

Note: the current Hopi Tribe Water Code is going through some revisions and amendments from the Water Resources Program so

existing water policy may be amended.

108

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

housing. Oraibi and Walpi do not have water, electricity and sewage systems and do not

allow utilities within their village.

All water and sewer systems have been developed with federal assistance from the

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Indian Health Service (IHS),

US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Office of Environmental Health (OEH)

through Indian Health Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). To determine if

future water and sewer infrastructure projects will meet local needs and desires, the IHS

and EPA requests each village to identify and set priorities for its water and sanitation

needs on a yearly basis. Supplemental information, such as areas of planned village

expansions, is also gathered to help plan future projects. The IHS OEH program work with

villages on plans designs and constructs most water systems on Hopi.

The funds provided by various entities do allow for upgrades in existing village

infrastructure; however, what is key with IHS/OEH funds is that the future growth or

expansion for small commercial development is not incorporated into that equation for

growth. Many projected village expansions or planned economic development structures

at most are not built due to not having the infrastructure for the facility, or the added cost

to upgrade infrastructure to take on this additional commercial load on top of the existing

village load.

This is the story throughout the villages, which is not only an issue for

economic development, but also for adding on additional homes for families seeking home

sites. The load just cannot, in some cases meet growth demands. Therefore, federal funds

through IHS and OEH limits the villages’ future capacity building not just for the increase

in housing developments, but for other indirect commercial development of those

individuals wanting to start their own business due to having a home built on Hopi.

Water Quality

The Hopi Tribe faces challenges in ensuring high-quality water for all reservation

residents – water that meets national drinking standards by the EPA. 110 The villages

throughout the Hopi Reservation depend almost exclusively on the N-aquifer for drinking

water. 111 The water quality of the N-aquifer as a source of drinking water on the

Socioeconomic Study in Support of a Hydrographic Survey Report for the Hopi Indian Reservation Submitted to Arizona

Department of Water Resources by SWCA Environmental Consultants April 2008.

111

Ibid at pg. 30

110

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Reservation, with a few notable exceptions, is generally good to excellent. 112

At Second

Mesa and First Mesa, the N-aquifer thickness shrinks to around 200 feet, leaving very little

room for well expansion and giving rise to overlapping drawdown zones produced by

competing village wells.113 In addition, overlying aquifers with power quality/ high total

dissolved solids (TDS), such as the D-aquifer, lead into the N-aquifer and case water

quality issues for villages located on the two mesas.114 Many villages have a concern for

these water quality occurrences. As stated by the Water Resources Program, much of what

has been researched in the area the leakage is naturally occurring. The wells are outdated

as far as full construction; old wells currently do not meet the current Hopi Water Code for

well construction and specifications.

The villages at First and Second Mesa have high levels of arsenic, beginning from

17 up to 26 parts per billion (ppb), which exceed the EPA standards of 10 ppb, and

treatment is required.115 The Hopi Tribe applied for and was approved for various funds

through US EPA and OEH for feasibility studies to be conducted and have concluded

through the Hopi Arsenic Mitigation Project (HAMP) the alternative for improving water

quality from First to Second Mesa villages.

Water/Wastewater

In the Hopi villages many homes lack indoor plumbing facilities compared to other

Indian Reservations. The difficulty of bringing in water lines is shown by the percentage

of homes having to get water from “some other source” which might be a village well

(hauling water to and from location), a spring or, more recently, the purchase of bottled

water as the usual sources become too polluted to use for drinking and cooking purposes.116

Villages depend uniquely on the groundwater source, Navajo Sandstone Aquifer

(N-aquifer) from the wells for their water supplies. Current wells range from 150 to 1,800

feet deep (in the N-aquifer) and yield an average 10 to 200 gallons per minute. The deepest

well on reservation is 3,200 feet and is drilled into the Coconino aquifer at Upper Village

112

Ibid at pg. 30

115

Tetra Tech Inc. 2006. Source Water Assessment for Communities and Villages of the Hopi Reservation.

116

2010 Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Prepared by The Office of Planning and Evaluation under an award

from the U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration Project #07-84-06439.

113

114

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

of Moenkopi.117 Villages that do not have water piped to individual homes rely on public

water faucets/spigots located in the villages. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA)

provides water to the Spider Mound community, because the local well exceeds fluoride

limits per Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). NTUA does offer a pay for water system

from Tuba City; however, a majority of the residents that do haul water get it from the

spring and taps in the Villages of Upper and Lower Moenkopi. Lower Moenkopi utilized

water from the local spring for domestic purposes by hauling water.

Other rural

homes/scattered home sites can be served by cistern or water hauled in by pickup truck

from local Moenkopi wells and springs. The Lower Village of Moencopi has a facility for

restroom and bath house facilities for those residents that do not have running water in the

home and for hauling water.

The treatment for drinking water varies by village or location on the Hopi

reservation. The Keams Canyon’s water supply is chlorinated. Water supplied to the

villages of Upper Moenkopi, Kykotsmovi, Shungopavi, Mishongnovi, and Sipaulovi is

chlorinated, which is treatment to satisfy the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

requirements for a public drinking water system.

Water fluoridation is the controlled

addition of fluoride to a public water supply to reduce tooth decay. No village fluoridates

its water, there is some naturally occurring fluoride in some water systems but none is

added. The villages sample and test their water supply for quality. All drinking water

systems on Hopi report water samples to the United States Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) through the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act (wastewater) all

Public Water Supply System (PWSS) report to EPA Region 9. Region 9 covers the states

of Arizona, Nevada, California and the Pacific Islands. All systems must do a Consumer

Confidence Report (CCR) and report the prior year’s sampling that may have exceeded

any Maximum Contaminate Levels (MCLs) and any other violations that the PWSS may

have received during the year to the public and give a certified copy to EPA.

Note: The Coconino Aquifer (C-Aquifer) was tested with having high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS); however yield is high. The

Villages in Moenkopi are utilizing this well through reverse osmosis treatment.

117

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Of the 15 wells serving villages, three are threatened with contamination118 and

three are contaminated.119 Village wells in the past were drilled too close together creating

an overlapping use of one source. The Hopi WRP has a well drilling ordinance that looks

at spacing future planned wells so that wellhead protection exists.

A majority of existing water and wastewater treatment systems were not built to

accommodate growth of the local population or for economic development purposes since

implemented 60 years ago. The operation, maintenance and repairs for the systems tends

to be heavily subsidized by village governments’ annual budget. The majority of the

villages do charge flat rate fee, however some villages such as Sipaulovi charge a metered

rate and many more need to move in this direction. There is no separate charge for sewage

system disposal. Most villages experience significant problems with their water

infrastructure, including:120

Broken pumps

Pumping for long periods of time without resting the equipment (i.e., water

is hauled for livestock watering; systems were designed for domestic

demand only).

Erratic pressure, small pipe diameters, and insufficient storage capacity

obstruct fire suppression.

Unaccountable losses (leaks or aging pipes)

Many Hopi villages have deficient sewage treatment systems while other villages

have none at all. There are no tribal restrictions on construction of wastewater systems in

floodplains. 121 Existing village systems tend to be located in wash channels, using a

gravity-fed line, which reduces the capital cost of systems, as well as maintenance costs.122

However, it also makes the systems vulnerable to erosion caused by flooding, with the

118 There has been extensive investigative work done by US EPA and there has been no evidence that these wells are

threatened by the gas plume from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) site per WRP ongoing oversight.

119 Note: the Mishungnovi new well is contaminated with sulphur reducing bacteria, which creates a rotten egg smell.

This well is off-line, and not being used. The Spider Mound well has elevated fluoride levels, and is operating under a

variance from the EPA. Spider Mound receives water from NTUA and is no longer utilizing the well. The Shungopavi well

has been contaminated with shigella. It is still being used, but chlorination is occurring very regularly to prevent disease.

120

2010 Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Prepared by The Office of Planning and Evaluation under an award

from the U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration Project #07-84-06439.

121

Ibid.

122

Ibid.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

potential for system failure and contamination of nearby streams or farmlands. 123 The

Indian Health Services OEH office continues to be are aware of these problems, and

working with the Villages, the Hopi Tribe departments and programs, as well as other

consultants/experts to remedy them through IHS funds.

Although there are functioning systems to be found across the reservation,

wastewater management tends to be crisis driven and, therefore, is more expensive in the

long run. Case by case crisis mode is not cost efficient in the long term, especially when

planning on growth and expansion for housing and small commercial economic

development. Many wastewater treatment systems, in the past were not lined and did not

have a wastewater code to follow. Environmental and groundwater contaminants exist in

most sewage lagoons, which depend in part on seepage into the alluvium for effective

functioning. Some villages still have outhouses (outdoor bathrooms) that are not lined and

are unsanitary. Most wastewater treatment locations and facilities must be improved to

both sanitary and capacity planning and growth.

Continue protecting public health and safety by minimizing the risk of

contamination of surface water, groundwater, soils, and all other natural resources by

wastewater systems so that they will be available for drinking water, irrigation, and cultural

uses for future generations.124

Goal: Increase water infrastructure for adequate delivery of safe drinking water.

Objectives:

The Hopi Tribe shall continue to work on drinking water infrastructure

improvements throughout the villages.

The Hopi Tribe shall continue to pursue funding opportunities for drinking

water and wastewater infrastructure.

Proposed housing, commercial, small to light industrial and other proposed

public facilities shall consult and work with Water Resources Program and

Villages as part of the planning process for water and wastewater infrastructure.

Identify proposed Hopi Public Utility Authority (HPUA) goals and objectives

to align with the Hopi Water Resources water codes.

The Water Resources Program is developing a Hopi Wastewater Code at the time of writing the IRMP. The Preliminary Draft was

received in January 2001. As of 2010 the Code has still not been approved.

124

Tetra Tech EM Inc. Hopi Source Water Assessments 2009.

123

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Assure an adequate water supply for present and future uses for drinking and

for planned sustainable economic development.

Develop and implement Navajo Sandstone aquifer (N-aquifer) management

plan.

Balance water protection and use between religious and subsistence uses.

Increase and improve infrastructure for domestic and small to light

industrial/commercial uses.

Solid Waste

In earlier days, Hopi disposed of their refuse off the sides of the mesas in village

designated community dumps.

Many dumps had poor physical characteristics that

compounded problems. Several were located in natural washes contributing to surface

water and ground water contamination. Other dumpsites were located close to the villages

and have a steep, high dumping face. These sites were often visible from miles away. In

a few villages, combustible refuse was burned in masonry incinerators or simply thrown

over the side of the mesas.

The Hopi Solid Waste Management Plan provides a system of public refuse

collection with a centralized sanitary landfill. The current Hopi Solid Waste Sanitary

Landfill occupies 100 acres and is projected to serve the Tribe and villages’ needs for 25

years based on IHS projections of population and generated waste.

The Tribal government does subsidize solid waste collection on the reservation.

Residents must rent dumpsters as well as paying additional fees for collection of large items

or dumping additional loads at the landfill. As a result, some individuals illegally dump

their solid waste in remote locations, most often in washes, to bypass these fees.

The Hopi Solid Waste Program cleaned up all historic mesa-side dumps. However,

since there was no education component to change people’s disposal habits, some dumps

are being re-used again. Even when villagers make an effort for proper disposal, other

village residents who do not rent dumpsters dispose of their refuse in the rented dumpsters

of others, over the side of the mesa, or into the wash.

The year-round presence, and healthy populations of crows and ravens, which are

pest species, can be traced to this continuous source of food for these “garbage” birds. The

improper disposal of trash in illegal dumpsites has the effect of increasing the populations

of these undesirable birds (crows and pigeons), thereby threatening the success of farmer

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

fields and harvest. There is also a concern that wildlife may be picking up diseases from

litter as well as the possibility that illegal dumps near raptor nests attract crows to the

vicinity, thereby increasing the chances of them stealing raptor nests.

Goal: The Hopi Tribe shall continue to work on illegal dumps and help educate people

on the issues surrounding solid waste.

Objectives:

The Tribe shall be a leader in reducing solid waste and strive for a cleaner

homeland.

The Tribe shall continue to pursue funding opportunities for solid waste,

educational programs for solid waste flying all over the lands, and other aspects

surrounding solid waste.

The Tribe shall work with the Navajo and Coconino County on future solid

waste agreements and transfer stations.

Proposed housing, commercial, small to light industrial and other proposed

public facilities shall consult and work with Solid Waste Program and Villages

as part of the planning.

Public Utilities

Arizona Public Service (APS) and the Navajo Tribal Authority (NTUA) provide

electrical services on the Hopi reservation. Approximately 65% of the Hopi homes have

electricity. A majority of the homes and businesses with electricity are served by APS. A

69-kilovolt-transmission line provides electrical service from Holbrook (through the

Navajo Nation) to a substation several miles west of Keams Canyon. From the substation,

two 21-kilovolt lines branch off from substation east to Keams Canyon and finally

westward to the villages ending on Third Mesa. The electrical lines within the villages

usually range from 1.2 to 2.4 kilovolts. NTUA provides electrical service to seven Hopi

relocation families who live several miles south of Jeddito to the new Hopi community

Spider Mound. Another new Hopi proposed community could use NTUA for it has electric

lines adjacent to the Hopi Reservation that could be extended as a power source for new

development. The Villages of Moenkopi (northeast of the main Hopi reservation) have

electricity service from APS that comes in to service the Navajo Community of Tuba City.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

The cost of new service is dependent on the customer’s location and power

requirements. All extensions are considered on the basis of economic feasibility and each

utility authority prepared separate cost estimates for each project. In 1999, APS and NTUA

estimated an average cost of $15,000 per mile for service that extends beyond present

service areas.

Service from APS has “brown out” issues, which may last for several days, causing

many to rely on back-up generators to ensure powered water service for drinking water.

Delivery of clean safe drinking water is a priority. APS continues to work with the Hopi

Tribe to address the number of brownouts that occur throughout the Hopi reservation

causing continued struggle for reliance on energy sources for the tribal homelands. Due to

the “brown out” issues, the Hopi Telecommunications, Inc. (HTI) works with the Hopi

Healthcare and the BIA Law Enforcement offices to ensure that ‘life threatening

emergencies” are not affected.

Notably, the BIA law enforcement positions were

transferred to the Hopi Tribe in 2019. HTI goes to both facilities to ensure that the backup generators are fully charged in case of an emergency.

Given the geography of the Hopi Tribe, the regional location for all Hopi Villages

are in need of energy improvements for future energy security for present and future

growth. The Hopi Tribe’s future energy may be jeopardized due to the decrease in energy

from coal-fired power plants, leaving the Hopi Tribe paralyzed when it comes to future

energy. Current questions need to be answered, such as, how much energy does the current

Hopi electricity system generate and use? Capacity building through infrastructure both

by crisp energy and renewable energy will need to be analyzed to obtain a better

understanding of the existing system of the Hopi Tribe. Other questions may deal with

production, transmission, and distribution both for basic village use, along with future

housing growth along with small economic development. The Hopi Tribe’s priority in

obtaining all available data to help create a current energy feasibility study, as well as future

energy projections by each village will be valuable to help planning and zoning for all.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Telephone

The landline service provider for the Hopi Reservation is Hopi Tribe owned Hopi

Telecommunications, Inc. (HTI). Service is provided to most of the Hopi villages and

outlying communities. The Hopi phone service only offers the most basic features and has

not kept up with technology available in the rest of the country.

The cell phone service provider CellularOne of Northeast Arizona, serves the Hopi

reservation. It offers a low-cost cellular phone service plan to tribal residents who

previously were unable to obtain or afford cellular service. With support from the

Universal Service Fund, individuals who meet eligibility requirements 125 are able to

receive basic cellular service for as little as $1.00 per month. CellularOne was the first

wireless company in the United States to provide this service for low income areas.

CellularOne has the capacity to upgrade the Hopi Tribe with better internet speed options

than current internet options.

Internet

The Tribe received a 5-year grant from the Economic Development Administration

(EDA) to create a wireless, satellite, broadband connection to the Internet at two initial

sites. The project has been delayed due to changes in personnel and tribal leadership.

National Environmental Policy Agency (NEPA) clearances took a full year.

The Hopi Police Department, Tribal Courts, Hopi Health Care Center, Hopi High

School and Northland Pioneer College were the first to be connected. One of the conditions

of the grant is to partner with HTI to ensure proper operation, maintenance and repairs.

The finished project will be operated by the HTI as a tribal utility for broadband Internet

and other wireless services for the Hopi tribe.

This project showcases the power of instant, global communication and creates ecommerce for economic development and job training opportunities for all members of the

Hopi Tribe. The project will provide a fully operational system that addresses the need for

Internet access, which the Hopi need in order to carry out a wide range of activities.

Adult tribal members (18 years or older) who demonstrate their participation in one or more social or medical service

programs operated by a Federal, State or Tribal Agency.

125

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Upon completion, Hopi will be able to receive broadband, high speed Internet

service and begin the implementation of e-commerce (specifically buying original

art/jewelry/paintings/sculptures/baskets from many Hopi artists), distance learning and onsite educational programs for secondary education. The proposal builds in the on-site job

training of local operators and the development of entrepreneurial training opportunities in

the areas of medical transcribing, graphics, drafting and other jobs that can be done via a

personal computer at home.

Goal: Continue to create reliable high speed Internet and other telecommunication

infrastructure both as upgrades and installation for future safety, growth and development

throughout the Villages.

Objectives:

The Tribe shall utilize and continue to work on telecommunication

infrastructure throughout the homeland.

The Tribe shall continue to pursue funding opportunities for

telecommunication and other Internet infrastructure for future growth.

Proposed housing, commercial, small to light industrial and other proposed

public facilities shall consult and work with the Hopi Telecommunications Inc.

and Villages as part of the planning process for future infrastructure.

The Tribe will pursue grants that will identify a connection to the Hopi Public

Utility Authority (HPUA) process.

Public Utilities on a Village Level

To promote quality of life, public utilities will provide and promote a healthful

living environment. The Hopi Tribe passed a resolution H-039-2013 creating the Hopi

Public Utility Authority (HPUA). The Hopi Tribe, through its Energy/Water Task Team

(the “Team”) and advisors, has developed a Hopi Tribal ordinance entitled “Hopi Public

Utility Authority and Hopi Public Utility Commission Establishment Act” (the

“Ordinance”) under Hopi Tribal Council Resolution H-039-2013. HPUA will work on the

following: management, operation, and maintenance of utility systems and services that

are vital to the spiritual, cultural and economic welfare of the Hopi Tribe, the several self-

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

governing Hopi Villages (the “Villages”), and other approved users of utilities of the Hopi

Reservation.126

On June 6th, 2017, Hopi Tribal Council passed Resolution H-062-2017 establishing

the Hopi Utilities Corporation (HUC) and its Charter of Incorporation. It also authorized

transfer of funds and property “to be dedicated to Reservation water or electric power

services or systems” to HUC and rescinded and repealed H-039-2013 in its entirety.

Goal: The desire for self-determination and economic growth.

Objectives:

126

The Tribe shall continue to pursue funding opportunities for the growth of

public utilities under current legislative incentives for tribal enterprises.

The Village will work with existing electric utility continues to evolve and

improve.

The Village will work with existing electric utility may be reluctant to expand

service at a reasonable cost.

The Tribe will continue to work on the development of ordinances and policies

for implementation parallel with a village improvement plan.

Proposed housing, commercial, small to light industrial and other proposed

public facilities shall consult and work with Water Resources Program and

Villages as part of the planning process for water and wastewater infrastructure

alongside the proposed Hopi Public Utilities.

Encourage villages will continue to upgrade and build new water and sewer

systems that will meet current growth and quality of life due to old and outdated

infrastructure;

New residential communities and commercial development could be located in

areas where power, telephone service, water and sewer services can be

provided.

Technical assistance for transmission studies.

Work with approved rate-payers and participants in order to provide safe and

reliable utility services at reasonable costs.

Hopi Tribal Council Resolution H-039-2013, Passed May 15, 2013.

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Energy

The Hopi Tribe has had a partnership with the Navajo Nation and with Peabody

Energy (formerly known as Peabody Western Coal Company) for over 40 years to provide

energy through the Navajo Generating Station (NGS) power plant and the former Mohave

Generating Station (MGS), shut down in December 2005. The next decade for this

partnership may be occupied trying to preserve the Hopi and Navajo coal-based economies

in the ever changing and emerging clean coal and carbon constrained movement, in

response to current climate change policies both regional, national and internationally.

The Hopi Tribe continues to work on developing an energy resource development

policy that will serve as a guide in developing Hopi energy resources. The Hopi Tribe

under the proposed policy would in fact develop and manage all energy resources, identify

ways to generate economic development of these resources, while maintaining protection

of lands and cultural resources of the Hopi lands.

The Hopi resources are diverse and

include coal, coal-bed methane, natural gas, oil, solar and wind. Energy development is

key to infrastructure improvements to provide economic development opportunities.

However, current cost trends on the economic competitiveness of NGS electricity produced

is currently more expensive than electricity purchased on the wholesale spot market.127

Navajo Generating Station & Federal Resource Planning Volume 1: Sectoral, Technical, and Economic Trends. November 2016

Prepared by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) pg. viii.

127

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Lease Areas at the Black Mesa Complex

The national policy on climate change seeks to lower overall carbon dioxide (CO2)

emissions. CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants are deemed a major contributor to

global warming and climate change. This federal policy has led to the imposition of more

stringent regulatory requirements for coal-fired power plants. The American Clean Energy

and Security Act of 2009 (the “Act”) was passed by Congress and requires stricter

regulation of existing power plants.

The economic impact on coal from increased

regulatory emissions restrictions forcing coal, once the Tribe’s most valuable economic

asset, into retreat in the new clean coal and carbon-constrained economy. The Act has set

up a downward spiral for coal, a national trend that already forced the loss of the MGS

power plant in 2005; along with the revenues it once provided the tribe. While Hopi coal

sales from the Kayenta Mine complex to NGS continue to provide significant and

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

absolutely critical revenues to the Hopi Tribe, the future of that revenue source is

increasingly uncertain in the face of federal climate change policies. The future outlook

for NGS remaining may foresee continual analysis past 2019 due to national and even

future state climate policy.

The mine has three coal leases with Peabody Energy, one Hopi Lease and two

Navajo leases. The former Joint Use Area (JUA) coal owned jointly by Navajo and Hopi,

which is about 40,000 acres leased in 1966. The Hopi Partitioned Land (HPL) is about

6,137 acres. The Navajo Partitioned Lands (NPL) is about 33,863 acres. The Lease is

north of the 1882 Hopi Reservation the coal is exclusively Navajo Nation about 24,858

acres which were leased in 1964. Most of the minable surface is on the Navajo Nation

Reservation.

The histories of the leases are as follows: the Leases and their amendments, as

negotiated by the Hopi and Navajo tribes, determine the amount of coal that Peabody can

mine. OSM does not make this determination. OSM determines the scope of the mining

Permit and the mining Plan under which the coal under contract with the Tribes will be

mined. Hopi and Navajo 1966 Joint Use Lease area set initial coal tonnage at 200 million

tons. In 1987 the Hopi and Navajo Tribes agreed to Lease amendments that added an

additional 180 million tons under the Joint Use Area Leases for a total of 380 million tons.

Of this amount, 200 million tons was mined out by 2006. The Navajo exclusive area lease

of 1964 set initial coal tonnage at 200 million tons. In 1987, the Navajo Nation agreed to

lease amendments that added an additional 90 million tons under the Navajo exclusive use

area lease for a total of 290 million tons. Of this amount, the original 200 million tons will

be mined out by about 2011.

The Hopi Tribe will review the tonnages and other aspects to the lease agreements

due to the proposed Kayenta Mine Complex Environmental Impact Statement (KMC EIS)

which is underway for the Navajo Generating Station (NGS) coal fire power plant located

in Page, Arizona. The Kayenta Mine Permit (AZ-0001D) Environmental Assessment

August 2011 (Navajo County, Arizona) by the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of

Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (Western Region). The Office of Surface

Mining Reclamation, Western Region (OSM) received an application from Peabody

Hopi Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

Western Coal Company (PWCC) for the renewal of Permit AZ-0001D.128 This renewal

application addresses mining operations during the period of July 6, 2010, through July 5,

2015, for the Kayenta Mine located in Navajo County, Arizona (Map A-1). 129 This

environmental assessment (EA) is being prepared in compliance with the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to analyze and disclose the probable effects of renewing

the permit that authorizes mining operations for the Kayenta Mine from July 2010 to July

2015.130

This approval would authorize the continuation of ongoing mining operations in coal resource

areas N-9, J-19, and J-21 from July 6, 2010 through July 5, 2015. Surface coal mining and

reclamation activities are authorized in up to five-year incremental periods to provide an

opportunity for OSM to review the mine’s compliance with applicable terms and conditions of

permits. Federal regulations in accordance with the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act

(SMCRA) grant a right of successive renewal within the approved boundaries of an existing mining

permit.1 Based on 30 CFR 774.15(c)(1), OSM must approve a complete and accurate application

for a permit renewal unless it finds, in writing that at least one of the following criteria exists:

(1) The terms and conditions of the existing permit are not being satisfactorily met;

(2) The present surface coal mining and reclamation operations are not in compliance with

the environmental protection standards of the Act and the regulatory program;

(3) The requested renewal substantially jeopardizes the operator’s continuing ability to

comply with the Act and the regulatory program on existing permit areas;

(4) The operator has not provided evidence of having liability insurance or self-insurance

as required in [30 CFR 800.60];

(5) The operator has not provided evidence that any performance bond required to be in

effect for the operation will continue in full force and effect for the proposed period of

renewal, as well as any additional bond the regulatory authority might require pursuant to

subchapter J of [Title 30, Volume 3, Chapter VII of the Code of Federal Regulations]; or

(6) Additional revised or updated information required by the regulatory authority has not

been provided by the applicant.131

OSM has determined that PWCC has submitted a complete and accurate application for permit

renewal. Consequently, OSM’s jurisdiction to deny the renewal request is limited to the criteria

listed above. Preliminary review by OSM has not identified that any of the six criteria has been

met for denial, and therefore OSM does not have the authority to deny the permit renewal.132

The Kayenta Mine Permit (AZ-0001D) Environmental Assessment, August 2011 by the U.S. DOI OSM, pg. 1.

Ibid at pg. 1

130

Ibid at pg. 1

131

Ibid at pg. 1

132

Ibid at pg. 2

128

129

Hopi Comprehensive Economic

This text is long and has been trimmed here. Open the source document for the complete record.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.