Opposition to Reef's Resort & Support for RMLP
Conservation Groups Concerned that Water Shortage in SW Utah Worsened by Reef Four Golf Courses
Conserve Southwest CSU) is one of the Southwests most important and impactful conservation organizations. Ed Andrechak, the President of Conserve SW Utah's board, wrote a letter to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, expressing concern about water scarcity, drought conditions, and the volume water Reef will use to irrigate it's four-golf course resort. HERE is Conserve Southwest Utah's letter to the US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Please see Water Resources for info on scarce water resources and chemical contamination. In July, RMLP joined conservationists across Utah to advocate for wild lands preservation.
Health Care Professionals Concerned about Health Hazards and Environmental Dangers of Reef's resort
Shivwits Native American health inequity specialist Mathew Valdez, physicians Brian Moench, Ellen Arch, and community health nurse Eileen Geller, and other health care professionals express serious concern about the health hazards and environmental consequences of chemical contamination from Reef's four golf course resort. See Dr. Brain Moench, the President of Utah Physician's for a Healthy Environment's letter to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee regarding his concerns about the negative health impact of golf course chemical exposure on the Shivwits people and their Ivins neighbors. Please see Health Consequences and the PDF below for more info from a nurse and pediatrician.
Law Enforcement Opposition to Shivwits Jurisdictional Clarity Act
Members of the law enforcement community have expressed concern about discriminatory legislation stripping the Shivwits people of their right to vote and greenlighting a private equity firms' 99-year lease of their land and water. Please see HERE for a letter from a former police officer and US Marshal, who attached a petition from 127 Utahans, joining her in opposition to Reef's resort.
Community Support for Shivwits Opposition to the Shivwits Jurisdictional Clarity Act
Over five hundred supporters of the Red Mountain Land Preservers are now fighting against the planned Reef Capital/Black Desert resort on Shivwits sacred land. Hundreds of emails and calls to went to the Senate Committee for Indian Affairs, packed community gatherings at Ivins City Hall and the Kayenta Arts Center were held, and residents across the country have expressed concern and a wish to help RMLP. For one example of many hundreds of such letters please see a PDF below of a letter signed by 31 Ivins residents opposing Reef's development.
Archaeology Opposition to Reef's Development on Shivwits Lands
Kaye Whitefeather Robinson, President of the Desert Archaeology Society, wrote a letter to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs expressing local archeological opposition to the legislation and to the development. Archeological sites such as the Red Mountain site where Reef wants to place luxury golf courses, are nonrenewable resources: once they are destroyed, they are gone forever and can’t be replace. Please see Archaeological Impact for more information.
College Students & Native Youth Support RMLP
College students and Native youth across Utah support RMLP and are working get out the word about the need to advocate for Tribal democracy and Shivwits constitutional rights, to preserve sacred lands, protect vital water, and stop the Reef Capital Partners/Black Desert destructive development. Please see the PDF below to check out the posters these students and Native youth have designed and are placing across Utah's college campuses. Contact us if you are a student and want to join RMLP's efforts.