Welcome to #LIGHT UP NAVAJO

Transcription

1 Welcome to #LIGHT UP NAVAJO On behalf of the Navajo people, we, here at the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, extend the warmest sincere welcome to the Navajo Nation. You are visiting our traditional homeland where our people have lived for thousands of years. The Navajo Nation extends across northern Arizona, southeastern Utah and northwest New Mexico, covering over 27,000 square miles of unparalleled beauty. We refer to our homeland as Diné Bikéyah (land belonging to the Navajo people). Today, the Navajo Nation population that now surpasses 300,000. In years past, Navajo land often appeared to be little more than a desolate section of the Southwest, but it was only a matter of time before the Navajo Nation became known as a nation in a world of its own, complete with a living culture, practicing the traditions and customs, and speaking the language of their ancestors. Our people here have achieved something quite rare: the ability of an indigenous people to blend both traditional and modern ways of life We are a Nation within a Nation. We thank you for your interest and commitment to the Light Up Navajo project. This has unfolded into what we are calling Partnerships for People. Together with American Public Power Association and your company and organization we will band together to bring electricity to homes and to Navajo families living without power. This is an incredible mission to bring more electrification to the Navajo Nation. Navajo families will witness that other parts of America do care and will volunteer to help out to make life a little bit easier. These partnerships will improve the standard of life for Navajo families, many that will be connected to the electric grid for the very first time. The hope is that LIGHT UP NAVAJO will serve as a successful model for continued efforts to turn on the lights for all Navajo homes that hope to connect to the grid. Thank you for being a part of the #Light Up Navajo! Initiative. We are grateful for your participation and look forward to your visit next Spring.

2 Tips for traveling on the Navajo Nation While traveling on the Navajo Nation, remember that you are on a sovereign, self-governing nation, and just as you would abroad, please obey all tribal laws and regulations. You do not need a passport to travel onto the Navajo Nation. Refrain from picking up hitchhikers and avoid panhandlers. IMPORTANT From the Navajo Nation Police Department: Do not rely on your vehicle and/or cell "GPS" when traveling on the regional roads. They are not reliable. Before heading out to your destination, ask for directions and stay on the paved roads. Navajo law enforcement officers have jurisdiction within the boundaries of Navajo land and roads, but also have jurisdiction on certain areas of the State of New Mexico, Arizona & County highways & roads. In turn, State & County Law Enforcement also have cross jurisdiction in certain areas of the Navajo Nation. Please be mindful that the use and possession of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited on the Navajo Nation. Do not enter any areas that are marked off-limits. If in doubt, please ask. Respect the privacy and customs of the residents and the integrity of the structures at all times. Do not enter a home uninvited nor knock on the doors asking questions. Always ask permission first before taking any photos of people, especially of the elderly.

3 Getting to the Navajo Nation from Albuquerque From Albuquerque Driving on Historic Route 66 (Interstate 40), you will begin your journey to the Navajo Nation. Located west of Albuquerque are several pueblo villages, the closest neighbors to the Navajo people. Grants, NM West of Acoma, is Grants, NM. According to historical records, Grants began as a railroad camp in the 1880s, when three Canadian brothers were awarded a contract to build a section of the new Atlantic and Pacific Railroad through the region. The Grant brothers' camp was first called Grants Camp, then Grants Station, and finally Grants. Perhaps the most memorable boom in the town's history occurred when Paddy Martinez, a Navajo shepherd, discovered uranium ore near Haystack Mesa, sparking a mining boom that lasted until the 1980s. The collapse of mining pulled the town into a depression, but the town has enjoyed a resurgence based on interest in tourism and the scenic beauty of the region. For more information - Gallup, NM West of Grants is Gallup, NM. Gallup was founded in 1881 as a railhead for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. The City was named after David Gallup, a paymaster for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. It is the most populous city between Albuquerque, New Mexico and Flagstaff, Arizona. Gallup is sometimes called the "Indian Capital of the World", for its location in the heart of Native American lands, and the presence of Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi tribes. For more information Just east of Gallup is the Navajo Nation s first casino. It is called Fire Rock Casino and is quite visible from Interstate 40, exit 26. For more information - From Gallup, NM to Window Rock, Arizona, the capital of the Navajo Nation. At the intersection of Highways 264 and 491, a turn to Window Rock, Arizona will lead you twenty miles west to the Navajo Nation Capital community, the center of Navajo Nation government. Window Rock, Ariz. is the seat of the Navajo Nation leadership much like Washington, D.C. Historically, the immediate area served as the military base for fifty years at Fort Defiance, about 10 miles north of Window Rock. It was a US cavalry outpost. That was until in the 1930s when Window Rock was established as a new Navajo Nation government capital. The tribal government capital is named for the natural stone arch on its north-eastern side. At the base of the natural stone arch is a Veteran s Memorial. For more Navajo nation travel information - While at Window Rock, you can learn a lot about Navajo history at the tribal museum. The building is beautiful and is also to the home for the Navajo Nation Library. It also has an excellent gift shop with one of the best selections of books on Native American and Navajo history. The museum is open to the general public and is free.

4 Navajo Tribal Utility Authority An Enterprise of the Navajo Nation The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) has continuously served the Navajo people for 59 years. The NTUA was established on January 22, 1959, to address the absence of utilities on the Navajo Nation. The NTUA is organized for the operation, maintenance and expansion of electric distribution and transmission, communications, natural gas, water, wastewater and power generation, including photovoltaic (solar), services for the Navajo people at a low and reasonable cost. Other objectives of the NTUA are to promote employment opportunities on the Navajo Nation, and to improve the health and welfare of the residents of the Navajo Nation. #LIGHTUPNAVAJO means more Bright Lights for Navajo Families Imagine life without electricity. Without television, without computers, tablets or cell phones. Picture life where refrigerators don t exist because there is no electric power. For approximately 15,000 families on the Navajo Nation this is reality. It s important to Navajo families to maintain traditional ties to the ancestral land. The homes are in very remote areas and the core of the family, or the elders, maintain the family homesteads where their families have lived for generations. On average, there are about four folks per home when you include grandchildren and immediate family members. That represents about 60,000 people without electricity. You can t have running water without electricity. We ve got more people without natural gas service. There s only eight thousand served by natural gas. On the communications side, only forty percent of our homes have access to a landline phone in their home. Sixty percent don t have a landline. That s the reality on the Navajo Nation. Despite not having electricity, families make due they live on the land homestead by their grandparents and their ancestors. Therefore the work to connect electricity to families living in rural areas is great but funding is limited. To connect all homes is a daunting goal to meeting this goal requires solutions that are innovative and pioneering. Today through partnerships innovation and pioneering have been combined make up a new initiative taking place under a project called #LIGHTUPNAVAJO. Now I don t have to worry..., The darkness has lifted... < Grandma Nez received electric power in May 2018 after waiting more than 20 years. Meanwhile, 55 miles away > another elderly Grandmother is waiting to be connected to electricity. She s been waiting more than 30 years. About the Navajo People he Navajo Nation is the largest Native American tribe in the T United States with an estimated population of 300,000 Navajos; approximately 190,000 Navajos reside within Navajo territory. The Navajo Nation was established in 1868 with the Treaty of Bosque Redondo. The landbase is comparable in size to the state of West Virginia; it spans over 27,000 square miles and occupies portions of northern Arizona, northwestern UT CO AZ NM Navajo Nation New Mexico and southern Utah. Navajoland is unique because the people have achieved something quite rate the ability of an indigenous people to blend both tradition and modern ways of life. The Navajo Nation is a Nation within a Nation. The way of life for the Navajo people is rich in traditions and customs, a living culture practiced daily. The Navajo language is still spoken today and remains the primary language and is the preferred form of communication, especially for the elderly. The Navajo people are very geared toward family life and events that surround their lifestyle. The culture, deep rooted with traditions and customs, is centered kinship referred to as Ke. Basis of Ke is the connectedness to family, clan, tribe, community and is defined by action, and solidarity, encompassing such concepts as compassion, kindness, friendliness, generosity, and peacefulness. It is a central theme, requiring a constant awareness of the relationships and interconnectedness between one and the environment.

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6 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION From Current Employer I hereby authorize you to release the following information to Navajo Tribal Utility Authority for the purposes of investigation as require by Section of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Applicant s Signature Date NAME AND ADDRESS OF CURRENT EMPLOYER THIS FORM WAS (check appropriate box) Mailed, Date: Faxed, Date: ed, Date: Name of Person Contacted: Name of Employee: Social Security No.: Date of Birth: Dear Sir/Madam: The above individual has made application to this company for a position as and states that he/she is employed by you as from (m/y) to (m/y). In accordance with Section , we are obligated to request the information below from all current employers of the applicant that employed him/her to operate a commercial motor vehicle within the 3 years preceding (date of application). Please complete the information below and return to us within 30 days, as required by Section (g). You may return the information by fax, mail or . Volunteer Employer: Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Attention: Human Resources Mailing Address: P.O. Box 170, Fort Defiance, AZ, Telephone: (928) Fax: (928) HREmployment&Benefits@ntua.com TO BE COMPLETED BY CURRENT EMPLOYER SECTION 1: DRIVER IDENTIFICATION The applicant named above is employed by us. Yes No Employed as from (m/y) to (m/y) If driver was involved in a safety-sensitive position to drug and alcohol testing under Part 40, check here SECTION 2: SAFETY PERFORMANCE HISTORY 1. Did he/she drive motor vehicle for you? Yes No If yes, what type? Straight Truck Tractor-Semitrailer Cargo Tank Double/Triples Other (Specify) Driver Class: Type: Truck: Subject to FMCSRs? Subject to DOT & D&A? Company: Solo: Tractor-Trailer: Yes: Yes: Lease: Team: Straight Truck: No: No: Own/Op: Student: Tanker: Other: Other: Other: Loads Hauled: Trailer Length: ACCIDENTS: Complete the following for any accidents included on your accident register ( (b)) that involved the applicant in the 3 years prior to the application date shown above, or check here if there is no accident register data for this driver. Date Location No. of Injuries No. of Fatalities Hazmat Spill Preventable Please provide information concerning any other accidents involving the applicant that were reported to government agencies or insurers or retained under internal company policies:

7 Drug and Alcohol (to be accompanied by an appropriate drug and alcohol release) In the three years prior to the date of the employee s signature (on the release), for DOT-regulated testing: 1. Did the employee have alcohol tests with a result of 0.04 or higher? Yes No 2. Did the employee have verified positive drug tests? Yes No 3. Did the employee refuse to be tested? Yes No 4. Did the employee have other violations of DOT agency drug and alcohol testing regulations? Yes No 5. Did a previous employer report a drug and alcohol rule violation to you? Yes No 6. If you answered yes to any of the above items, did the employee complete the return-to- N/A Yes No duty process? NOTE: If you answered yes to item 5, you must provide the previous employer s report. If you answered, yes to item 6, you must also transmit the appropriate return-to-duty documentation (e.g. SAP report(s), follow-up testing record). Information provided by (Signature): Title, Date Phone Printed Name Company DOT # Comments: CURRENT EMPLOYER: KEEP A RECORD OF THIS REQUEST AND THE RESPONSE FOR ONE YEAR, INCLUDING THE DATE, THE PARTY TO WHOM IT WAS RELEASED, AND A SUMMARY IDENTIFYING WHAT WAS PROVIDED. ORGINAL FORWARD TO CURRENT EMPLOYER FOR COMPLETION

8 PPE CHECK LIST & CREW/EQUIPMENT INFORMATION Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Checklist Personal Climbing Equipment (Body Belt, Climbers, & Personal Fall Restriction Device, i.e. Super Squeeze, EZ Squeeze, Jelco Pole Choker, etc.) Hard Hat Safety Glasses (Z87.1 Rated) Flame Resistant Clothing (FRC) Hand Protection (Working Gloves) Foot Protection (Climbing Boots) Crew Size for cold line construction Journeyman Lineman Two (2) Helpers/Apprentices Standard Equipment 60' bucket truck with jib Backhoe, as needed Two utility trucks Digger Derrick (4X4) Pole Trailer Pressure Digger

9 Acceptable Materials Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Item Material Description Material Text/Detail 1 ARRESTER DIST.LIGHTNING 18KV CROSSARM CHANCE/HUBBELL POWER SYSTEMS CATALOG # WITH BIRDGUARD AND CROSSARM MOUNTING BRACKET. 2 BRACE CROSSARM 60" SPAN X 18" DROP ALUMA FORM CAT# RA CROSSARM 3-3/4" X 4-3/4" X 8 FT - DIST. DOUGLAS FIR, WITH PENTACHLOROPHENOL TREATED 60 LBS.PER CUBIC FT. DRILLED FOR DISTRIBUTION TYPE RUS APPROVED INSTALLATION. M-19 DRILLING, TYPE: 3. 4 CUTOUT FUSE 15/26 KV 100AMP DIST POLYMER TYPE C, AB CHANCE CAT #CP EX WITH CROSSARM MOUNTING BRACKETS.125kvBil. (NO SUBSTITUTES). POLYMER. 5 INSULATOR PINTYPE 14.4 KV - J-NECK 25KV, CLASS 56-1 J-NECK 1-3/8" PIN LAPP CAT# 8248R-70 - PORCELAIN PRODUCTS CAT #1027-ST. 6 INSULATOR, 3" SPOOL PORCELAIN LAPP CAT# OR RUS APPROVED EQUAL. 7 WIRE COPPER CLAD #6 BARE 338 FT PER REEL 40% CONDUCTIVITY 8 INSULATOR EPOXYLATOR 14.4 KV POLYMER DEADEND 25KV, 150 KV BIL RATED, DISTRIBUTION TYPE. OHIO BRASS CAT# WIRE #4 THHN STRANDED COPPER - RED PACKAGED ON 500 FT. SPOOLS 10 WIRE COPPER CLAD #4 BARE 214 FT PER REEL 40% CONDUCTIVITY 11 POLE 40 FT CLASS 3 - SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE 12 POLE 45 FT CLASS 3 - SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE

10 LIABILITY RELEASE, WAIVER, DISCHARGE AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE IMPORTANT: THIS IS A LEGAL DOCUMENT Please read and understand this document before signing. If you have any questions, please consult an attorney. This Liability Release, Waiver, Discharge and Covenant not to Sue ( RELEASE ) is a legally binding release executed by me,,( RELEASOR ) of (Employer s Name), (City /State). RELEASOR, being of lawful age, in consideration of being permitted to participate in the Light Up Navajo Project, related events, and activities ( ACTIVITIES ) (before, on, or after May 5 May 7, 2017) do for myself, executors, administrators, heirs, and assigns, hereby release and forever discharge all sponsors, advertisers, owners and lessors of premises, American Public Power Association (APPA), and Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA), and their respective officials, officers, directors, employees, agents, heirs, executors, administrators, or legal representatives, or other successors of interest ( RELEASEES ), of and from any and every claim, demand, action, or right of action, either in law or equity, by way of subrogation or otherwise, arising from or by reason of any bodily injury or personal injuries, known or unknown, death, loss or damage to property, or occurrence before, during, or after, related to RELEASOR s participation in the ACTIVITIES, whether caused by negligence of RELEASEES or otherwise. RELEASOR acknowledges and fully understands that each participant, whether as a sponsor, volunteer, exhibitor, vendor/independent contractor, or electric utility employee or student assisting with setting and removing of utility poles and related equipment at [specific locations on the Navajo Nation] before or after the [Light Up Navajo], will be engaging in ACTIVITIES, or will be in the proximity of ACTIVITIES, that involve risk of serious injury, including disability and death, and severe social and economic losses to person or property, which may result not only from RELEASOR s own actions, inactions or negligence, but also the actions, inactions or negligence of others, the regulations, procedures, or policies of the [Light Up Navajo], or the condition of premises or anything used at the project site, RELEASOR understands that there may be other risks not known to RELEASEES. RELEASOR understands and agrees that RELEASEES do not have medical personnel available at the location of ACTIVITIES. RELEASOR understands and agrees that RELEASEES are granted permission to authorize emergency medical treatment, if necessary, and that such action by RELEASEES shall be subject to the terms of this RELEASE. RELEASOR understands and agrees that RELEASEES assume no responsibility for any injury or damage which might arise out of or in connection with such authorized emergency medical treatment. RELEASOR further states that RELEASOR has adequate health insurance necessary to provide for and pay for any medical costs that RELEASOR may incur during or arising from RELEASOR s participation in ACTIVITIES. RELEASOR assumes all the foregoing risks and accepts personal responsibility for any and all loss, disability, damage, or cost following such injury, permanent disability, or death. RELEASOR further releases all RELEASEES, officials, other participants, or any professional persons of any claim whatsoever on account of first aid, treatment of services rendered, during RELEASOR s participation in the ACTIVITIES before, on, or after May 5-May 7, RELEASOR agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the RELEASEES, from any loss, liability, damage, or cost including attorney s fees, RELEASEES may incur due to the presence of RELEASOR in or upon the premises before, during, or after the ACTIVITIES. 1. RELEASOR is identified as a participant by checking one or more of the following: Journeyman**+ Participant is Journeyman qualified. Volunteer** Apprentice **+ Participant is a qualified climber. Electric Utility Employee**+ assisting with setting and removing utility poles and related equipment APPA Staff** Vendors/Sponsors**. **RELEASOR is aware of and understands all safety regulations and rules applicable to servicing, repairing, replacing, or otherwise working with or on electrical power lines. +RELEASOR will supply, for his/her own use, climbers, belt, hand tools, and other required safety equipment. Page 1 of 2

11 LIABILITY RELEASE, WAIVER, DISCHARGE AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE 2. RELEASOR, prior to participating, will inspect the facilities and equipment to be used, and if he/she believes anything is unsafe, he/she will immediately advise RELEASEES of such conditions and refuse to participate unless and until the unsafe condition has been remedied to RELEASOR S satisfaction, in which case RELEASOR assumes all risks of subsequent participation. 3. RELEASOR hereby waives subrogation rights of his/her insurer against the RELEASEES. As to RELEASOR S property or business interests, RELEASOR agrees to rely entirely upon his/her own property insurance for recovery with respect to any damage, loss, or injury to his/her property interests. 4. RELEASOR understands that recreational and illegal drugs or alcohol are strictly prohibited AT OR DURING any ACTIVITIES. Any violations are grounds for immediate dismissal from the ACTIVITIES and/or police involvement. 5. RELEASOR understands that RELEASOR is at all times responsible for RELEASOR s own safety when RELEASOR participates in ACTIVITIES. RELEASOR expressly agrees and promises to accept and assume all of the risks existing in the ACTIVITIES. RELEASOR s participation in ACTIVITIES is purely voluntary, and RELEASOR elects to participate in spite of the risks. 6. RELEASOR understands that RELEASEES reserve the right to cancel ACTIVITIES or prevent RELEASOR from participating in ACTIVITIES, in the RELEASEES sole judgment. 7. RELEASOR understands that If RELEASOR decides to leave early and not to complete ACTIVITIES as planned, RELEASOR assumes all risks inherent in RELEASOR s decision to leave and waive all liability against RELEASEES arising from the decision. 8. RELEASOR agrees that the site of any lawsuit and the law governing any such lawsuit shall be at Window Rock, AZ and governed by Navajo Nation law, without regard to conflict of laws principles. The term of this RELEASE shall continue and be in effect after ACTIVITIES have ended. This RELEASE is intended to be as broad and inclusive as is permitted by law, and may not be modified in any way. If any provision or any part of any provision of this RELEASE is held to be invalid or legally unenforceable for any reason, the remainder of this RELEASE shall not be affected and shall remain valid and fully enforceable. 9. A copy of this RELEASE can be used as if it were an original. RELEASOR agrees that a copy of this RELEASE can be used as if it were an original. 10. RELEASOR grants to RELEASEES the absolute and irrevocable right and permission with respect to the photographs or video or sound taken of RELEASOR by RELEASEES or their designee: a. To copyright the same. b. To use, reuse, publish and republish the same in whole or in part, individually or in conjunction with other photographs in any medium and for any purpose whatsoever, including (but not by way of limitation), illustration, promotion and advertising and trade. c. To use RELEASOR s name in connection therewith if RELEASEES so choose. THIS IS A RELEASE OF LEGAL RIGHTS. READ BEFORE SIGNING. In signing this RELEASE, I acknowledge that I have read this document in its entirety and I freely and voluntarily assume all risks of any injuries and damages. Notwithstanding such risks, I agree to participate in this event. RELEASOR Legal Name (PRINT): Legal Name (SIGNATURE): ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP Executed this day: (date) (month) of 20 (year). Page 2 of 2

12 SAFETY GUIDELINES Navajo Tribal Utility Authority Safety is First at the NAVAJO TRIBAL UTILITY AUTHORITY (NTUA). The Safety Manual is intended to provide information on safe work practices in order to prevent injury to persons and damage to property. These safety rules alone will not prevent accidents, nor do they cover all conditions or practices that may result in accidents and or injuries; they can only supplement good judgment, common sense, experience, and knowledge. No employee is required to perform work known to be unsafe or dangerous to health. Your cooperation in detecting hazards, reporting dangerous conditions and controlling workplace hazards is a condition of employment. Inform your supervisor immediately of any situation beyond your ability or authority to correct. Employees will not be disciplined or suffer any retaliation for reporting a safety violation in good faith. It is, therefore, a primary supervisory function to ensure the safety of all employees. It is equally the duty of each employee to accept and follow established safety rules. Safety awareness and accident prevention must be a part of every operation and every employee s responsibility at all levels. Your personal commitment in the practice of safety behavior every day is essential to successfully performing our jobs without interruption, and to meeting our customer s expectations. The mission of NTUA is to provide safe, reliable, and affordable utility services that exceed our customer s expectations. In doing so, our duty is based on the principles of safety, quality, and production. It is the intent of NTUA to comply with all laws and policies governing the safety and health of our employees, and the operation of the business. Every effort will be made to provide adequate training to employees. However, if an employee is ever in doubt about how to do a job safely, it is his duty to ask a qualified person for assistance. Employees are expected to assist in accident prevention activities, and must report unsafe conditions immediately to their supervisor. Everyone is responsible for the housekeeping duties that pertain to their jobs. Every injury that occurs on the job, even a slight cut or strain, must be reported to the supervisor immediately. Under no circumstances, except emergency trips to the hospital, should an employee leave the work site without reporting an injury. When you have an accident, everyone is hurt. Please work safely. Safety is everyone s business.

13 Light Up Navajo - Mutual Aid Project Basic Questions & Answers What can I expect as a volunteer? Volunteers and the NTUA electric line personnel will team up to construct electric lines to Navajo families. Most project sites are located in remote areas where the access to the sites are off paved roads. Amenities at these locations are limited to the 'local' convenience store; however, Volunteers will be lodged in hotel establishments, which are located in the larger communities near the project sites. How long should I volunteer? We ask volunteers to commit to at least two weeks. What skills are required? We are seeking journeyman lineman volunteers. However, apprentices may volunteer provided the apprentice accompanies their journeyman. Majority of the electric line construction will consist of 1-phase overhead facilities. What would my employer need to provide prior to arriving to NTUA? To maximize the hours volunteers spend in the field, we are asking employers to provide pertinent information regarding their employees credentials, such as: certification their employee has the appropriate training, emergency contact information, a photo of the employee, insurance, waiver of liability etc. prior to their arrival. A checklist of items needed before hand will be provided. Where do I report if I am volunteering? Volunteers will be provide logistic information prior to their arrival. What will happen when I arrive to NTUA in April/May of 2019? Volunteers will attend a 2-hour orientation before they are dispatched to project sites. The orientation will provide information relating to safety, project logistics, and Navajo cultural awareness. Thereafter, volunteers will be paired with our line crews and sent to project sites. What should I bring? Dress - You can expect cold weather conditions in April and May. We recommend volunteers bring cold weather clothing just in case. Food and Drink - Your daily refreshments can be purchased at the local stores. Dinner will be provided at the lodging establishments. Alcohol is prohibited on the Navajo Nation and NTUA has a Tobacco-Free work environment policy. Tools - Volunteers are expected to provide appropriate PPE and tools for line construction. Is voluntary service tax deductible? NTUA is not established as a 501(c)(3) organization; but individuals should keep receipts for personal income tax submissions if applicable. Can we contribute monetary donations? NTUA will accept donations. Please make checks payable to NTUA PO BOX 170 Fort Defiance, Arizona What if I still have questions? Do not hesitate to contact us with any further questions by at lesterl@ntua.com or by phone at Thank you for your interest.

14 Managing Editor Lori Burkhart wrote in August s Public Utilities Fortnightly about #LIGHTUPNAVAJO Navajo Nation Electrification Sometimes a story just draws you in. It helps to have an eloquent and dedicated speaker telling that story. Such is the case with Wally Haase, general manager, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, who spoke at the American Public Power Association s National Conference on June 19, 2018, on the over fifteen thousand families or sixty thousand people living within the Navajo nation without access to electricity. Let that sink in. Because as he tells it, and you easily can figure out, if you don't have access to electricity, then you don't have access to running water. Or many of what we would call the necessities of life. Haase explains that means the families must take a two hundred and fifty-gallon plastic tank, hoist it on the back of a pick-up truck or trailer, then drive for an hour to an hour and a half to one of the watering points and fill it up. Without electricity, you don't have refrigeration. According to Haase, when families go to the watering point, and the water will last about four or five days, depending on how conservative a family is, that s also where to buy groceries and ice to preserve the perishables at an adjacent convenience store. That s basically a gas station that sells food next to it. The families bring the food and water home and the cycle begins again Realizing that more must be done, and faster, Haase now is working on a volunteer program that is being introduced in September Using the hashtag #LIGHTUPNAVAJO, also called Light Up the Navajo Nation, you can register online to take part in efforts by the APPA and NTUA in a pilot program to bring electricity to homes without it. The goal is that this will serve as a successful model for continued efforts to turn on the lights for all Navajo homes that hope to connect to the grid. Volunteers will be working with NTUA crews to help build electric lines to serve homes for the first time.

15 The effort needs teams of experienced line-workers who are committed to helping give power to those in need. Many of the electrification projects are spread out, and resources can be limited, so volunteers are asked to commit to at least two weeks of volunteer linework. On Sept. 10 and 11, 2018, NTUA will host a planning meeting on the Navajo Nation in Window Rock, Arizona, following its Engineering and Operations Technical Conference planning meeting. This meeting is intended to provide volunteers and interested utilities with more information about the projects, required resources, weather conditions, travel plans, and more. Haase asked me to let you know that matching funds are available to help encourage volunteers and alleviate the financial burden. For more information on how you can help Light Up the Navajo Nation, simply go to for the registration form. Even if you don t have the required skills for installing power lines, there is more you can do. You can spread the word about this powerful project. When you follow that link, you will find a flyer you can post with valuable information plus a quick one-page summary to help you communicate key points about the effort to your colleagues and leadership. mitnick@fortnightly.com Sign up to receive Today s Public Utilities Fortnightly.

16 FROM THE EDITOR Those Without Power Our Electrification Mission Remains Around the World, Even Here BY STEVE MITNICK Once our industry s greatest glory was electrifying a community. Our achievements think Hoover Dam, or lines spanning mountains were celebrated in culture and lore. The rise of suburbia and the south, and our soaring cities, doesn t happen without the buildout of reliable economical grids. But all that is a distant memory. Grandma tells of the day her town was connected. Though, try as they may, it s hard for the grandchildren to share her pain of the days before and her joy of the days after. They ve always lived in a dense mesh of connections. Is the age of exploration of inspiring achievements over? Are there no more lands to conquer? Making the grid extremely low-carbon. One could get inspired by that goal, and many are. Making the grid take over high-carbon tasks like transportation. Another deserving goal. Otherwise, the public is complacent about electricity. They expect it. They re shocked figuratively when a squall or squirrel stops the flow. And they re unimpressed by the complexity we address daily to keep their connection continuous. That s not the case for the billions without reliable power, or any power, around the globe. Each month, Public Utilities Fortnightly features a four-page Steve Mitnick is Editor-in-Chief of Public Utilities Fortnightly and author of the book Lines Down: How We Pay, Use, Value Grid Electricity Amid the Storm. ENact photo-story on energy poverty in Africa, Asia, eastern Europe and South America. It s heart-breaking to see so vividly the stunted lives of unconnected communities. But energy poverty is closer to home. This month s PUF also features an extraordinary interview with the general manager of the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. Well over a quarter of all the homes in the service territory fi fteen thousand homes are not electrified. Let me repeat. Well over a quarter of all the homes in the service territory are not electrified. This is unconscionable. We should Whether in Liberia or Arizona, no grid connection means darkness in several senses of the word. be ashamed that economic poverty among the Navajo, combined with low population density and adverse terrain, have conspired to hold back so many families from the grid s bounty. Listen to Navajo s general manager. Families live without power and so without water, gas for cooking and heating, and communications. Parents work in distant cities and lose touch with their children, who must study without adequate light at night. Whether in Liberia or Arizona, no grid connection means darkness in several senses of the word. And getting connected by the utility brings immeasurable joy and the promise of a better life for parents and their children. It turns out there s more energy poverty in America. Next month s PUF will feature another article on» 4 PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY SEPTEMBER 2017

17 the terrible situation in Puerto Rico. The downward spiral in the economics of the beautiful island has led to the financial failure of its electric utility. Much of the public suffers frequent service interruptions, some so bad that machines and appliances have been rendered inoperable. One of the most honorable things our industry does is commit to fight energy poverty overseas. I m familiar with the programs sponsored by NRECA, NARUC, USEA and the Energy Bar Association. I m sure there are others. Why do they do this? Why travel thousands of miles to electrify a rural village? Certainly, there s the sheer morality of it. And the immense satisfaction of so significantly helping people. But there s also the gratification that, when we connect that rural village so far away, we ve returned to our original mission. To deliver the grid s bounty to all. Doing so reminds us, and perhaps our complacent constituencies, of what we re about. We light the world. It s one of the noblest jobs a man or woman can have. So, when you read in PUF about the work abroad of ENact, the work here of utilities in the Navajo lands and in Puerto Rico, and the programs to fight energy poverty by our industry associations, you might consider how you can help. I know, after reading these stories, I did. PUF Thomas Edison, in National Statutory Hall, stands in the United States Capitol. Edison proudly holds aloft his light. He first electrified the home of the wealthy financier J.P. Morgan. But he, like our other forefathers in utilities and regulation, were intent on lighting the world every home and every public place. 6 PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY SEPTEMBER 2017

18 Navajo Homes No Electricity, Gas, Water, Phones for Many Thousands PUF s Steve Mitnick, with Walter Wally Haase, General Manager, Navajo Tribal Utility Authority 8 PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY SEPTEMBER 2017

19 XP UF s Steve Mitnick: Tell us a little about NTUA and your unique organization. Wally Haase: NTUA stands for the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. It was created in 1959 because the investor-owned utilities, the co-ops and the municipals that were to serve our region just didn t meet the utility needs of our people. That s the best way to describe it. The Navajo Tribal Council had decided that because our needs were being overlooked, the only way we were going to get our people taken care of was to do it ourselves. NTUA was created with that spirit in mind. Originally, we started out as a water services provider. Shortly after that we acquired some electric utility assets and started to grow from that point in time. The rest of the United States and especially the rural areas were electrified in the 1930s and 1940s because the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Services helped the co-ops. The Navajo Nation is located in three states. It s in the northern third of the state of Arizona a neighbor to the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff area and Lake Powell. We have a section of territory close to the Four Corners region in Utah. In fact, we now own and operate all the utilities in the Navajo Nation located in southeastern Utah. We have a little larger service territory section in northwestern New Mexico. From the city of Farmington down to the city of Gallup, the area in-between is probably a hundred and twentytwo miles. The Navajo Nation covers approximately 27,000 square miles. For comparison, the state of West Virginia covers 25,500 square miles. NTUA has the right to cover the whole area, but there are pockets within the Navajo Nation where some of the other utilities still operate their infrastructure. It is my understanding that it s not cost-effective for them to build out because Navajo homesteads are typically located in rural isolated areas. There are approximately 55,000 homes on the Navajo Nation. There are approximately 15,000 homes on the Navajo Nation that do not have electricity. Those numbers are approximate. The homes are in very remote areas and generally occupied by elders, most times with their grandchildren. Because of the high unemployment rate, parents are forced to leave their children with their parents while they work in urban centers. The core of the family, or the elders, maintain the family homesteads where their families have lived for generations. On average, it s about four folks per home. That represents about sixty thousand people without electricity. PUF s Steve Mitnick: Does the vast geographic area of the Navajo Nation create a challenge for serving everyone? Wally Haase: Yes. The cost is a real challenge. There are about 300,000 Navajos in the U.S., and about 185,000 to 190,000 reside within the Navajo Nation at any given time. NTUA provides electricity, water, waste water, natural gas, communications services and renewable energy services to the Navajo Nation. Since 1959, we ve grown considerably, in service territory. We have a little over 41,000 electric customers, 39,000 water customers, a little under 8,000 natural gas customers, 16,000 There are approximately 55,000 homes on the Navajo Nation. Approximately 15,000 homes do not have electricity. waste water customers, and a little over 20,000 communications customers. PUF s Steve Mitnick: You must have some number of non-residential customers. Wally Haase: Yes, we do. We break it down into industrial, commercial and public building classifications. Then you ve got your residential consumers. We talked about 15,000 families without electricity. We re talking about approximately 18,000 families without running water. You can t have running water without electricity. We ve got more people without natural gas service. There s only 8,000 served by natural gas. The Navajo Nation is a high desert plains region, so it means that we re up in the mountains in a lot of the areas. We actually have winters, including harsh cold weather that lasts more than two seasons. On the communications side, only forty percent of our homes have access to a landline phone in their home. Sixty percent don t have a landline. It s not because they ve replaced it with a wireless system. We re in the beginnings of installing an emergency 911 system. Most of the region doesn t have a functioning 911 system. We have a forty-six and a half percent unemployment rate. Our per capita income for our people is about ten thousand, seven hundred dollars. The rest of the United States is at forty-seven thousand dollars of per capita income. PUF s Steve Mitnick: There are a lot of important challenges. Wally Haase: Right. Our customers are very price sensitive about the utility services. You may live in the city, and spend three thousand dollars a year on utility services. Three thousand dollars SEPTEMBER 2017 PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY 9

20 is not that big of a chunk out of forty-seven thousand dollars. If you re here on the Navajo Nation and you spend fifteen hundred dollars or two thousand dollars on utility services, that s a lot out of your ten thousand, seven hundred dollars of income. There are a few things that are occurring here. People without electricity, and without running water, have different lifestyles because they spend time a lot of time getting the basic necessities of life. If you don t have electricity, you don t have refrigeration. If you don t have a water line connected to your house, you ve still got to have drinking water, bathing water, water for washing clothes and things like that, even cooking. Those same families have to haul water. They have a two hundred and fifty-gallon plastic tank that they fill up with water for domestic use. They have to pull it from their house, slide it in the back of the truck, then drive up to two hours to the nearest watering station, then back home. Depending on how frugal they are, that water tank typically We re talking about approximately 18,000 families without running water. You can t have running water without electricity. will last about four to five days. Every four to five days, families have to haul water. Picture this now. You don t have electricity. This is how you get your water. You still need to cook food, and you still need to heat your home because it s cold. You re using wood that you gather from the mountains, or you are using coal right out of the mine. You re using that as a heating source, and a cooking source. You have to spend time transporting those items. When you go to the store to get water, you basically are getting your foods from a convenient type grocery store. It s the closest to home, and usually located more than one hour a way. You buy ice, and transport it home in portable coolers to keep the foods 10 PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY SEPTEMBER 2017

21 that need to be normally refrigerated cold. The ice is only going to last a few days in this environment. What you re going to cook for dinner, and how you re going to do that, is a very different approach for people who live under those circumstances. PUF s Steve Mitnick: What are the answers? Wally Haase: I ll get to that, but first I just wanted to show you that this is a common picture out here. Due to such a low employment, a lot of the working age adults who have children will have to leave and go work in cities, like Phoenix, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and other places. A lot of them are construction type workers. Because of distance, the parents come home sometimes on weekends or a few times a month. So, communication becomes a problem for the parents to stay connected with the children, because there is no communication service in those homes, especially in very isolated areas. It s hard to stay connected or talk on a daily basis, because only forty percent of the homes have a phone in them a landline phone. The community or the families, after we re done, will basically demand that they be allowed to cook a traditional dinner for our electric linemen. This January will be my tenth year with the Navajo Nation. When I arrived, there were approximately 18,000 families without access to electricity. When you bring electricity to an area, some people decide to move home. Families here have deep ties to their culture and traditions. It s a part of the fabric of our communities. While they move away for work, they keep close ties to their traditional homes. We ve actually connected more than 3,000 homes over that nine-year period of time. The number doesn t go down one-forone because you have an influx coming back, once electricity is available at traditional homesteads. SEPTEMBER 2017 PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY 11

22 One of the heartwarming aspects for me is when we electrify homes after an extensive power line project that we built. The community or the families, after we re done, will basically demand that they be allowed to cook a traditional dinner for our electric linemen. When a large electrification project is complete, the community will come together, and they want to have a dinner to celebrate. They want to be able to thank the crew that did the work. It s very rewarding from that standpoint to see and hear about. This means we have done our jobs. When I arrived, NTUA in the Navajo Nation was in a difficult situation, because one of the largest NTUA customers had closed down. The Black Mesa Mine, which supplied coal to the Mohave power plant near Laughlin, Nevada shut down. That shutdown forced the local mine to close. When the mine shut down, there were a lot people who lost their jobs. Probably about five hundred people lost really good, high paying jobs. An average Navajo takes care of about eight people through extended family. That s how strong the family bonds are out here. Wally Haase Just before I arrived at NTUA, it suffered a signifi cant loss of revenue. The company had to raise rates. On average, they ended up raising their rates about twenty-two percent because of loss of the Black Mesa Mine, and because they hadn t raised rates for quite a while. When I arrived, we had a three and a half million-dollar loss in income. We had stopped connecting new services for about two to two and a half years because of all these problems. We were struggling, therefore, we had to downsize. We reduced our work force. We hadn t had access to the financial marketplace for about ten years. We worked together, and we spent about a year and a half fixing the financial situation. We spent time getting all our paperwork and audits done, and catching up on our work orders. We spent a lot of time rebuilding and refocusing the business so that we would have a positive net income. We needed to have a positive net income to be able to open ourselves up to get back to the financial marketplace. We were able to get our first RUS [U.S. Rural Utility Service] loan in more than ten years. It took us about a year and a half to accomplish that. Our normal U.S. loans, prior to that, were in the thirty-million-dollar range. I believe this one was around sixty-eight million dollars. That was a key ingredient for us to start attacking the electrification and communications challenges. We do get a small amount of community development grant dollars from HUD [U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development]. Those will average four to six million dollars a year. They require matching dollars, which we were able to do with a better financial picture. We were able to start connecting people again, after I d been here a year and a half. We started on those programs again. We ve been averaging about seven hundred utility connections for families on average a year, over the last seven years. The homes closer to the grid were less expensive, and we were able to connect them. It s the homes in isolated areas that are more-costly. Microgrids are good if you have a concentration. If you ve only got 4 or 5 houses on 300 acres, which is what we ve got, that s not dense enough. To give you a high-level understanding, we will build miles and miles of line and end up connecting up to three customers. On average, using the last 2016 numbers, it was costing us seventy-thousand dollars to connect electricity to one customer home. We do contribute fi fteen hundred dollars to the family to get connected. In 2015, our average electric customer paid $ for electric for the whole year. We must keep our electric rates lower than the larger utilities that are around us. We have to be lower than the cities that have much higher density because our people can t afford it. Our average margin was $ At a $32.50 margin, NTUA will never recover the cost of connecting these homes. It s not about that. It s about raising the standard of living for our people. As an example, just picture a kid living with his elders or his grandparents in a rural isolated area. He or she gets driven to an area where a bus will come and pick him up. It ll be dark most mornings. The bus will be on the road for an hour to an hour and a half. The kids have their whole day at school, and then they ll come home on a trip that takes an hour to an hour and a half to get back. So, each day, the bus ride will be about three hours. They ll come home to a house that doesn t have electricity. Someone s cooked the food using coal, wood, or propane. If they 12 PUBLIC UTILITIES FORTNIGHTLY SEPTEMBER 2017