SAN FRANCISCO – “Power Paths” follows the efforts of American Indian tribes as they explore ways to bring renewable energy projects into their communities. From the Sioux tribes of the Great Plains in the Midwest to the Navajo and Hopi of the Southwest, tribes are fighting to protect their land, air and water from the harmful impacts of mining and coal burning and lead the nation in transitioning to renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
Directed by Bo Boudart and narrated by Peter Coyote, “Power Paths” will air on the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens Nov. 3 at 10 p.m. (check local listings).
“Power Paths” explores the heated and complex debate over energy that is taking place in the halls of Congress, corporate boardrooms, and American Indian communities across the Southwest and other parts of the country. Ten percent of America’s energy comes from Native American lands, including a third of U.S. coal deposits and hydroelectric dams that feed the grid. These mines and plants brought jobs to the region but also pollution, cancer, and environmental destruction. “Power Paths” chronicles the efforts of activists from several tribes as they search for ways to bring clean, renewable energy projects into their communities.
In the 1960s, Hopi and Navajo tribal governments signed coal leases with Peabody Coal, and the area soon became the largest coal strip-mining complex in the world. While these coal-fired plants provided electricity to the growing cities of the Southwest, ironically today an estimated 18,000 Navajo families still live without electricity. After years of pressuring their tribal governments not to renew the leases, tribal grassroots leaders convinced the Navajo and Hopi governments to pass resolutions demanding an end to the destructive
mining practices.
In 2005, The Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Trust and National Parks and Conservation Association won a court-approved settlement with the owners of the huge Mohave Generating Station: Either shut down or put pollution controls in place. The owners declined to add the controls and the plant was closed. It was a bittersweet victory, miners lost their jobs and tribal
royalties ended.
The grassroots movement called the Just Transition Coalition, who shut down Mohave, is seeking to reclaim the destiny of their tribes and defend the air and water from further degradation. The film follows their efforts to prevent further coal mining while bringing a greener economy and new green jobs to Indian lands by installing solar energy and large wind turbines on their lands.
While most Americans agree that we need to embark on a new energy path, they often lack a clear understanding of how our energy systems work and what can be done to change them. As “Power Paths” reveals, many Native American tribes are not waiting for the government to act. Instead, they are actively seeking investors and a way to control their own energy and sell the rest to the power companies. The film concludes with an unprecedented and ongoing decision by the California public utilities commission who take the Just Transition plan seriously. For the first time, Native Americans may receive some economic justice for the harm caused to natural resources on tribal lands and could lead the nation on a new energy path.
To learn more about the film, visit the “Power Paths” interactive companion Web site which features detailed information on the film, including an interview with the filmmaker and links and resources pertaining to the film’s subject matter. The site also features a “Talkback” section for viewers to share ideas and opinions, preview clips of the film, and more.
