Navajo President Breaks Ground on Water Supply Project

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The Bureau of Reclamation has worked closely with other federal agencies and with the Navajo Nation to find ways to move quickly on the necessary environmental permits and other construction prerequisites to move forward as expeditiously and efficiently as possible as a high-priority infrastructure project. The first construction contract for Reach 12A of the project was awarded in mid-April to McMillen LLC, a female-owned construction company.

Today's groundbreaking marks the beginning of construction on the first four miles of the main pipeline, which will be constructed as part of Reach 12A near Tohlakai Hill, outside of Gallup. The initial stage of construction on the project will create upwards of 450 jobs, with more than 650 jobs at peak construction - providing employment opportunities and economic benefits to neighboring American Indian communities.

Among the leaders attending today’s ceremony were: Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly, US Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Mike Connor, Navajo Nation Council Speaker Johnny Naize, Jicarilla Apache Nation President Levi Pesata, New Mexico Engineer Scott Verhines, and City of Gallup Mayor Jackie McKinney.

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posted June 4, 2012 8:30 am edt