The Colorado River Indian Tribes is moving closer to having high speed internet now that ground has been broken on a project to install a fiber optic network.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place December 18^th outside the CRIT offices. Chairwoman Flores, the Tribal Council, representatives from the USDA, and Ackerman Consulting were among the attendees.

A $25 million grant from the USDA ReConnect program is funding the project to connect CRIT to a high speed fiber optic network spanning 191 miles. The timeline for competition is about five years.

CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores says this is not the end of the process as CRIT will be seeking more grant money for continued improvements. Flores said, “What broadband will bring to us will strengthen our sovereignty. It will strengthen future generations.” Flores then picked up a handful of soil and proclaimed, “This is part of us, and we will be bringing the fibers (fiber optic cable) into our soil. Literally we will be bringing into our soil our sovereignty. We will have control of our digital future.”

CRIT Project Coordinator Thai Yang said, “In today’s digital world, reliable internet access is no longer a luxury it is essential for education, businesses, healthcare, and connecting with loved ones. With this broadband expansion we are addressing a critical need and insuring no one is left behind.” (more…)

The Colorado River Indian Tribes is proud to announce work will soon begin on a new broadband project to bring high speed internet to the reservation in the near future.

There will be a groundbreaking ceremony on December 18^th at 10 am near the monument sign at CRIT’s administration building located at 26600 Mohave Road in Parker.

CRIT is moving ahead with its broadband goals following a $25 million grant from the USDA ReConnect program to provide broadband infrastructure and services in rural areas. It will connect CRIT to a high speed fiber optic network spanning 191 miles.

The project is on a five-year timeline and when completed it will provide reliable and fast internet access, empowering CRIT to fully participate in the digital economy.

It will also create a valuable new resource for Tribal enterprises and help create new ones. The fiber optic network will also help students of all ages get improved access to online educational resources, and make it easier for Tribal members to access critical telehealth services.

CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores, members of the Tribal Council, representatives from the USDA, and representatives from Ackerman Consulting will be at the ceremony. Ackerman Consulting specializes in engineering broadband networks in rural and tribal communities.

CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores was reelected in Tribal Council Elections held December 7^th. She received 337 votes.

Councilwoman Vanessa Welch was reelected with 410 votes. Also elected to the Tribal Council were Tracey Quillen (460 votes), Tommy Drennan (316 votes), and Raeanne Patch (262 votes).

There were four candidates for Chair and 21 for Tribal Council. All vote totals are below.

Chairperson Results
Johnson “JD” Fisher- 288
Keith Moses- 136
Richard Armstrong- 153
Amelia Flores-337 (more…)

(LAS VEGAS) Water conservation and preservation have taken a giant leap forward for the Colorado River and the Colorado River Indian Tribes. CRIT Chairwoman Amelia Flores has signed an historic Letter of Intent with the Bureau of Reclamation in which the BOR has agreed to fund a $5 million study of a re-regulating reservoir on the CRIT Reservation. This reservoir could save as much as 35,000 acre-feet of water a year at a time when severe drought conditions persist, and when water is currently being lost due to inefficiencies in Bureau of Indian Affairs operated irrigation systems.

The reservoir would help CRIT make better use of water the Supreme Court allocated to the Tribes and enable CRIT to put more than 5,000 acres of additional land in production.

Chairwoman Flores said, “I learned from my ancestors that our creator, Matavilya and his son provided the Colorado River for the Mohave and other indigenous peoples who live along its banks. Matavilya also entrusted all of us with the sacred responsibility to care for and sustain the river and the environment that gives us life.”

The Study will also evaluate creating an associated wetland. To that end CRIT has partnered with the National Audubon Society and the Walton Family Foundation to protect CRIT’s water resources in a way that also protects its lands, fish, wildlife, birds, and ultimately its people. Chairwoman Flores added, “I am thankful for their constructive engagement and welcome them as partners in this project.” (more…)