UPDATE ON THE FIGHT TO STOP REEF’S APPROPRIATION OF SHIVWITS LAND AND WATER FOR GOLF COURSES AND AN AIRPORT

Recent events shed new light on the impact Reef Capital Partners’ proposed golf courses and airport on the Shivwits reservation will have on residents and the dishonest tactics Reef and its affiliates are using to suppress the rights of Shivwits members who oppose them.

65 Billion Gallons of Water for Golf Courses the Shivwits Don’t Want

Reef is now claiming that its end run on state and county water conservation policies is insignificant because it will only use 2,000 acre-feet per year of water for its golf courses. Even assuming that Reef’s low estimate proves accurate, it is certainly not insignificant. 2,000 acre-feet is 651,702,000 gallons of water each year. Over 99 years, that is more than 65 billion gallons of water, enough to fill 98,000 Olympic swimming pools. 

An Airport for the Convenience of Jetsetters

We now have the site plan for the airport Reef wants to build for the ultra-high net worth tourists, golfers, celebrities and investors it hopes to attract. https://redmountainlandpreservers.com/airport-impact. The site is the abandoned Apex plant site east of Bulldog Pass Road on the south side of Old Highway 91, about 3 1/2 miles west of Ivins by air. The terminal is 35,000 square feet—the same size as the terminal at St. George Regional Airport. The plan includes a 6,000-foot runway, fuel farm, 60 hangars, ground support vehicle area, emergency services and fire staging facility, and 300 passenger parking spaces. That is large enough to handle most business jets and some small airliners, with 25 to 75 takeoffs and 25 to 75 landings every day. Aeronautical and medical experts warn that the predictable noise, air pollution, and health problems caused by the airport shown in Reef’s site plan would be detrimental to the health and well-being of residents on and off the reservation.

For visualization only

Noise. Most business jets have wings designed with low drag and landing speeds of 130 to 150 miles per hour. They fly low and slow as they take off and land. The noise level of a Gulfstream G450 on approach is 92.3 EPNdB (Effective Perceived Noise in Decibels). That is equivalent to the 90 to 95 decibels we hear from a motorcycle or heavy truck a few feet away. Takeoff noise is 15 decibels higher than that. Decibel levels above 85 are considered harmful to hearing, especially with prolonged exposure. The noise from dozens of private jets landing and taking off over our homes, schools, and churches whenever wind and weather point them in our direction is a serious threat to our peaceful environment and the well-being of residents and wildlife.

Air pollution. Small private planes generate more pollution from CO2, nitrogen oxides, and unburned hydrocarbons than larger aircraft with more efficient engines. They also cause a higher concentration of ground level ozone pollution from unburned hydrocarbons, especially in desert regions where high levels of sunlight increase the production of hydrocarbons. Most unburned hydrocarbon emissions occur during takeoff and landing.

Health Problems. Numerous medical research studies show that proximity to small airports increases the risk of serious health problems due to the air and noise pollution created by small private planes. Ultrafine particulate matter from black carbon penetrates deeply into lungs and correlates with increased lung problems, asthma and cardiovascular problems as well as increased rates of premature deaths, premature births, oxidative DNA damage and childhood leukemia. Ground level ozone and unburned hydrocarbons from private jets are linked to reduced lung function, chronic respiratory diseases, and increased risk of cardiovascular problems. The lead in piston engine aircraft fuel used by small piston engine airplanes also leads to serious health issues, especially in children.

Taxpayer expense. Reef’s plan for 300 passenger parking spaces contradicts its claim that resort guests will shuttle between Black Desert Resort’s Ivins and Shivwits properties in hotel vans. Jetsetters are unlikely to do that. Local residents will be taxed for the roads and emergency services required for Reef’s guests.

Reduced property values. Numerous empirical economic studies show that proximity to a small airport reduces residential property values, because the noise, air pollution, health problems and safety concerns deter potential buyers and reduce sales prices.

Ruthless Suppression of Shivwits Members’ Rights

Mark Echo Hawk, an attorney from Idaho, boasts on the website of his Pocatello law firm that he collaborated on Reef’s special interest legislation. He even traveled to Washington to help Reef’s lobbyist push a bill through Congress that would deprive his own clients of their right to vote. After Shivwits members voiced their objections, sent a delegation to Washington and managed to defeat that legislation, Mr. Echo Hawk and the incumbent band council members collaborating with Reef were quick to retaliate against them.

Banishment of the Elected Shivwits Chairperson. After orchestrating the illegal ouster of the elected Shivwits Chairperson, Phillip Bushhead, for objecting to Reef’s legislation and insisting on the Shivwits members’ right to vote. Mr. Echo Hawk and the band council members collaborating with Reef actually banished the elected Chairperson from attending any band meetings and prohibited him from setting foot on his own reservation, while installing a woman who was not even nominated, much less elected, to that position as an illegitimate “acting chair”. The Tribal Council has ruled that Mr. Bushhead’s removal was unconstitutional; it continues to recognize him as the only legitimate Chairperson of the Shivwits band.

Right to left: Patrick Charles, Lawrence Snow, Mary Snow, Sabrina Redfoot, Joni Big Soldier

Termination of Lawrence Snow as Shivwits Land Manager. Shivwits elder Lawrence Snow was instrumental in securing the water rights that Reef now wants to take for its golf courses. He served for many years as the Shivwits Land Resources Manager and was elected to that position on June 21, 2025. Nevertheless, Mr. Echo Hawk and the incumbent council members sent him a “written warning” last December for stating his opinion that the trust land he managed for so many years is “a spiritual place”. Within weeks after Mr. Snow traveled to Washington to voice his objections to Reef’s legislation, Reef’s collaborators terminated his employment and falsely accused him of stealing and selling 30 gallons of water. In fact, as a statement provided by the Washington County Road Department clearly establishes, a county roadcrew was patching the shoulders of Gunlock Road through the reservation and needed 30 gallons of water for its steamroller to finish the job. Letting the road crew use that small amount of water—barely enough to fill a bathtub—was a routine courtesy that had been followed for decades. No money or other consideration was ever exchanged. Nevertheless, Mr. Echo Hawk and the incumbent council members, who are attempting to give Reef 65 billion gallons of Shivwits water, invoked this trumped up tale about 30 gallons of water to besmirch Mr. Snow’s reputation.

Disqualification and Fining of Patrick Charles. Over the past half-century Shivwits elder Patrick Charles has traveled to Washington 3 times: in 1980 to lobby for restoration after 26 disastrous years of termination, in 2000 to secure the water rights Reef now wants for its golf courses, and in June of 2026 to prevent Reef’s legislation from terminating the reservation a second time. After serving on the band council for 8 years, Mr. Charles was elected Chairperson in 2017. Unfortunately, two years later he was forced to resign due to health problems. He tendered his resignation in January of 2019 and the council accepted it without conditions in a formal resolution the next day. By October of 2024, Mr. Charles’ health had improved sufficiently for him to run again for the position of Chairperson. But to his shock, Mr. Echo Hawk and the council members who had been meeting secretly with Reef notified him that he was ineligible tor nomination to any band office and claimed he owed the band over $6,000 for unidentified expenses the council supposedly incurred when he resigned. Mr. Charles’ repeated written requests for a hearing have been ignored. The band is garnishing payments due to him to pay the $6,000 penalty.

The real reason for disqualifying Mr. Charles is obvious now. Mr. Echo Hawk and the incumbent council members could not allow this deeply respected elder to run for Chairperson, because if elected he could discover that they had been meeting secretly with Reef and had already signed a letter of intent purporting to give Reef a sweeping waiver of the band’s sovereignty.

Mark Echo Hawk’s son Cameron was given control of all of the Shivwits’ business operations shortly after graduating from college. As the CEO of SBC, he ordered the garnishment of Mr. Charles’ wages and banned Ms. Redfoot from SBC meetings.

Exclusion of Sabrina Redfoot. The Shivwits Band Corporation (SBC) owns and controls all of the Shivwits business operations and development. Mark Echo Hawk’s son, Cameron Echo Hawk, was appointed CEO of SBC shortly after graduating from college. After asking too many questions at SBC meetings, where any discussion of Reef’s designs on the Shivwits land and water are restricted to the Echo Hawks, incumbent council members, and SBC Chair Shanandoah Anderson, Shivwits elder Sabrina Redfoot was banned from attending SBC meetings on the ground that she owes a disputed sum of money to the band.

Warnings to Mary Snow. Red Mountain Land Preservers President Mary Snow has been a vocal advocate of the Shivwits members’ rights to vote, assemble and petition and an effective opponent of Reef’s legislation. She has received written and verbal warnings for voicing her opinion and insisting on the Shivwits members’ rights.

Adoption of the “Frivolous and Bad Faith Claims Cost Recovery Ordinance”. Nothing in the Shivwits Bylaws gives the Echo Hawks or the incumbent council members authority to censure Shivwits members with warnings, fines and disqualification from band office. To the contrary, the Tribal Constitution protects the members’ rights to vote, to freedom of speech and assembly, to petition for redress of grievances, to due process and equal protection of law, and to freedom from fines in excess of $500. Yet, Reef’s collaborators have proceeded with the formal adoption of an Orwellian ordinance purporting to authorize themselves to investigate and punish any Shivwits member who brings a claim, petition, grievance, administrative appeal or legal action that involves the Shivwits band in any way. The only right of appeal is to the band council—in other words, there is no appeal.

How You Can Help

Act now by donating to Red Mountain Land Preservers and telling Reef what you think of its plans to waste 65 billion gallons of water, install an airport for jetsetters on our doorstep, and suppress the rights of Shivwits members.

Donate at www. RedMountainLandPreservers.com. Every donation helps. The more you can give, the better we can expand community awareness and increase effective opposition to Reef’s unscrupulous plans and tactics.

• Write and Call Reef’s Management:
• Jared Lucero, Chief Executive Officer, jared@reefcp.com, 801-717-7514.
• Brett Boren, President, Real Estate, brett@reefcp.com
• Sajon Dhoju, Director, Private Equity, sajon@reefcp.com
• Beth Armstrong, Vice President, Membership, beth@reefcp.com

Mailing Address: Reef Capital Partners, 2600 N Ashton Blvd #200. Lehi, UT 84048. Phone: (801) 216-8850. For suggested talking points, go to How to help.

Get the Word Out: Post your comments and letters on Next Door, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X (Twitter) and other social media sites. Tell your family, friends and neighbors. We need your help now.

Join Us at:

• The Urban Nations Powwow hosted by the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake City, Saturday, September 12, noon to 6:00 pm, at Smith’s Ballpark Stadium, 77 W 1300 South, Salt Lake City.
• Ivins City Heritage Days Parade September 12.
• Santa Clara Swiss Days Parade September 26.

Red Mountain Land Preservers Website