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Tribal coalition to appeal ruling on sacred peaks
Friday, January 13, 2006

The Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe and Native environmentalists plan to appeal a federal judge's ruling that allows snowmaking in the sacred San Francisco Peaks.

"It's a slap in the face for the Navajo Nation," said Navajo Nation Council Delegate Wallace Charley in a statement, after the judge ruled that the use of reclaimed water would not infringe on tribal religious rights.

Environmentalists also said they would pursue other means to stop the Arizona Snowbowl, a ski resort, from moving forward with its plans. They said they would try to get the city of Flagstaff to end its contract with the Snowbowl and try to block construction of a water pipeline to the resort.

In the 62-page decision [PDF], U.S. District Judge Paul Rosenblatt said the U.S. Forest Service did not break the law in allowing the snowmaking. The Snowbowl is located on national forest land.

Get the Story:
Navajo Nation to appeal Peaks case Judge rules against tribe (The Farmington Daily Times 1/13)
Snowmaking opponents now targeting city council (The Arizona Daily Sun 1/13)
Court allows wastewater-snow on sacred Navajo land (Reuters 1/13)
Judge rules in favor of FS (The Gallup Independent 1/12)
Lack of evidence prompts judge's decision regarding sacred peaks (The Gallup Independent 1/12)

Approval Documents:
Final Environmental Impact Statement for Arizona Snowbowl Facilities Improvement | Forest Service Approves Snowmaking at Arizona Snowbowl

Relevant Links:
Save the Peaks Coalition - http://www.savethepeaks.org
Coconino National Forest - http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/index.shtml

Related Stories:
Judge allows snowmaking in sacred Arizona peaks (1/12)
Babbitt under fire for role in sacred site case (12/12)
Navajo president testifies in sacred site trial (11/03)
Trial over snowmaking in sacred peaks begins (10/24)
Sacred Mountain Motorcycle Run this weekend (10/14)
Judge calls trial on snowmaking in sacred peaks (10/10)
U.S. argues against protecting sacred peaks in Arizona (10/7)
Hopi Chair: Ski area plan will destroy our culture (09/23)
Hopi Tribe joins lawsuit over snowmaking in peaks (07/08)
Bruce Babbitt fighting tribes on sacred site appeal (7/5)
Forest Service rejects tribal appeals on snowmaking (06/10)
Tribes await appeal on snowmaking plan (6/7)
Appeals filed to snowmaking plan in sacred peaks (04/26)
Navajo Nation considers appeal of snowmaking plan (03/15)
Editorial: Sacred peaks don't belong to tribes alone (3/14)
Tribes blast OK of snowmaking plan in sacred peaks (3/9)
Deadline nears on snowmaking in sacred peaks plan (04/09)
Hopi Tribe to protest against snowmaking plan (03/19)
Editorial: Ski area helped by snowmaking plan (02/20)
Navajo Nation not planning boycott for sacred site (2/20)
Coalition protests snowmaking in sacred peaks (2/18)
Tribes to fight snowmaking in sacred Ariz. peaks (02/03)
Forest Service delays report on ski area expansion (12/02)
Hopi Tribe opposing snowmaking in sacred peaks (11/20)
Ski area on sacred mountain expanding (10/15)

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