Native Americans & Environmentalists Decry Ski Area & Forest Service 'Celebration of Desecration'

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7th, 2008
Media Contact:
Klee Benally
Media Contact Klee Benally

FLAGSTAFF, AZ -- On March, 7th, 2008 as Arizona Snowbowl Ski area business owners celebrate 70 years of skiing on the holy San Francisco Peaks, tribes and environmental groups expressed their concerns with Snowbowl's proposed desecration of the holy site and environmental harm that has made the ski area the center of international controversy.

"The Tribal Nations, who are the longtime stewards of this land, were not consulted with when this ski area was created." Said Jeneda Benally a volunteer of The Save the Peaks Coalition.

"This ski area was established in the 1930's on the holy San Francisco Peaks before Native Americans had the right to vote, before we were fully recognize as human beings in this country. Today we still are struggling for our most basic rights to practice our religion and preserve our living culture. "

"This is a celebration of 70 years of desecration! Our connection, shrines and ceremonies are much older than this ski development. When will our human rights be fully recognized and respected?" Jeneda Benally Said.

The San Francisco Peaks are recognized internationally as a sacred site. The Peaks are a unique ecological island and are held holy by more than 13 Native American Nations.

The Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort, located on the holy Peaks, is attempting to expand its development, clear-cut acres of old growth trees, and make fake snow from treated sewage effluent, which has been proven to have harmful contaminants. A coalition of tribes and environmental groups have filed multiple lawsuits against the U.S. Forest Service, which leases the public land to the Snowbowl, to stop this proposed development.

"I have been praying with this mountain and using herbs from it longer than this ski area has existed." Said Jones Benally a Navajo Medicine Man who works at the Winslow Indian Health Service Clinic and who is a member of the Dine' Hataali Association.

On December 11th, 2007 a Federal Appeals Court in Pasadena, California heard oral arguments in a precedent-setting legal battle to prevent Religious Freedom violations, environmental destruction and public health dangers associated with the use of treated sewage effluent for snowmaking on Arizona's San Francisco Peaks.

A 9th Circuit Court ruling has rendered the plan illegal. The courts ruled against Snowbowl and the Forest Service due to issues of human contact with fake snow made from wastewater and substantial burden placed upon Native American religious freedom. Although an appeal to this decision by the Forest Service & Snowbowl has been heard by the 9th Circuit, no new ruling has been made.

Although the plan is rendered illegal, the City of Flagstaff still maintains a contract with the ski area to sell up to 180 million gallons of treated sewage effluent during the winter seasons.

In 2002, despite opposition from Tribal representatives, environmental groups, and concerned citizens, the Flagstaff City Council agreed to sell 180 million gallons of treated sewage effluent, per season, from the Rio de Flag treatment plant to Arizona Snowbowl for snowmaking purposes.

Without the contract for the treated sewage effluent, it would not be possible for the business owners of Snowbowl to attempt their desecration.

In December of 2006, Flagstaff Utilities Director Ron Doba administratively signed off on Snowbowl's contract to renew its option to purchase reclaimed water for 5 years. This decision was made behind closed doors without public input.

"This is an election year for the City of Flagstaff, the current mayor Joe Donaldson has ignored concerns of tribes & environmental groups, we testified at the Council meetings in 2002 when he was not present, he showed up to the meeting and just signed the deal." Said Jeneda Benally. "We have petitioned him and he has not listened." Thousands of signatures opposing the City's contract were delivered to Donaldson and he declared them llegitimate."

"Public lands should be shared and most importantly these lands should be protected and held in their highest regard for the benefit of all, not just a single private for-profit ski area." Said Robert Tohe a representative of the Sierra Club Environmental Justice Program.

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Last updated on March 13, 2008