Snowy Relations On Sacred Site Development

April 7, 2010

Author: Rob Capriccioso

Source: Indian Country Today

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/89777202.html

An Obama administration push for compromise involving the economic development of a sacred site has some tribal officials concerned that consultation has been lacking.

The issue stems from proposed fake snow production at the privately-owned Snowbowl ski resort on the San Francisco Peaks in Arizona.

For years, several tribes have claimed that production of the snow, which has been proposed to be made out of recycled wastewater, would be a desecration of the traditional site.

A lawsuit focused on that matter ultimately ended up going against tribal interests, and the U.S. Supreme Court chose last June not to hear an appeal.