Resort plan for 'sewage snow' on tribal land axedFrom correspondents in Arizona

[Judi Lynn]

Resort plan for 'sewage snow' on tribal land axedFrom correspondents in Arizona
March 14, 2007 07:22am
Article from: Agence France-Presse

AN Arizona ski resort's plan to spray artificial snow made with treated sewage on mountains and parkland revered by Native American tribes is unlawful, a US Federal Court has ruled.

In a 64 page judgment, a three member panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals found that the proposal by the Arizona Snowbowl resort violated laws governing religious freedoms.

"We hold that the Forest Service's approval of the proposed expansion of the Snowbowl, including the use of treated sewage effluent to make artificial snow, violates RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act)," the judgement said.

The plans by operators of the 314 hectare Arizona Snowbowl in the San Francisco peaks, 240 km north of Phoenix, had appalled Native American tribes who argued the area has precious spiritual significance.

The Navajo Nation, which led the legal action, said the lands in question are sacred to more than 13 tribes.
(snip/...)

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21379265-401,00.html?from=public_rss

[Solo_in_MD]

1. Another article with a quote that cast some doubts on the motivations as purely spiritual

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/85711

Snowbowl general manager Eric Borowsky said in a prepared statement the decision means the environmental laws have been abused “and the taxpayers of our country held for ransom by a small group of activists who believe that they personally own our nation s public lands.” Borowsky noted that the decision kills the intent of Congress for multiple uses of public land.

Borowsky also lashed out at native tribes, saying the White Mountain Apache tribe sprays “virtually untreated” sewage on its own ski resort called Sunrise “without question or environmental review.”

Several things bother me about this. One is the use of RFRA over land the plaintiffs do not own. Normally its used to prevent local agencies from restricting religious groups from building churches etc. Bad precedent...

[ben_meyers]

2. A great victory

For the White Mountain Apache Tribe, who just happen to own the competing Sunrise Ski Area, and just happen to have SNOWMAKING, with almost raw sewage!

http://www.onthesnow.com/AZ/446/

[Solo_in_MD]

4. But its spiritual sewage

[piedmont]

3. Who the hell would want to ski on that stuff? Yeghck!!! nt

[Judi Lynn]

5. Sewer snow will teach skiers not to fall down! That's a bonus.

Think how orderly it will look with everyone standing up all the time.

[ShockediSay]

6. Try it in Aspen; or the more conservative parts of NH nt

[SemperEadem]

8. exactly

if it's good enough to ski on, spray it in Aspen--what? They're too good to ski on frozen sewage? Then why is it good enough to spray on sacred ground--which belonged to the Native Americans first anyway.

Belief in God isn't justification for stealing land from those who don't, but were there for millenia before the believers got there and stole it.

[M155Y_A1CH]

7. Watch out where the huskies go

...and don't you eat that yellow snow. eom