The Navajo Nation may challenge the U.S. Forest Service for approving a plan to make snow using wastewater in the sacred San Francisco Peaks.

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. equated the agency's decision to "genocide," The Arizona Republic reported. "That's our cathedral, that's our church, that's who we are," he said of the peaks where the Arizona Snowbowl ski area plans to use reclaimed wastewater.

The tribe has 45 days to appeal the decision through the administrative process of the U.S. Forest Service. After that, a challenge could go to the courts.

Get the Story:
Tribe may appeal Snowbowl OK (The Arizona Republic 3/15)
Sacred peaks to be defiled by wastewater in the name of tourism (Indian Country Today 3/15)

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

Relevant Links:
Coconino National Forest - http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/index.shtml

Related Stories:
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)