The Department of Agriculture is pushing the owners of a ski resort in the sacred San Francisco Peaks to use a different water source to make snow.

Arizona Snowbowl originally proposed to use reclaimed sewage water to make snow. Litigation has held up the project for several years so the Obama administration is urging a compromise.

The new plan would allow Snowbowl to use drinking water for the snow. But tribal members who filed a lawsuit over the project say they won't accept any fake snow.

Since using drinking water costs more than reclaimed wastewater, the USDA has offered to help Snowbowl the project. The city of Flagstaff still needs to approve the sale of water to the resort.

Get the Story:
Snowbowl showdown set for Monday (The Arizona Daily Sun 8/29)
Flagstaff City Council considers snowmaking source (The Arizona Daily Star 8/30)
Fake Snow a Real Sore Point as Indians Battle Ski Resort (The Wall Street Journal 8/28)

9th Circuit Decision:
Navajo Nation v. US Forest Service (August 8, 2008)

Related Stories:
City moves closer to selling water for snow in San Francisco Peaks (07/30)
Lawsuit over snowmaking in sacred San Francisco Peaks in court (7/21)
Wells Mahkee: No snowmaking in the sacred San Francisco Peaks (7/19)
Opinion: Save the sacred San Francisco Peaks from destruction (07/12)
Expansion of ski resort at sacred San Francisco Peaks delayed (7/9)
USDA backs snowmaking plan for sacred San Francisco Peaks (7/6)
USDA expected to back snowmaking at San Francisco Peaks (5/21)
Ski resort accuses tribes of hypocrisy in sacred site flap (3/19)
Obama administration eyes compromise on sacred site (3/9)
McCain backs ski resort over tribes on sacred site (11/24)
Navajo Nation Council delays ski resort measure (10/23)
New case filed over sacred San Francisco Peaks (09/21)
Editorial: Money wins over sacred site in Arizona (06/22)
Cartoon: Real tears, fake snow at sacred site (6/19)
Editorial: Fake snow alright at sacred peaks (6/16)
Blog: No end to fight over San Francisco Peaks (6/15)
Tribes weigh next step in sacred site battle (6/9)
Supreme Court declines to hear sacred site case (6/8)
Supreme Court to consider sacred site case (6/1)
USDA official can't comment on sacred site case (4/29)
Navajo Nation seeks to resolve sacred site case (4/28)
Obama response awaited in sacred site case (3/23)
Tribes ask Supreme Court to hear sacred site case (1/6)
Tribes weigh next move in sacred site case (10/23)
Indian religious rights cases on high court's horizon (10/21)
9th Circuit delays ruling in sacred site case (10/06)
Interview: Attorney in San Francisco Peaks case (8/22)
Appeals court reverses course on sacred site (8/12)
9th Circuit issues rulings on sacred site, compacts (8/8)