Leaders of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona passed a resolution on Tuesday authorizing the tribe to join the lawsuit over the expansion of a ski area in the sacred San Francisco Peaks.

The tribe opposes the expansion because the Arizona Snowbowl plans to use reclaimed wastewater to make snow. Hopis say the plan will desecrate the peaks.

The lawsuit was filed last month against the U.S. Forest Service, which authorized the expansion. The ski area lies within the Coconino National Forest.

Get the Story:
Hopi to sue Forest Service (The Gallup Independent 7/7)
Tribal council endorses legal action over business expansion at sacred site (The Native American Times 7/7)

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:
Bruce Babbitt fighting tribes on sacred site appeal (7/5)
Forest Service rejects tribal appeals on snowmaking (06/10)
Tribes await appeal on snowmaking plan (6/7)
Appeals filed to snowmaking plan in sacred peaks (04/26)
Navajo Nation considers appeal of snowmaking plan (03/15)
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)