Former Interior secretary Bruce Babbitt is fighting tribes who are opposed to snowmaking at the sacred San Francisco Peaks in Arizona.

Babbitt has been serving as a consultant to a ski area called the Arizona Snowbowl. Over the objections of tribes, the U.S. Forest Service allowed the Snowbowl to use reclaimed wastewater to make snow in the sacred peaks.

Tribes have filed a lawsuit to challenge the decision. Babbitt will be representing Snowbowl's interests in court if a judge allows it.

During the Clinton administration, Babbitt closed down a mine in the peaks, citing its sacredness.

Get the Story:
B. Babbitt added to Snowbowl legal team (The Arizona Daily Sun 7/1)

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:
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)