The Navajo Nation Council is considering legislation that could lead to the purchase of a ski resort at the center of a sacred site case.

The Arizona Snowbowl is located on federal land in the Coconino National Forest in Arizona. The resort plans to use reclaimed wastewater to make snow, a move that tribes say would desecrate the San Francisco Peaks, a sacred site.

A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals initially sided with the tribes. But after a rehearing, the court said the snowmaking plan could go forward. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case earlier this year.

The Snowbowl is not for sale but the operator said he is obligated to present any fair offers to the resort's owners. The resort was purchased in 1992 for $4 million, the Associated Press reported.

Get the Story:
Navajos may try to buy popular Arizona ski resort (AP 10/21)

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

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