The Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort, located on the Peaks which are also managed by the U.S. Forest Service, is attempting an expansion and snowmaking with contaminated wastewater. The plan has been called a threat of “cultural genocide” by the president of the Navajo Nation.
Today, six tribes and environmental groups including the Sierra Club have filed a lawsuit against the Forest Service to stop the environmental destruction and desecration.
FACTS
1. Arizona Snowbowl does not drive the winter economy of Flagstaff.
>>Read more
2. The San Francisco Peaks are sacred to over 13 Native American Nations.
The FS decision has disproportional adverse effects on Native Americans. >>Read more
3. The wastewater contains contaminants that pose a public health hazard.
Wastewater snowmaking is an extreme health risk. >>Read more
Download the Wastewater Bulletin prepared by the Shanker Law Firm & Arizona Greenworks. (PDF 1.4 MB)
4. Owners of Snowbowl do not live in and are not from Flagstaff.
>>Read more
5. Tribes are filing the lawsuit to stop religious freedom violations and basic respect, NOT to impose religious beliefs upon anyone.
Read the Save the Peaks Coalition Comments on the DEIS (PDF 522k)
6. The Forest Service violated the NEPA act when approving the Snowbowl development.
Read the Save the Peaks Coalition Comments on the DEIS (PDF 522k)
7. The Flagstaff City Council knows of the public health hazards of contaminants in wastewater yet continues to allow its use on City parks, School fields and the potential use at Arizona Snowbowl and Snowplay area.
8. Global Warming will make skiing in Arizona less viable in the near future.
9. Additional water systems will be contaminated in areas around Flagstaff if Snowbowl makes artificial snow.
Read the Save the Peaks Coalition Comments on the DEIS (PDF 522k)
10. The Forest Service's Environmental Impact Statement did NOT study what may happen if children ate the wastewater snow.
Read the Save the Peaks Coalition Comments on the DEIS (PDF 522k)
11. Snowbowl does not pay Flagstaff City taxes.
>>Read more
12. Tribes and Environmentalists are not against Snowboarders and Skiers.
In fact many of them enjoy these forms of winter recreation, just not at Snowbowl.
Research
Wastewater snowmaking is an extreme health risk. |
The expansion plan at Snowbowl includes: clear-cutting 74 acres of rare alpine ecosystem & creating a 14.8 mile long pipeline up the San Francisco Peaks to a 10 million gallon storage pond to make fake snow out of wastewater. (view Snowbowl's plan) This wastewater has been proven to contain harmful contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, hormones and cancer causing agents.
In a study of Flagstaff's "reclaimed" water known as the “Endocrine Disrupter Screening Project”* completed by both Dr. Propper of NAU and the USGS, besides the obvious bacteria and nitrates, they also found the following:
Human and veterinary antibiotics, antihistamines, caffeine, codeine, oral contraceptives and other hormones, steroids, anti-seizure medication, solvents, disinfectants, flame retardants, moth and mosquito repellants, wood preservative, antifreeze and de-icer ingredients, pesticides, and other cancer causing agents such as Atrizine (the list goes on). Dr. Propper suggested that she “would be very concerned if anyone were to drink the reclaimed water”.
Snowbowl employees will potentially be placed at greatest risk due to prolonged exposure to contaminants in wastewater snow. |
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Concerns have also been raised about other applications of wastewater, currently the City of Flagstaff uses reclaimed water to irrigate parks, school fields & golf courses.
*An endocrine disruptor is a synthetic chemical that when absorbed
into the body either mimics or blocks hormones and disrupts the body's normal functions
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The FS decision has disproportional adverse effects on Native Americans. |
The San Franciso Peaks are culturally significant to 22 Native American nations and held holy by over 13 different tribes.
(Read the Background for more info and a list of tribes)
The Peaks are home to dieties, a place of emergence, where special offerings are made, where certain herbs can only be found, and much more.
The Forest Service states that "based on the belief systems of many of the tribes we must consider at least a portion of these impacts as a potentially irreversible impact to these tribes' religions." (Arizona Snowbowl Draft Environmental Impact Statement page 3-28)
Although Arizona Snowbowl asserts that the ski area is "only on one percent" of the mountain, Native Americans hold the whole mountain sacred. (View the cartoon by Matthew Henry Hall)
Introducing up to 180 million gallons of wastewater per season, clear cutting 74 acres, a 14.8 mile buried pipeline, up to 50 snowmaking guns that will be audible up to 2 miles away and more, will severely impact the integrity of this sensitive & unique cultural site. Native Americans have stated that they are not opposed to respectful uses of the mountain.
Caleb Johnson, former Vice Chairman of the Hopi Tribe stated, "You cannot divide spirituality into little pieces, you have to honor and respect the whole thing."
Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. stated that if the expansion is allowed, :The United States of America will commit genocide by allowing the desecration of the essence of our way of life."
The Hopi Tribe maintains that regardless of how well treated the wastewater is, the snowmaking process as a whole is offensive. The Kachinas are the ones who bring moisture, if man makes snow, they fear that the Kachina will abandon them.
The San Francisco Peaks are recognized as a Traditional Cultural Property, although the Forest Service began the designation process several years ago, it has not yet been finished.
The Peaks have also been determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, yet the FS has done nothing to finish the process.
Today, six tribes and environmental groups including the Sierra Club have filed a lawsuit against the Forest Service to stop the environmental destruction and desecration.
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Snowbowl does not drive the economy of Flagstaff. |
Arizona Snowbowl is outside of Flagstaff City limits therefore the private business pays no city taxes.
"It is unrealistic to think that the Snowbowl would be a significant driver of tourism activity or the economy" - Coconino Forest Service Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 3-121
Coconino Forest Service Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 3-71
“In contrast with a number of other ski resorts in the Rocky Mountain region, the Arizona
Snowbowl is not a dominant driver of growth and the economy in its host community.”
Coconino Forest Service Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 3-75
“While the Arizona Snowbowl is not a dominant force in the economy, tourism, of which
the Snowbowl is a part, is usually identified as the Flagstaff area’s primary industry.
While a number of factors play a part in tourism, it is clear that the presence of the
Grand Canyon … brings a substantial number of persons through the area.”
Coconino Forest Service Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 3-78
“From a statistical perspective, Alpine skiing accounts for a minor segment of the State
of Arizona’s travel activity. … skiing volume does not have a major impact on statewide
visitation.”
Coconino Forest Service Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 3-113
“… even a cursory examination of the scope of the ski area operation in comparison
with the full scope of the Flagstaff area economy makes it clear that the ski area is of
insufficient size to be a dominant driver of trends in tourism or the broader economy.”
Coconino Forest Service Draft Environmental Impact Statement Page 3-121
“Given the small segment of the BBB tax generated by Snowbowl visitors, it is unlikely
that overall BBB tax collections would have a significant correlation with business
activity at the Snowbowl; Snowbowl related collections constitute too small a
percentage of total collections.”
The Bed Board and Booze tax is a two percent tax collected on all purchases at local
restaurants, lounges, hotels and campgrounds in Flagstaff. This is a category of
business that would most likely be affected by any significant contribution to the
Flagstaff economy from Snowbowl’s business. Data from the City of Flagstaff and
tables in the DEIS make it clear that Snowbowl visitation does not have a significant
correlation with Flagstaff tourism or BBB revenues.
“While local events and weather do have short-term impacts on tourism volume, yearto-
year totals are primarily driven by events in the U.S. macro economy.”
“However, in an economy of this size, and with countywide tourism drawing
over eight million visitors annually, it is unrealistic to think that the Snowbowl would be a
significant driver of tourism activity or the economy. This is a positive, as communities in
which a ski area is the most significant economic engine are often too affected by the
ups and downs of those businesses.”
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Snowbowl's owners primarily do not live in Arizona. |
Eric Borowski and the other owners of Snowbowl have registered their Arizona State tax information with addresses in Phoenix, New Jersey, New York, Washington D.C. & Florida.
General Partner Name and Address
EGB Enterprises, Inc.
3500 East Lincoln Drive, #10
Phoenix, AZ 85018
(President, Eric G. Borowsky)
Limited Partners Names and Addresses
Robert O. Meyer as Trustee of the Joe Walsh Snowbowl Trust
330 South Street
Morristown, New Jersey 07960
Kurt T. Borowsky
330 South Street
Morristown, New Jersey 07960
SNB Ski Limited Partnership
3500 East Lincoln Drive, #10
Phoenix, AZ 85018
Frederic J. Truslow
Rappahannock Investment Company
1627 I Street, Ste. 610
Washington, D.C. 20006
Kenneth M. Socha
Rappahannock Investment Company
1627 I Street, Ste. 610
Washington, D.C. 20006
Henrik Vanderlip
C/o Wesray
375 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10152
Frank Richardson
C/o Wesray
375 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10152
Snowbowl owner Eric G. Borowsky outside the Prescott trials.
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