(Flagstaff) Supporters and members of the newly formed Save the Peaks Coalition marched from NAU to City Hall today and held a prayer vigil and press conference to announce their opposition to the Arizona Snowbowl’s expansion and snowmaking plan. The participants, consisting of a diverse spectrum of Native Americans, teachers, students, conservationists, local business owners, skiers, and concerned community members, object to the proposal on the grounds that it will sacrifice the San Francisco Peaks’ exceptional cultural, ecological and scenic values and reduce the future water supply available to Flagstaff wells without any significant return to Flagstaff’s economy.

Speaker Doug Brown, an economics professor at NAU, said “As an economist and a Flagstaff resident, I’m amazed that the Forest Service is willing to let the desire of the Snowbowl’s owners to increase returns on their investment override important values such as respect for the spiritual values of over thirteen Native American tribes.” Brown agreed with statements in the Forest Service Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) showing that, while the Snowbowl may achieve significant economic benefits from the proposal, Flagstaff and Coconino County will not.

Several local business owners expressed agreement. Martha Shideler, owner of Aradia Books, said that in 25 years of business “I have found that the Snowbowl's being open has nothing to do with the number of customers who visit Aradia.” Shideler added that her respect for her customers leads her to oppose the Snowbowl plan. “Many of Aradia's customers are Native Americans who have spiritual connections with the San Francisco Peaks, and feel that the integrity of the Mountain, as well as the healing properties of the medicinal plants collected in the area, would be compromised by introducing wastewater into the environment.”

The proposal, which includes using reclaimed water from the Rio de Flag wastewater treatment plant for artificial snowmaking and substantial tree and vegetation removal and soil disturbance, is deeply offensive to Native American tribes in the Southwest to whom the mountain is sacred. Speakers from the tribes called the Forest Service to task for selecting the full proposal as the Preferred Alternative and for allowing only 60 days to respond with comments.

“There are many traditional elders who live in very remote areas and many who don't speak English,” said County Supervisor Louise Yellowman. “After years of speaking out on this issue, we are still not being heard. And this amount of time will not even give many to whom this is so important even a chance to be heard.
Lillian Hill, Hopi NAU student stated, "The comment period's timing and short duration are in direct conflict with healing ceremonies on our mesas. Many of our people cannot participate because of ceremonial obligations and a 15 day extension is not enough."

Jim McCarthy, Chair of the Sierra Club Plateau Group called the Snowbowl proposal an important conservation and Environmental Justice issue. “The Peaks will be permanently scarred and the expanded runs will dramatically alter their pristine appearance from Flagstaff.” McCarthy. “This means that the proposed action will have impacts on the natural environment that significantly and adversely affect Native Americans, which is one of the factors that agencies are to consider in determining whether environmental impacts are disproportionately high or adverse.”

Coalition members also disagree with the use of 180 million gallons of water a year for this purpose, citing a 2002 report by hydrologists Peter Schwartzman and Abe Springer. The report states that “the proposed snowmaking would result in a net loss of water from the regional water budget of up to six percent of the City’s current water use. Accordingly, this may cause groundwater levels to decline near the City’s wells in east Flagstaff.”

Dineh Bidziil Coalition member and facilitator Robert Tohe said he attributes the widespread participation in today’s events to the special place the Peaks hold in the hearts of many residents, Native Americans and non-Natives alike. “We came together today to share our concerns, but also our prayers and our hopes, that the sacred mountain may be protected and that we may live together with respect and honor for all people and for the earth.”