Snowbowl work delayed

Jul 9, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun

Cyndy Cole

Jul. 9, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Plans to begin logging and excavation at Arizona Snowbowl in the coming week were knocked down on two fronts Thursday: by the Forest Service and the ski area's owners.

The Coconino National Forest had not received site-specific plans it needed to approve construction in the coming week, a spokesman said, meaning construction is unlikely for at least a month.

Also, Snowbowl's attorneys opted to voluntarily delay logging, grading and trench-digging until at least July 21.

That is the day after oral arguments in a second lawsuit against snowmaking with reclaimed wastewater, asserting the water might not be safe for skiers.

If that lawsuit is not successful, construction appears likely in one to three months, when Snowbowl could be cleared by the Forest Service to begin logging ski trails, grading land and digging trenches to add water and natural gas pipelines.

"Adequate time is also needed to provide tribal members the opportunity for site-specific visits and review of approved activities before implementation," a spokesman for the Coconino National Forest said in a written statement.

On Wednesday, Snowbowl owner Eric Borowsky had said he hoped to start logging soon to add new ski trails.

"We will start construction as soon as possible on various components of the project," he said then.

By Thursday, Borowsky's attorneys agreed not to begin any construction until at least July 21, and the judge hearing the recent case rescheduled the court date to July 20.

U.S. District Court for Arizona Judge Mary Murguia had asked those supporting snowmaking and those in a second lawsuit opposing it to make their arguments today as to why she should or should not delay construction until the conclusion of the pending court case.

If construction proceeds, it would be done in stages, with new ski trails and snowmaking equipment first, and other changes such as more parking or a new sledding area to come in later years.

Coconino National Forest Supervisor Earl Stewart told the court continued delays would be "detrimental to the public interest" for lack of jobs, lack of snowmaking infrastructure, and lack of water for firefighting.

PERMIT GOOD THROUGH 2032

Snowbowl has a permit for a water pipeline into 2032.

As part of that permit, construction is supposed to be completed by December 2014.

Opponents in the pending lawsuit are asserting that the federal government did not adequately assess the health risks to skiers and snowboarders possibly eating snow made from reclaimed water.

Snowbowl has vowed to seek potable water instead, which would need approval from the Flagstaff City Council and would cost more -- a cost to possibly be covered with federal money.

If the council were to deny such a source or the federal government were to choose not to fund it, Snowbowl could use reclaimed water instead, depending on the outcome of the pending lawsuit.

The first lawsuit, which area tribes lost, argued that making snow on the San Francisco Peaks would violate the religious freedoms of tribal members.

Cyndy Cole can be reached at 913-8607 or at ccole@azdailysun.com.

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