Arizona

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Snowfall uplifts Arizona Snowbowl

Submitted by admin on Wed, 01/06/2010 - 18:36

Ryan Randazzo - Jan. 6, 2010 12:00 AM The Arizona Republic

FLAGSTAFF  - Three-year-old Shane Cone browsed the stacks of brightly painted sleds, disks and inner tubes at the Flagstaff Quick Stop on Thursday, trying to figure out which snow toy looked best.

Finally settling on a yellow disk with handles, his family paid the $10.95 and he rushed out the door to find a snowy hill. Thankfully for business owners, those are abundant this year.

Visitors to Arizona Snowbowl spend about $15.8 million in Flagstaff in a good season, and sledders and snowman builders like Shane bring an additional economic benefit that is helping some businesses weather the recession.

"As long as there is snow on the ground out there, we are busy," Quick Stop owner Allan Wolfenberger said as two more families piled into the convenience store to peruse the sleds. "Snow is profitable."

Just having snow isn't enough, though. Timing can be crucial, especially for Snowbowl, which had about 135,000 visitors last season.

Getting the chairlifts turning at the resort during the holiday break when grade-school and college students are out of class and everyone is eager to use their new equipment is much more valuable than getting big storms in spring, when warm weather draws people to other outdoor sports across the state.

"In March last year, when Phoenix had record highs, people didn't think we had snow," Snowbowl spokesman David Smith said. "But we had tons of snow."

Snowbowl reclaimed wastewater construction still in limbo

Submitted by admin on Thu, 12/03/2009 - 23:41

A cabinet deputy secretary has reopened talks with tribes and delayed issuing a work permit, despite pressure from Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and Sen. John McCain.
By CYNDY COLE Sun Staff Reporter Sunday, November 08, 2009
Some members of Arizona's congressional delegation -- including U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Flagstaff -- have asked: When is construction going to start at Snowbowl?
The agency now in charge of that decision is not giving any clear answers. Instead, it says it is attempting to forge a compromise between tribes and ski area owners.
U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl first wrote the Department of Agriculture in June, asking for a timeline on when the agency would allow construction to start at Arizona Snowbowl.
The Department of Agriculture, which includes the U.S. Forest Service, is now functionally in charge of the decision to allow or prohibit construction at Arizona Snowbowl. The authority comes after a federal appeals court denied tribes' religious complaints over plans approved by the Forest Service to use reclaimed wastewater to make snow and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the decision.
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latest Arizona news from The Associated Press

Submitted by admin on Thu, 12/03/2009 - 23:08

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service says it's delaying permits needed for the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort to install snowmaking equipment. American Indian tribes have argued that artificial snow would desecrate the mountain they hold sacred.
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McCain blocking USDA nominees over Arizona snow

Submitted by admin on Thu, 12/03/2009 - 22:43

Sen. John "treated wastewater" McCain has a message for the Agriculture Department: "Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow (in Arizona)!"
The former Republican presidential candidate said he will block the confirmation of USDA nominees until the U.S. Forest Service allows an Arizona ski resort to make artificial snow with treated wastewater.
McCain's decision means at least two USDA nominees remain in limbo awaiting Senate confirmation, according to The Post's Head Count. President Obama has not nominated anyone to fill three other political positions at USDA.
McCain and Grand Canyon State colleague Jon Kyl (R) first wrote to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in June asking why the Forest Service had not approved the Arizona Snowbowl's request to use snowmaking equipment on its peaks in the Coconino National Forest.
The agency has the legal right to approve the request following years of litigation by several Native American tribes that had fought to block the use of snowmaking equipment on mountains they consider sacred. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the tribes' case in June. Snowbowl officials have said they will not move ahead until they get final clearance from Washington, and they're still waiting.
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