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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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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