Save the Peaks-Sunrise prayer gathering

From Save the Peaks
Friday Sunrise Prayer Gathering for the Holy San Francisco Peaks!

Flagstaff, AZ - On Friday, March 17th at 6:00am, while Arizona Snowbowl prepares to open it's slopes for the first time this season, traditional Indigenous practitioners and community members will gather to offer prayers. The prayers offered will be to heal wounds and divisions created by Snowbowl owners and operators and the Forest Service officials because of their controversial plan to expand the developed ski area and make snow from contaminated wastewater on the Sacred Mountain known as the San Francisco Peaks.

"We are not gathering to interfere with Snowbowl's business or anybody's recreation," says Klee Benally of the Save the Peaks Coalition, "We are gathering to offer our prayers for healing. We will also acknowledge those who do not understand the harm they are trying to commit on our way of life, our community's health and the environment. We will be praying for compassion and respect."

Arizona Snowbowl recently received approval in District Court to make snow from contaminated wastewater, clear cut over 70 acres, expand its facilities and make additional development on the Peaks. The San Francisco Peaks are a holy site to more than 13 Native American Nations and a critical habitat for threatened species. The decision is being appealed by the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Yavapai Apache, Hualapai, Havasupai, Sierra Club, Flagstaff Activist Network and others.

Come show your support for the protection of our cultural and natural heritage. Save the Peaks!

After the prayer gathering at 1:30pm, members of ECHOES will be delivering petitions representing thousands of voices from throughout the world calling for the Flagstaff City Council to stop the sale of wastewater to Arizona Snowbowl for snowmaking.

Who: Traditional Indigenous Practitioners and Community Members

What: Sunrise Prayer Gathering for the Holy San Francisco Peaks!

Where: San Francisco Peaks, Arizona Snowbowl - Hart Prairie - lower parking lot

When: Sunrise - 6:00am

For more info email: coalition@savethepeaks.org

If you can't make it to Flagstaff on Friday:

Call in to stop the City of Flagstaff's sale of wastewater to Snowbowl for Snowmaking!

Please call:
City of Flagstaff Mayor Joe Donaldson
Telephone: (928) 779-7600

Suggested talking points:

The Coconino National Forest Service's Environmental Impact Statement recognizes that there will be "adverse impacts" to the cultural integrity of the San Francisco Peaks if the Snowbowl development is permitted. Snowbowl's plan would not be possible if the City did NOT sell wastewater to Snowbowl. Let him know how you personally feel about the preservation of ancient living cultures.

Scientific studies have found contaminants in the wastewater that could be dangerous to the environment and humans. With this information, the City must also address its use on parks, school fields and golf courses. Urge the city council to take these scientific findings seriously!

The City of Flagstaff's economy benefits greatly from neighboring Native American Nations and from heritage tourism year round. The sale of wastewater to Snowbowl will continue to be detrimental to the City's reputation and relations with these tribes that oppose further desecration of the San Francisco Peaks.

Snowbowl's wastewater plan and the City's involvement are contributing to racial division in the community.

Urge the Mayor to allow the community to decide if it should sell wastewater to Snowbowl.

Stop the sale of contaminated wastewater to Snowbowl! Respect our Cultural and
Natural Heritage!

www.savethepeaks.org