United States Ninth Circuit

In a case brought by Indian tribes challenging the Forest Service's approval of an expansion to a ski area's facilities on sacred Arizona mountain peaks, summary judgment for the agency is reversed in part where: 1) agency's approval of the ski area's use of recycled sewage effluent to make artificial snow on the peaks violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA); and 2) in one respect, a Final Environmental Impact Statement did not comply with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA).

Appellate Information

• Argued 12/11/2007
• Decided 03/12/2007
• Published 03/12/2007

Judges

• Before:  ALEX KOZINSKI, Chief Judge, HARRY PREGERSON, DIARMUID F. O'SCANNLAIN, PAMELA ANN RYMER, ANDREW J. KLEINFELD, BARRY G. SILVERMAN, W. FLETCHER, RAYMOND C. FISHER, RICHARD R. CLIFTON, CARLOS T. BEA, and SANDRA S. IKUTA, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Howard M. Shanker (argued), Laura Lynn Berglan, The Shanker Law Firm, PLC, Tempe, AZ;  Jack F. Trope (argued), Association on American Indian Affairs, Rockville, MD;  Kimberly Schooley, DNA-People's Legal Services, Flagstaff, Arizona;  Terence M. Gurley and Zackeree Kelin, DNA-People's Legal Services, Window Rock, AZ;  Lisa A. Reynolds, James E. Scarboro (argued), Arnold & Porter LLP, Denver, CO;  Anthony S. Canty, Lynelle Kym Hartway, Office of General Counsel, The Hopi Tribe, Kykotsmovi, AZ, for the plaintiffs-appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• Catherine E. Stetson (argued), Andrew L. Spielman, Hogan & Hartson LLP, Washington, DC;  Janice M. Schneider, Latham & Watkins LLP, Washington, DC;  Sue Ellen Wooldridge, Matthew J. McKeown, Andrew C. Mergen, Kathryn E. Kovacs, Lane M. McFadden (argued), United States Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division, Washington, DC;  Philip A. Robbins, Paul G. Johnson, Michael J. O'Connor, John J. Egbert, Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, P.L.C., Phoenix, AZ, for the defendants-appellees., Geraldine Link, National Ski Areas Association, Lakewood, CO;  Ezekiel J. Williams, Jacy T. Rock, Faegre & Benson LLP, Denver, CO;  Glenn E. Porzak, P. Fritz Holleman, Eli A. Feldman, Porzak Browning & Bushong LLP, Boulder, CO;  for the National Ski Areas Association as Amicus Curiae in Support of the defendants-appellees., William Perry Pendley, Mountain States Legal Foundation, Lakewood, CO;  for the Mountain States Legal Foundation as Amicus Curiae in Support of the defendants-appellees.