The latest suit challenging snowmaking at Arizona Snowbowl has been dropped.
The suit, by the Hopi tribe had alleged using reclaimed wastewater to make artificial snow would harm the endangered San Francisco Peaks Groundsel plant, also known ragwort.
The tribe’s chairman says the Hopi plan to meet with the Justice Department and the Forest Service to get a review of the effect of snowmaking on the plant. The Hopi suit was the last active lawsuit challenging artificial snowmaking.
The resort fought suits for years from environmentalists and native tribes opposed to its snowmaking plans but won in every case.
It began making snow with reclaimed wastewater at the beginning of this week and plans to use it later this season and in future years to build a base for skiing and snowboarding.