Yakima Tribe Denied TRO To Prevent Wildflower Tours On Spiritual Area

In Washington state, a federal district judge has denied a temporary restraining order sought by the Yakima Nation to prevent scheduled wildflower tours this Thursday and Saturday on Rattlesnake Mountain.  The mountain is a cultural and spiritual area for the Yakimas.  As reported by the Tri-City Herald, the court, in a written decision, said in part:

Though the tribe certainly has a strong interest in preservation of its culture and spiritual interest, the public also has an interest in being allowed to see and experience the land, as long as precautions are taken to preserve the nature of the place.

UPDATE: The full opinion in  Confederated Tribes & Bands of the Yakama Nation v. United States Fish & Wildlife Service, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63824 (ED WA, May 5, 2014) is now available via Lexis.