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Environmental
NSAA RELEASES 2018 ANNUAL
ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT

Utility Partnerships & Climate Change Action
Underscore Industry’s Commitment to Sustainability

BY GERALDINE LINK, NSAA DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY

NSAA RECENTLY RELEASED ITS 18TH Sustainable Slopes Annual that reduced emissions by 1,509 MTCO₂e and reported
Report detailing the ski industry’s progress in implementing REC purchases equivalent to 593 MTCO₂e. The cumu-
the principles of its Environmental Charter during the lative impact of on-site projects since 2011 (which accrue
2017–18 season. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
The report highlights results of the industry’s Climate
Challenge, a voluntary program for resorts to inventory, Squaw Valley’s Microgrid
target, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)
and engage in advocacy on climate change solutions.
“Ski areas across the country are making great strides
on sustainability, and the Climate Challengers in particular
are proactively addressing climate change solutions,” said
NSAA President/CEO Kelly Pawlak.
The Climate Challenge program provides technical
support and recognition to ski areas that are developing
carbon inventories, setting goals for carbon reduction, and
measuring success in reducing their overall carbon footprint.
Participating resorts include (new Challengers for
2018–19 are in bold): Alpine Meadows, Calif.; Alta Ski
Area, Utah; Arapahoe Basin, Colo.; Aspen Highlands,
Colo.; Aspen Mountain, Colo.; Bear Valley Mountain,
Calif.; Beaver Valley Ski Club, Calif; Blue Mountain,
Penn.; Blue Mountain, Canada; Boreal Mountain Resort/
Soda Springs, Calif.; Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Mont.; Proposed Olympic Valley Microgrid
Buttermilk, Colo.; Copper Mountain Resort, Colo.; Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows in California, a par-
Deer Valley Resort, Utah; Eldora Mountain Resort, ticipant in the Climate Challenge, is teaming up with
Colo.; Grand Targhee Resort, Wyo.; Granite Peak, Wisc.; Tesla on an exciting on-mountain energy storage
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyo.; June Mountain, project called a microgrid. Squaw’s utility, Liberty,
Calif.; Killington Resort, Vt.; Lutsen Mountains, Minn.; will house Tesla lithium-ion batteries at Gold Coast,
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Colo.; Mont Tremblant, a mid-mountain location. The batteries will have a
Canada; Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore.; Mt. Bachelor, Ore.; capacity to store 8 megawatts of electricity, an amount
Pico Mountain, Vt.; Snowshoe, W. Va.; Solitude Mountain sufficient to provide electricity for four hours at Squaw
Resort, Utah; Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort; Utah; and Alpine Meadows as well the 900 businesses and
Snowmass, Colo.; Steamboat Ski & Resort, Colo.; Stratton, residents of the Olympic Valley.
Vt.; Squaw Valley, Calif.; Sugarbush Resort, Vt.; Taos Ski Demand for energy storage is on the rise as
Valley, NM.; Telluride Ski & Golf Resort, Colo.; Timberline utilities strive to boost the percentage of their energy
derived from renewable sources. States are mandating
Lodge & Ski Area, Ore.; Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, not only higher renewable energy use by utilities, but
Mass.; and Winter Park Resort, Colo. energy storage as well. Two key federal tax incentives,
The Sustainable Slopes Annual Report highlights that the investment tax credit and the modified acceler-
in 2017–18, Scope 1 and 2 emissions totaled 167,251 ated cost recovery system, have encouraged adoption
MTCO₂e for all Challengers that reported complete GHG of energy storage systems such as batteries.
inventories. Reporting resorts implemented on-site projects

12 | NSAA JOURNAL | EARLY WINTER 2018