New Hampshire’s Green Slopes Program Reduces Pollution at State’s Ski Resorts

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New Hampshire’s Green Slopes Program Reduces Pollution at State’s Ski Resorts

Concord, NH - New Hampshire is home to 22 ski mountains that were visited by more than two million skiers during the 2006-07 ski season. The ski industry generates not only tourist dollars for the state, but also produces wastes and environmental impacts that require proper management.

The New Hampshire Pollution Prevention Program (NHPPP) operated by the state’s Department of Environmental Services has a new initiative entitled NH Green Slopes, which targets environmental outreach efforts to New Hampshire ski areas. The magnitude and diversity of services and operations at ski areas create a multifaceted environmental impact that includes chemical and waste use, energy consumption and related air pollution, and solid and hazardous waste generation.

With this in mind, NHPPP provides the state’s ski areas with practical, proven techniques and technologies to reduce environmental impacts. NHPPP is working with the National Ski Areas Association, Ski New Hampshire, and other state agencies to conduct a baseline assessment, site assessments, workshops and outreach material to reduce ski areas’ environmental impact.

Such efforts include the use of biodiesel in slope groomers and more efficient snowmaking operations. The NH Pollution Prevention Program’s Green Slopes Project in the summer of 2007 expressed the urgency of changing other practices in the facility including things as simple as restricting bus and passenger car idling on the mountain, practices adopted by Arrowhead Ski Area in Claremont, Bretton Woods Ski Area, nearby Cannon Mountain in Franconia, Gunstock Mountain in Gilford, Newbury’s Mount Sunapee, Pats Peak in Henniker, Danbury’s Ragged Mountain and also at others, including Waterville Valley Resort.

Upon tallying the numbers from a Green Slopes questionnaire, directors of the NHPPP figured that throughout the 14 state ski facilities that employed anti-idling policies there is an average of 25 diesel vehicles that idle for six hours a day over a three-month ski season. Organizers calculate that anti-idling policies adopted by these 14 ski resorts reduces pollution by 110 lbs. of particulate matter, 4,018 lbs. of nitrogen oxides and 282,743 lbs. of carbon dioxide that will not be emitted into the air during that 90-day period.

Loon Mountain in Lincoln, one of the state’s busiest ski resorts was recently sold to Boyne USA and has been undergoing construction on new lifts and trails since the summer months. Loon has initiated many green programs including an idling reduction campaign on the mountain for both company vehicles as well as guest vehicles, EPP on cleaning products and formed the “Loon Green Team”. The ski facility has started using a B10 biofuel mix for their grooming fleet, a recycling program and a Green Tag program promoting renewable energy credits to guests. Loon Mountain has also reduced their energy use by upgrading snowmaking guns, converting all lighting, installing motion sensors and upgrading boiler/heating systems.

King Pine in East Madison has implemented many programs to decrease their carbon footprint, including biodiesel in on-mountain vehicles and heat in all lodging. They have also implemented a recycling program in commercial areas and idling reduction policy throughout the resort. King Pine uses organic based cleaners and energy-efficient equipment in kitchen and laundry facilities.

Attitash Mountain, located in Bartlett, is one of the Eastern ski facilities recently acquired by Peak Resorts. The facility has implemented a state-of-the-art $2.5 million snow making fan system, strategically placing 100 fan guns around the mountain. This system is one of the most energy-efficient systems to create snow early in the season that lasts longer throughout the entire season, even with slightly warmer weather. Attitash has also added a no-idling policy.

Cranmore Mountain Resort located in North Conway and has been reducing its carbon footprint since 2003 by using biodiesel in the grooming and fleet equipment. Cranmore has used more than 20,000 gallons of B20 fuel each year, which is a 4,000-gallon reduction of conventional fossil fuels per year. This year Cranmore stepped out of the box by initiating a partnership with the Village Trolley in North Conway by allowing them to use the biodiesel in the trolley system that runs seven days a week all around town. Cranmore also implemented an anti-idling program for staff and guests.