Somerset wind turbines seen as aviation hazard
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Federal Aviation Administration says that half of the 30 windmills proposed by Gamesa Energy USA for a controversial wind power project on an ecologically sensitive ridge area in Somerset County are a hazard to aviation.
Opponents of the wind turbine project hope the FAA's preliminary finding will shut it down, but FAA officials say even a final determination would not stop the development.
The project would be located in the watershed of two of the state's highest quality trout streams and along the Allegheny Front ridge, a major bird and bat migratory route, of Shaffer Mountain in the northeastern part of the county.
"It should be the end of the project, but I think Gamesa will call in some of its political clout to get the FAA to back off," said Jack Buchan, a member of Sensible Wind Solutions, which opposes the development.
Gamesa said the FAA findings won't affect the proposed project, which experienced delays in securing state permits for the 22,000-acre site. The state Department of Environmental Protection rejected Gamesa's first three permit applications as incomplete and is considering a fourth submission.
The FAA said that 15 of the 404-foot-tall wind turbines exceed "obstruction standards and/or would have an adverse physical or electromagnetic interference effect" on the airspace above ridge or nearby airports and flight routes.
But Laura Brown, an FAA spokeswoman, said the presumed hazard determination is the first step in a give-and-take process between the FAA and the developer that could alter the height and location of the turbines.
Even a final FAA determination that a project is a hazard to aviation doesn't mean it won't be built because the FAA has no legal authority to stop any development, Ms. Brown said. But such a determination can make it hard for a development to get insurance coverage.
Gamesa was invited to the state by Gov. Ed Rendell in 2004 as part of a green jobs initiative. The company manufactures turbines in Ebensburg, Cambria County.
If all 30 turbines planned for the Shaffer Mountain project are built, they would have a maximum electric power generation capacity of 66 megawatts, enough to power 30,000 homes.
Don Hopey can be reached at dhopey@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1983.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Turbines Still New, in Manufacturing Infancy
New Knowledge about Materials to Increase Wind Turbine Reliability
Summary posted by Meridian on 1/5/2010
Source: Nanowerk
Author: n/a
The Danish Council for Strategic Research’s Programme Commission on Energy and Environment, Denmark, has granted funding for a new center at Risø Technical University of Denmark (DTU), to be called the Danish Centre for Composite Structures and Materials (DCCSM). The new center will conduct research to increase the operating reliability of wind turbines. Wind turbines are usually made from composite materials and are designed to last for at least 20 years, but during this period they are exposed to harsh weather, and are often located in areas that make servicing the machines expensive and challenging. Reliability, and minimizing stoppages, is paramount. The DCCSM will look to improve its understanding of what makes a nanoscale defect morph into a major fracture that can cause a wind turbine to stop completely. Sensors that detect damage as early as possible, at the nanoscale level, will need to be developed in order to repair and replace blades before the turbine suffers a stoppage. The DCCSM will also conduct research on best materials, design and manufacture of wind turbine blades. The article can be viewed online at the link below.
The original article may still be available at www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=14215.php
Summary posted by Meridian on 1/5/2010
Source: Nanowerk
Author: n/a
The Danish Council for Strategic Research’s Programme Commission on Energy and Environment, Denmark, has granted funding for a new center at Risø Technical University of Denmark (DTU), to be called the Danish Centre for Composite Structures and Materials (DCCSM). The new center will conduct research to increase the operating reliability of wind turbines. Wind turbines are usually made from composite materials and are designed to last for at least 20 years, but during this period they are exposed to harsh weather, and are often located in areas that make servicing the machines expensive and challenging. Reliability, and minimizing stoppages, is paramount. The DCCSM will look to improve its understanding of what makes a nanoscale defect morph into a major fracture that can cause a wind turbine to stop completely. Sensors that detect damage as early as possible, at the nanoscale level, will need to be developed in order to repair and replace blades before the turbine suffers a stoppage. The DCCSM will also conduct research on best materials, design and manufacture of wind turbine blades. The article can be viewed online at the link below.
The original article may still be available at www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=14215.php
Natives Fight Cape Cod Wind Farm
From The Independent World
Native tribes fight Cape Cod wind farm
Ten-year battle to build US's biggest wind turbines approaches endgame
By David Usborne in New York
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
AP
The unspoilt view east from Popponesset beach in Mashpee, Massachusetts
The plan to build an enormous wind farm in Nantucket Sound, off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, has seen off a string of formidable enemies. They include the Kennedy clan, and others among the old money families of the coast, and Bill Koch, the billionaire oil and coal tycoon, the main financial force behind the opposition. The struggle to obtain the necessary permits has been under way for almost a decade.
The installation would, if constructed, be the biggest offshore wind farm in the US by far and would lend a much-needed shot of credibility to President Barack Obama's efforts to boost the renewable energy industry.
Last year, the battle appeared to have turned in the favour of the project, named Cape Wind, after a long-awaited environmental impact assessment concluded that the proposed wind turbines – 130 of them, each one 440ft high, spread over an area the size of Manhattan – would present negligible ecological problems.
But all bets were off again after complaints from two Indian tribes on Martha's Vineyard, the Mashpee Wampanoag and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head. Wampanoag means "people of the first light", and the tribes maintain that Nantucket Sound is integral to their spiritual traditions of watching the sun rise in the east.
Their worship requires unrestricted views, they claim. And the project would also disturb their ancestral burial grounds. The National Park Service has heeded their plea, and the entire area of ocean has been listed for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
It is not necessarily the death knell for Cape Wind. Supporters of the project say the Wampanoag's land is on the western side of Martha's Vineyard, which does not face Nantucket Sound. But it is certain to lend new hope to its opponents.
The Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, has summoned all the parties involved in the debate to meet in Washington DC next week with a view to settling the issue by 1 March. "After several years of review, it is now time to move the Cape Wind proposal to a final decision point," Mr Salazar said in a statement.
The talks would, he added, "discuss how we might find a common-sense agreement on actions that could be taken to minimise and mitigate Cape Wind's potential impacts on historic and cultural resources."
That Washington is now expressing a fresh urgency about resolving the stand-off drew a tentative welcome from Cape Wind. "While we found the National Park Service decision disappointing, far more important is that Secretary Salazar has signalled the beginning of his personal involvement in bringing the Cape Wind permitting process to a speedy conclusion," a spokesman for the project, Mark Rodgers, commented.
The late Senator Kennedy was part of a coalition of Cape Cod residents and sailors who argue that the turbines, which would be clearly visible from shore on a clear day, would do grave damage to the area's tourism industry and spoil its natural beauty.
But they in turn were bitterly criticised by environmentalists who saw the coalition as having entered an unholy alliance with the coal industry, one of America's dirtiest industries, and of being guilty of stark hypocrisy over the affair.
The farm, first proposed in 2001, would cost at least $1bn to build. It would be visible from Nantucket itself and from Martha's Vineyard. Both islands are important magnets for prosperous summer visitors.
Mr Obama, who spent his summer holiday last year on the Cape Cod coast, has been careful not to take sides publicly on the controversy.
Native tribes fight Cape Cod wind farm
Ten-year battle to build US's biggest wind turbines approaches endgame
By David Usborne in New York
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
AP
The unspoilt view east from Popponesset beach in Mashpee, Massachusetts
The plan to build an enormous wind farm in Nantucket Sound, off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, has seen off a string of formidable enemies. They include the Kennedy clan, and others among the old money families of the coast, and Bill Koch, the billionaire oil and coal tycoon, the main financial force behind the opposition. The struggle to obtain the necessary permits has been under way for almost a decade.
The installation would, if constructed, be the biggest offshore wind farm in the US by far and would lend a much-needed shot of credibility to President Barack Obama's efforts to boost the renewable energy industry.
Last year, the battle appeared to have turned in the favour of the project, named Cape Wind, after a long-awaited environmental impact assessment concluded that the proposed wind turbines – 130 of them, each one 440ft high, spread over an area the size of Manhattan – would present negligible ecological problems.
But all bets were off again after complaints from two Indian tribes on Martha's Vineyard, the Mashpee Wampanoag and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head. Wampanoag means "people of the first light", and the tribes maintain that Nantucket Sound is integral to their spiritual traditions of watching the sun rise in the east.
Their worship requires unrestricted views, they claim. And the project would also disturb their ancestral burial grounds. The National Park Service has heeded their plea, and the entire area of ocean has been listed for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
It is not necessarily the death knell for Cape Wind. Supporters of the project say the Wampanoag's land is on the western side of Martha's Vineyard, which does not face Nantucket Sound. But it is certain to lend new hope to its opponents.
The Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, has summoned all the parties involved in the debate to meet in Washington DC next week with a view to settling the issue by 1 March. "After several years of review, it is now time to move the Cape Wind proposal to a final decision point," Mr Salazar said in a statement.
The talks would, he added, "discuss how we might find a common-sense agreement on actions that could be taken to minimise and mitigate Cape Wind's potential impacts on historic and cultural resources."
That Washington is now expressing a fresh urgency about resolving the stand-off drew a tentative welcome from Cape Wind. "While we found the National Park Service decision disappointing, far more important is that Secretary Salazar has signalled the beginning of his personal involvement in bringing the Cape Wind permitting process to a speedy conclusion," a spokesman for the project, Mark Rodgers, commented.
The late Senator Kennedy was part of a coalition of Cape Cod residents and sailors who argue that the turbines, which would be clearly visible from shore on a clear day, would do grave damage to the area's tourism industry and spoil its natural beauty.
But they in turn were bitterly criticised by environmentalists who saw the coalition as having entered an unholy alliance with the coal industry, one of America's dirtiest industries, and of being guilty of stark hypocrisy over the affair.
The farm, first proposed in 2001, would cost at least $1bn to build. It would be visible from Nantucket itself and from Martha's Vineyard. Both islands are important magnets for prosperous summer visitors.
Mr Obama, who spent his summer holiday last year on the Cape Cod coast, has been careful not to take sides publicly on the controversy.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Bear River Health Clinic Updates
Acupuncture – Traditional Chinese Acupuncture by Joe Kubinec is available on Wednesdays unless otherwise posted. This treatment is good for back pain, arthritis, menopause, headaches, insomnia, stop smoking and many other conditions. Appointments are booked through the Clinic. Note: Joe will not be in from January 20 to the end of February. He returns to our Clinic on March 3. Enjoy your well-deserved vacation, Joe!
Audiology – Neil Hackett is in every other Friday to help with your hearing needs. Please call 1-866-299-2016 to book appointment. Coupons available at the Clinic for a free hearing test.
Electrolysis – Ronda Best is in once a month for all your hair removal needs. Call 1-902-791-0953 for more information or to book your appointment.
Esthetics –Charlene Decker is in monthly for waxing, manicures and pedicures. To book an appointment or for more information, call 1-902-362-2137.
Juniper House Outreach –You can book an appointment to see Lori at our Clinic by phoning 245-4789.
Massage Therapy – We are still working on getting a massage therapist in place as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience during this transition.
Physician Services – Dr. Roy Harding is seeing patients by appointment only. At this time, Dr. Harding is not able to take on any patients that he has not already seen at our Clinic.
Senior Services – Nurse Practitioner, Dianne Corbett, RN specializes in concerns specific to the elderly, such as memory loss, complicated medical conditions and poor coordination/balance. For more information or to book an appointment, call the Clinic.
Note: Times and dates are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Relay For Life
We are still looking for a few more people to be on our Clinic’s team for the 2010 Relay for Life events.
If you are interested, please call 467-3611 and leave your name and phone number.
The Board and staff of
the Bear River & Area Community Health Clinic
wish to send warm greetings to everyone who
visited or worked at our Clinic during the past year.
We look forward to another year of health and happiness!
Note: There will be no Board Meeting in January
Next Board Meeting – Tuesday, February 2 at 7:00 pm at the Clinic. All members of the public welcome!
Note: The Clinic will reopen on Monday, January 4 at 8:30 am.
Audiology – Neil Hackett is in every other Friday to help with your hearing needs. Please call 1-866-299-2016 to book appointment. Coupons available at the Clinic for a free hearing test.
Electrolysis – Ronda Best is in once a month for all your hair removal needs. Call 1-902-791-0953 for more information or to book your appointment.
Esthetics –Charlene Decker is in monthly for waxing, manicures and pedicures. To book an appointment or for more information, call 1-902-362-2137.
Juniper House Outreach –You can book an appointment to see Lori at our Clinic by phoning 245-4789.
Massage Therapy – We are still working on getting a massage therapist in place as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience during this transition.
Physician Services – Dr. Roy Harding is seeing patients by appointment only. At this time, Dr. Harding is not able to take on any patients that he has not already seen at our Clinic.
Senior Services – Nurse Practitioner, Dianne Corbett, RN specializes in concerns specific to the elderly, such as memory loss, complicated medical conditions and poor coordination/balance. For more information or to book an appointment, call the Clinic.
Note: Times and dates are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Relay For Life
We are still looking for a few more people to be on our Clinic’s team for the 2010 Relay for Life events.
If you are interested, please call 467-3611 and leave your name and phone number.
The Board and staff of
the Bear River & Area Community Health Clinic
wish to send warm greetings to everyone who
visited or worked at our Clinic during the past year.
We look forward to another year of health and happiness!
Note: There will be no Board Meeting in January
Next Board Meeting – Tuesday, February 2 at 7:00 pm at the Clinic. All members of the public welcome!
Note: The Clinic will reopen on Monday, January 4 at 8:30 am.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Ensure Properly Built Turbines
From Utica od .com
Our view: Ensure turbines built properly
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Jan 02, 2010 @ 09:00 PM
Two wind turbines have collapsed in New York state in the past year.
One fell on Dec. 27, in the Madison County town of Fenner, the other last winter near Plattsburgh.
Fortunately, no one was injured in either instance, but it is disquieting to imagine nearly 190 tons of metal, plastic and other materials tumbling down onto farm fields and hillsides.
It turns out that the state Public Service Commission oversees only larger wind farms, not those as small as in Fenner.
That’s troubling.
Wind turbines are among the largest structures on the Upstate New York landscape. They need to be subject to stringent building standards and to occasional inspections. These are tasks far beyond the capabilities of the typical rural town.
State legislators including Assemblyman William Magee, who represents Madison County, need to step up in the next legislative session and make wind turbine safety a state responsibility.
Our view: Ensure turbines built properly
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Jan 02, 2010 @ 09:00 PM
Two wind turbines have collapsed in New York state in the past year.
One fell on Dec. 27, in the Madison County town of Fenner, the other last winter near Plattsburgh.
Fortunately, no one was injured in either instance, but it is disquieting to imagine nearly 190 tons of metal, plastic and other materials tumbling down onto farm fields and hillsides.
It turns out that the state Public Service Commission oversees only larger wind farms, not those as small as in Fenner.
That’s troubling.
Wind turbines are among the largest structures on the Upstate New York landscape. They need to be subject to stringent building standards and to occasional inspections. These are tasks far beyond the capabilities of the typical rural town.
State legislators including Assemblyman William Magee, who represents Madison County, need to step up in the next legislative session and make wind turbine safety a state responsibility.
Project Profile
Engaging fishermen to advance near-shore marine protection in Nova Scotia Halifax, NSCanadian Parks and Wilderness Society-Nova Scotia Chapter (CPAWS-NS): The mission of CPAWS-NS is to keep Nova Scotia wild. We protect, conserve, and restore biodiversity. We work towards collaborative and solution-orientated results to ensure the beauty and life-giving forces of wilderness persist into the future.
Need: $5000, Volunteers
"We need to empower fishermen to use their local knowledge and expertise to protect and restore local fisheries in order to support livelihoods for current and future generations." — Ashley Sprague, CPAWS NSNova Scotia is the only Canadian province without a coastal Marine Protected Area (MPA). With increasing threats of overfishing, industrial development, pollution and climate change, we urgently need to take steps to protect the productive waters around the province. Through collaboration with fishermen and government, our marine program has made significant progress to advance near-shore protected area planning in Nova Scotia.
Due in great part to community outreach, research and political pressure from CPAWS, Parks Canada is now assessing the Bay of Fundy to identify candidate National Marine Conservation Area sites. We are confident that Digby Neck and Islands will be among the final list of candidates. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is currently exploring options for coastal MPA designation, and Port Joli is a top site under consideration. Opportunities exist to advance near-shore Marine Protected Area establishment through community-led conservation planning. With your help, this project will advance community conservation planning, influence decisions made by government and help move these sites toward protection more quickly.
Our program works directly with fishermen in the communities of Port Joli and Digby Neck and Islands to explore conservation options. Our community-based approach has led to strong, trusting relationships with community members and a solid understanding of current and historical local fisheries, ecosystem threats and community dynamics. We are now further engaging fishermen and other stakeholders to identify conservation priorities and develop conservation plans to protect and restore key habitats and local fisheries, which will ensure resources will be available to support livelihoods for future generations.
Raised: $35
Needed: $4965
Donate Now
Engaging fishermen to advance near-shore marine protection in Nova Scotia Halifax, NSCanadian Parks and Wilderness Society-Nova Scotia Chapter (CPAWS-NS): The mission of CPAWS-NS is to keep Nova Scotia wild. We protect, conserve, and restore biodiversity. We work towards collaborative and solution-orientated results to ensure the beauty and life-giving forces of wilderness persist into the future.
Need: $5000, Volunteers
"We need to empower fishermen to use their local knowledge and expertise to protect and restore local fisheries in order to support livelihoods for current and future generations." — Ashley Sprague, CPAWS NSNova Scotia is the only Canadian province without a coastal Marine Protected Area (MPA). With increasing threats of overfishing, industrial development, pollution and climate change, we urgently need to take steps to protect the productive waters around the province. Through collaboration with fishermen and government, our marine program has made significant progress to advance near-shore protected area planning in Nova Scotia.
Due in great part to community outreach, research and political pressure from CPAWS, Parks Canada is now assessing the Bay of Fundy to identify candidate National Marine Conservation Area sites. We are confident that Digby Neck and Islands will be among the final list of candidates. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is currently exploring options for coastal MPA designation, and Port Joli is a top site under consideration. Opportunities exist to advance near-shore Marine Protected Area establishment through community-led conservation planning. With your help, this project will advance community conservation planning, influence decisions made by government and help move these sites toward protection more quickly.
Our program works directly with fishermen in the communities of Port Joli and Digby Neck and Islands to explore conservation options. Our community-based approach has led to strong, trusting relationships with community members and a solid understanding of current and historical local fisheries, ecosystem threats and community dynamics. We are now further engaging fishermen and other stakeholders to identify conservation priorities and develop conservation plans to protect and restore key habitats and local fisheries, which will ensure resources will be available to support livelihoods for future generations.
Raised: $35
Needed: $4965
Donate Now
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Skiing and Energy
Not easy skiing green: Is the eco-movement at ski areas legit?
ADAM WHITE
Posted: 01/01/2010 10:57:51 PM EST
From the Bennington Banner
For years, the only thing "green" about ski resorts was the small mountain of cash it took to visit one.
But 2009 saw significant strides made by Vermont ski areas to become more environmentally responsible, and their efforts seem to be paying off. Vermont was the only state with wins in all of the major categories for environmental excellence at this year’s National Ski Areas Association Convention (which was held, naturally, in Florida).
Stratton won for "Excellence in Energy Conservation & Clean Energy," thanks to its "broad, multi-pronged energy program" that reportedly reduced electricity use by 18 percent, propane consumption by 20 percent and fuel/diesel use by 19 percent during 2008; those reductions amount to the equivalent of 3,473 tons of carbon dioxide, according to the NSAA.
Okemo won for Environmental Education, while Stowe earned the Waste Reduction and Recycling award to complete Vermont’s sweep. The three resorts - along with Mount Snow, Bromley and four others in the state - also endorse the NSAA’s "Sustainable Slopes" program and Environmental Charter, which outlines principles of responsible planning and operation for ski areas.
This past November saw the Vermont ski industry’s first wind turbine spin to life, a modest Northwind 100 unit atop the Vista Peak at Bolton Valley. The turbine generates upward of 330,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year (approximately the same amount of power used by 40-45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advertisement
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vermont households), providing roughly one-eighth of the resort’s electric power.
Bolton has also contracted Efficiency Vermont of Burlington to help re-work its snowmaking system, while cutting its nightly grooming fleet down by nearly 75 percent and streamlining the operation of its lift system to better fit customer need.
"We can’t keep pumping all of this carbon into the air, or running lifts with nobody on them," says Bolton’s president, George Potter. He goes on to say that support among Bolton passholders for the wind turbine program has been overwhelming.
"So many people have called me up to say ‘thank you,’ and to say that they feel good to be a part of something that is positive for the environment like this," Potter says.
But skeptics insist that the ski industry is using its "green movement" as more of a marketing campaign than anything else, and that the real motivation for increasing efficiency is the healthier profit margin that comes along with it. Those passholders at Bolton may derive some satisfaction from their connection to the resort’s wind initiative, but are they really just being sold a bill of goods with a lot of ecological window dressing?
"Energy is a huge factor at a ski resort," points out Scott Printz, chairman of the Bennington County Regional Commission’s Energy Committee. "If they can reduce their energy consumption, they can save a lot of money. But I’ve got to think that if it didn’t make sense in terms of their bottom line - and give them a wonderful little marketing tool to put out there at the same time - they wouldn’t do it.
"If there was an initiative that would have real value from an environmental standpoint but would cost them money, would they even consider it?"
Printz’s assessment of the situation gains ammunition from one aspect of Bolton’s future plans regarding wind power. Potter and company aspire to erect at least two additional, larger turbines within the next two years; the first would provide all of the power needed to run the resort, while the second would generate excess energy that could be sold to generate additional profit.
"We’re not trying to create a wind farm here; that’s not where we’re going," insists Potter. "It’s about doing things that are green and sustainable."
But if the second turbine would make Bolton self-sufficient in terms of electricity, why build a third?
"We’re a business, after all," Potter admits. "The goal of any business is to make money."
"Green" a fool’s gold?
While the effects of harnessing wind energy are real and tangible, other "green" initiatives within the ski industry come off as downright laughable. Using 10-percent recycled paper and organic, plant-derived ink to print your trail map is not doing a whole lot to reverse the environmental impact easily revealed with a walking tour of any modern commercial ski area.
Begin in the parking lot, where rows of gas-guzzling SUVs displaying a rainbow of out-of-state license plates evidence fuel consumption and exhaust emissions on a significant scale. If there is even a modest distance between the lot and the base area, chances are good that there is also a shuttle running between them.
Note the heating and power requirements of the expansive lodge, attached hotel and other buildings - not to mention the clusters of condominiums carved into the landscape, luxurious lodging that stands empty for months at a time during the off-season.
Turn your gaze along the lines of high-speed, high-capacity chairlifts that hang suspended above the trails - which are essentially linear scars clear-cut through what would otherwise be a wooded mountainside.
A resort staffer buzzes past on a snowmobile, leaving behind a trail of acrid-smelling exhaust from its two-cycle engine and the echo of its high-pitched whine.
Later, after the lifts have ground to a halt, the fleet of tank-like groomers will fire up and make its tracked assault on the mountain. Overhead, a network of snow guns continue churning, often day and night, to make up for the inconsistent and unpredictable snowfall provided by Mother Nature.
Make no mistake, such an operation provides the best possible experience for skiers: Convenient accessibility, pristine surfaces, comfortable amenities for between runs and after long days on the slopes. Of course these customers are aware of the impact they are making on the natural world; in fact, a 1999 survey by Ski Magazine suggested that skiers have a higher level of concern for the environment than enthusiasts of any other recreational sport.
But they are apparently not concerned enough to eschew the modern conveniences of skiing in order to protect the land, air, wildlife and natural resources in these areas. People still use their cars to travel daily, often over short distances, fully aware of the effect that exhaust emissions have on the Earth. Cigarette smokers still light up despite the millions of documented deaths linked to the habit.
As someone who loves to ski and has for decades, I am just as guilty as anyone else of taking advantage of the modern resort model with little regard for its negative impact on nature. I drive alone in my SUV - which seats five and gets roughly 15 miles per gallon - to go skiing during the week. I ride by myself on six-pack chairlifts, and during breaks I drink lodge coffee out of disposable cups. I use the electric hand dryer in the men’s room to de-fog my goggles.
I daydream about strapping a pair of skis onto my pack and climbing on foot through the backcountry, in order to "earn my turns" as the hardcore locals say. And while I may someday realize that ambition, the truth is that I will never stop participating in lift-serve skiing.
As one fellow skier joked, "It’s not like we’re going to magically teleport back through time a thousand years, and start shuffling through the woods on wooden skis like Leif Ericson in order to save the planet."
Likewise, George Potter at Bolton and the rest of the ski industry in Vermont, across the nation and worldwide will continue to keep their groomers running and snow guns pumping in order to provide the best possible experience to those visiting their mountains. Regardless of whether they keep one eye on their profit margin or some government incentive program, they can’t be expected to ignore available technology or other advancements within the sport.
And if they can do so in a more efficient and eco-friendly manner, with help from the spinning blades of a wind turbine up on the ridgeline or a biodegradable plastic spoon in the lodge, isn’t the end result really a net win for the buisnesses, the skiers and the planet?
"You just have to eat your soup fast, or your spoon will melt," says Potter with a laugh.
Adam White is Sports Editor of the Banner. He can be reached at awhite@benningtonbanner.com.
ADAM WHITE
Posted: 01/01/2010 10:57:51 PM EST
From the Bennington Banner
For years, the only thing "green" about ski resorts was the small mountain of cash it took to visit one.
But 2009 saw significant strides made by Vermont ski areas to become more environmentally responsible, and their efforts seem to be paying off. Vermont was the only state with wins in all of the major categories for environmental excellence at this year’s National Ski Areas Association Convention (which was held, naturally, in Florida).
Stratton won for "Excellence in Energy Conservation & Clean Energy," thanks to its "broad, multi-pronged energy program" that reportedly reduced electricity use by 18 percent, propane consumption by 20 percent and fuel/diesel use by 19 percent during 2008; those reductions amount to the equivalent of 3,473 tons of carbon dioxide, according to the NSAA.
Okemo won for Environmental Education, while Stowe earned the Waste Reduction and Recycling award to complete Vermont’s sweep. The three resorts - along with Mount Snow, Bromley and four others in the state - also endorse the NSAA’s "Sustainable Slopes" program and Environmental Charter, which outlines principles of responsible planning and operation for ski areas.
This past November saw the Vermont ski industry’s first wind turbine spin to life, a modest Northwind 100 unit atop the Vista Peak at Bolton Valley. The turbine generates upward of 330,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year (approximately the same amount of power used by 40-45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Advertisement
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vermont households), providing roughly one-eighth of the resort’s electric power.
Bolton has also contracted Efficiency Vermont of Burlington to help re-work its snowmaking system, while cutting its nightly grooming fleet down by nearly 75 percent and streamlining the operation of its lift system to better fit customer need.
"We can’t keep pumping all of this carbon into the air, or running lifts with nobody on them," says Bolton’s president, George Potter. He goes on to say that support among Bolton passholders for the wind turbine program has been overwhelming.
"So many people have called me up to say ‘thank you,’ and to say that they feel good to be a part of something that is positive for the environment like this," Potter says.
But skeptics insist that the ski industry is using its "green movement" as more of a marketing campaign than anything else, and that the real motivation for increasing efficiency is the healthier profit margin that comes along with it. Those passholders at Bolton may derive some satisfaction from their connection to the resort’s wind initiative, but are they really just being sold a bill of goods with a lot of ecological window dressing?
"Energy is a huge factor at a ski resort," points out Scott Printz, chairman of the Bennington County Regional Commission’s Energy Committee. "If they can reduce their energy consumption, they can save a lot of money. But I’ve got to think that if it didn’t make sense in terms of their bottom line - and give them a wonderful little marketing tool to put out there at the same time - they wouldn’t do it.
"If there was an initiative that would have real value from an environmental standpoint but would cost them money, would they even consider it?"
Printz’s assessment of the situation gains ammunition from one aspect of Bolton’s future plans regarding wind power. Potter and company aspire to erect at least two additional, larger turbines within the next two years; the first would provide all of the power needed to run the resort, while the second would generate excess energy that could be sold to generate additional profit.
"We’re not trying to create a wind farm here; that’s not where we’re going," insists Potter. "It’s about doing things that are green and sustainable."
But if the second turbine would make Bolton self-sufficient in terms of electricity, why build a third?
"We’re a business, after all," Potter admits. "The goal of any business is to make money."
"Green" a fool’s gold?
While the effects of harnessing wind energy are real and tangible, other "green" initiatives within the ski industry come off as downright laughable. Using 10-percent recycled paper and organic, plant-derived ink to print your trail map is not doing a whole lot to reverse the environmental impact easily revealed with a walking tour of any modern commercial ski area.
Begin in the parking lot, where rows of gas-guzzling SUVs displaying a rainbow of out-of-state license plates evidence fuel consumption and exhaust emissions on a significant scale. If there is even a modest distance between the lot and the base area, chances are good that there is also a shuttle running between them.
Note the heating and power requirements of the expansive lodge, attached hotel and other buildings - not to mention the clusters of condominiums carved into the landscape, luxurious lodging that stands empty for months at a time during the off-season.
Turn your gaze along the lines of high-speed, high-capacity chairlifts that hang suspended above the trails - which are essentially linear scars clear-cut through what would otherwise be a wooded mountainside.
A resort staffer buzzes past on a snowmobile, leaving behind a trail of acrid-smelling exhaust from its two-cycle engine and the echo of its high-pitched whine.
Later, after the lifts have ground to a halt, the fleet of tank-like groomers will fire up and make its tracked assault on the mountain. Overhead, a network of snow guns continue churning, often day and night, to make up for the inconsistent and unpredictable snowfall provided by Mother Nature.
Make no mistake, such an operation provides the best possible experience for skiers: Convenient accessibility, pristine surfaces, comfortable amenities for between runs and after long days on the slopes. Of course these customers are aware of the impact they are making on the natural world; in fact, a 1999 survey by Ski Magazine suggested that skiers have a higher level of concern for the environment than enthusiasts of any other recreational sport.
But they are apparently not concerned enough to eschew the modern conveniences of skiing in order to protect the land, air, wildlife and natural resources in these areas. People still use their cars to travel daily, often over short distances, fully aware of the effect that exhaust emissions have on the Earth. Cigarette smokers still light up despite the millions of documented deaths linked to the habit.
As someone who loves to ski and has for decades, I am just as guilty as anyone else of taking advantage of the modern resort model with little regard for its negative impact on nature. I drive alone in my SUV - which seats five and gets roughly 15 miles per gallon - to go skiing during the week. I ride by myself on six-pack chairlifts, and during breaks I drink lodge coffee out of disposable cups. I use the electric hand dryer in the men’s room to de-fog my goggles.
I daydream about strapping a pair of skis onto my pack and climbing on foot through the backcountry, in order to "earn my turns" as the hardcore locals say. And while I may someday realize that ambition, the truth is that I will never stop participating in lift-serve skiing.
As one fellow skier joked, "It’s not like we’re going to magically teleport back through time a thousand years, and start shuffling through the woods on wooden skis like Leif Ericson in order to save the planet."
Likewise, George Potter at Bolton and the rest of the ski industry in Vermont, across the nation and worldwide will continue to keep their groomers running and snow guns pumping in order to provide the best possible experience to those visiting their mountains. Regardless of whether they keep one eye on their profit margin or some government incentive program, they can’t be expected to ignore available technology or other advancements within the sport.
And if they can do so in a more efficient and eco-friendly manner, with help from the spinning blades of a wind turbine up on the ridgeline or a biodegradable plastic spoon in the lodge, isn’t the end result really a net win for the buisnesses, the skiers and the planet?
"You just have to eat your soup fast, or your spoon will melt," says Potter with a laugh.
Adam White is Sports Editor of the Banner. He can be reached at awhite@benningtonbanner.com.
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skiing Bennington Vermont Bolton
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