Squaw Valley USA Receives Top Environmental Ranking

BROADCAST QUALITY MPEG 2 VIDEO FOOTAGE - Available after 3:00pm PST, Dec 3, 2009.

STORY SUMMARY: (Squaw Valley USA, Olympic Valley, Calif.) – December 3, 2009 – The 2010 Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition ski resort environmental score card, just released, ranked Squaw Valley USA as the highest scoring Western ski resort for environmental initiatives. Squaw Valley’s ‘A’ grade and top ranking score is an incredible feat for the mountain that has invested exceptional resources toward the greening of the ski resort business.

FOOTAGE INCLUDES: Soundbites and B-Roll from Squaw Valley USA.

SUPPORTING RELEASE COPY: (Olympic Valley, Calif.) – Squaw Valley USA’s exemplary work in 35 categories in regards to preservation of sensitive areas within ski resort boundaries, water conservation and commitment to recycling and alternative energy rendered the resort the highest score of the 83 resorts evaluated.

This is the third consecutive year Squaw Valley USA received an ‘A’ grade from the Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition, a third party group that supplies a comprehensive analysis of ski area environmental efforts. This year the coalition grouped the criteria for which the ski resorts were evaluated into four categories – Habitat Protection, Protection of Watersheds, Addressing Global Climate change, and Environmental Policies and Practices. Report card data is obtained from an annual survey and public records from government and environmental agencies. Freedom of Information Act and Public Records Act requests are filed with appropriate land managers to identify ski area development projects and management plans each spring. All document sources and detailed information about the grading criteria can be found on-line at www.skiareacitizens.com.

Environmental stewardship is integral to every aspect of Squaw Valley. Decisions at Squaw Valley are made with the knowledge that the success of the business, as a four-season mountain resort, is directly tied to the alpine environment’s beauty. “The environment is our asset,” asserts Chairman and CEO Nancy Cushing. “A beautiful and pristine mountain experience brings guests and employees to Squaw Valley. It is our duty to make every effort to protect that experience.” From the geothermal heat pump that heats the entire Squaw Kids Children’s facility, to the multimillion dollar water run off filtration system in the parking lot, the state-of-the-art heat exchange system at High Camp’s Ice Pavilion and Lagoon & Spa, and comprehensive forest re-vegetation projects that help to preserve Squaw Valley’s natural eco system – aspects of the conscious environmental commitment are ingrained in Squaw Valley’s culture.

Squaw Valley USA is one of the only resorts in the world that devotes an entire department to forest and vegetation and environmental management. Squaw Valley scored 104 of 104 possible points in the Habitat category that evaluates protection of the resort’s own ecosystems. Largely responsible for this accolade is Squaw Valley’s Environmental Improvement Department. By re-vegetating disturbed areas, the Environmental Improvement Department is working to improve the mountain’s natural vegetation, riparian areas, and wetlands to reduce erosion and preserve water quality. It can take anywhere from a few months to several years for the vegetation to become completely established, but the efforts have paid off. Aerial photos of Squaw taken this summer show that the mountain is visibly greener than it was ten years ago – a feat more valuable than a #1 ranking.

More information on Squaw Valley’s environmental program is available at www.squaw.com. The most up-to-date operations schedules, event information and live mountain cams are available at www.squaw.com.

Site of the VIII Winter Olympic Games, Squaw Valley USA is located five miles north of Lake Tahoe along the Truckee River on Highway 89. The year-round resort offers 4,000 acres of lift-served terrain including half pipes and terrain parks, ice-skating, snowtubing, indoor rock climbing, an Olympic Winter Games Museum, shopping, dining and more. For more information call 530-583-6985, or visit www.squaw.com.

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SOUNDBITES/INTERVIEWS:
- Erik Knudsen, Environmental Improvement Supervisor
- Savannah Cowley, Spokesperson, Squaw Valley USA.

LOCATORS:
- Squaw Valley USA, Olympic Valley, Lake Tahoe, CA.

Footage provided by:
Squaw Valley USA
Contact: Savannah Cowley
(530) 581-7130
scowley@squaw.com

TAPE COPIES AND DUBS: To request a hard copy/dub of any segment on BetaSP or Mini DV, please call (530)583-4206 or email eric@tahoemediacenter.com