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.
****
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
