SkiCo’s Environment Foundation Gives $50,000 to Clean Air

Aspen Skiing Co.’s Environment Foundation gave a combined $50,000 in grants to the Conservation Colorado Education Fund and Western Resource Advocates to support new state air quality rules in December. The new rules, announced by Gov. Hickenlooper, are supported by major energy producers, Encana, Anadarko and Noble, and they aggressively target emissions associated with natural gas drilling, and establish groundbreaking curbs on “fugitive” methane leakage while protecting public health and local communities. The foundation grant supports the efforts of two groups to ensure these rules are finalized without modification in February.

“Colorado has the opportunity to lead the nation by developing a regulatory framework that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, ensures more of our natural resources are used, and protects the health of all Coloradans,” said Matthew Hamilton, executive director for the Environment Foundation. “That’s why the board made this unprecedented grant.”

Conservation Colorado Education Fund received $35,000 and Western Resource Advocates received $15,000. Additional recipients for the year include Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Carbondale Community School and the United States Forest Service wilderness ranger internship program.

In total, the foundation donated more than $103,000 to 10 projects in the fall of 2013. The foundation is funded by donations from Aspen Skiing Co. employees and matched in whole or in part by Aspen Community Foundation, the Aspen Skiing Company Family Fund, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Coca-Cola. Since its inception the foundation has supported 411 projects with $2.4 million in grants.