Environmentalists Protest Against Snowbird Owner Dick Bass

11.12.2009 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) Environmentalists spoke out against Snowbird Resort owner Dick Bass’s connection to a proposed coal strip mine in Alaska today during a protest at Library Square. Emily Fehrenbacher with the Sierra Club in Anchorage said Bass’s involvement in such a polluting industry is surprising given his reputation as an environmentalist and champion of the outdoors.

“Almost unanimously, when we tell people about this link and we say, ‘Oh, do you know who’s pushing this mine forward? The guy who owns Snowbird Ski Resort in Utah.’ You know, you kind of get that shocked look from people that’s like, ‘Well how do those two things work together?’” Fehrenbacher said. “And so almost unanimously people are a little bit confused and surprised.”

The Sierra Club and ski and snowboard group Protect Our Winters are spearheading a letter-writing campaign asking Bass to divest from PAC Rim Coal, the company proposing the strip mine on Alaska’s Chuitna River. They want him to instead invest in renewable energy. The groups say coal from the mine could add more than 54 billion pounds of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year, which would contribute to climate change and shorten winters here in Utah.

Forrest Shearer with Protect Our Winters is a professional snowboarder whose list of sponsors includes Snowbird. And that has him walking a fine line between his beliefs and his livelihood.

“I am definitely putting my name and my reputation on the line being here. But I just feel it’s just something, the environment is really important to me. And that’s something I take to heart,” Shearer said. “And so I’m just here being neutral in this initiative and sort of just speaking my voice about protecting our winters, you know, and how global warming affects skiers and snowboarders.”

Snowbird issued a statement today highlighting its environmental record. Bass was unavailable for comment. Neither the Sierra Club nor POW are calling for a boycott of Snowbird. However, the group Peaceful Uprising is, asking skiers and snowboarders to not buy season passes ever again if Bass moves forward with the proposed Alaska coal mine.