FEELING HEAT ON THE SLOPES

Global Warming is Changing New England's Winter Landscape

Portsmouth, NH (February 5, 2002) — At the halfway point in the ski and snowboard season, a new study by a Clean Air-Cool Planet consultant shows how balmy days brought on by global warming are threatening to melt away New England's enjoyment of—and investment in—winter recreational sports.

Conditions may be set and ready for Olympic ski racing and ice-skating in Salt Lake City, Utah, but not here in New England. As January came to a close, temperature readings showed that both December of last year and January 2002 were the warmest on record for Durham, New Hampshire. Burlington, MA, and Berlin, NH registered 11.1°F and 6.7°F increases, respectively, over normal January temperatures, and Montpelier, Vt., tallied 9.7°F above normal. Killington Ski Resort, the largest area on the East Coast, opened later in 2001 than in any other season for more than 15 years.

"The ski industry may provide the best indicator of how climate change could wreak havoc on New England's winter landscape," says Adam Markham, Executive Director of Clean Air-Cool Planet. "If people hope to continue skiing and enjoying what we typically think of as winter, carbon dioxide emissions must come down. Investment in long-term solutions such as clean energy will allow us to enjoy Mother Nature's winter wonderland as it should be."

Financial Implications Make Many Uneasy
Vermont and New Hampshire are home to 53 percent of the ski areas in New England, where more than 80 resorts help to stimulate the job base, income, and tax revenue for states. In 2000, winter visitors spent approximately $722 million in Vermont and $566 million in New Hampshire—a total that translates into nearly 10 percent of total visitor spending in New England for that year. When poor conditions close trails, a dollar lost at ski lifts magnifies to approximately $1.94 that never makes it into the regional economy, according to the analysis.

"An average season draws about 6 million skier days to resort areas in these two states," says Brian Palm, researcher and author of Skiing with Climate Change: An Analysis of Climate Change and the Consequences for the Ski Industry in New Hampshire and Vermont. "But as the effects of climate change have intensified over the last 20 years, the warmest years have generated approximately 700,000 fewer skier days than the coldest, snowiest years-an alarming difference of more than 11 percent."

In addition to ski resorts, a whole network of lodging, dining, and retail-based businesses feels the pinch when poor winters strike. Unseasonable temperatures and lack of snowfall this season are already severely affecting businesses and innkeepers in winter tourism-dependent communities throughout New England.

Quick Fixes Won't Work
New England resorts are increasingly turning to artificial snowmaking to keep their runs open despite the high economic costs and potentially adverse environmental impacts of the practice. According to the new study, the 18 ski areas in New Hampshire increased the number of acres covered by snowmaking by 18 percent during the past 10 years at a cost of $24.2 million. Attitash, in New Hampshire, spends approximately $750,000 per year on snowmaking, which accounts for 20 percent of their total operating costs. Some resorts annually hike this expenditure into the million-dollar range; these costs will rise if natural snowfall decreases and winters become warmer and shorter.

In addition to drawing runoff from mountain streams and pumping local reservoirs, snowmaking uses significant amounts of energy, and not always the cleanest kind. In 2000, for example, Killington was a major source of air pollution in Vermont. Trail crews use diesel-powered compressors to blanket Killington's 200 trails with artificial snow. But no amount of artificial snow can compensate for warm and dry alpine conditions if the temperature outside is not cold enough.

"New England has just experienced what will likely be the warmest December and January since records began in 1895," says Adam Markham. "It's extraordinary to see two record-breaking months back-to-back, especially as they come on top of New England's severe drought. If the current warming trend continues unchecked, it may undo more than a century's worth of investment and enjoyment in traditional winter recreation.

Click here for a detailed fact sheet on climate change impacts on the ski industry.

Click here for the full report

About Clean Air-Cool Planet
Clean Air- Cool Planet inspires coordinated action among citizens, businesses, government, and community leaders throughout the Northeast to achieve reductions in greenhouse gases. CA-CP has forged effective partnerships with major businesses and corporations in the region, including Shaw’s Supermarkets, The Timberland Company, and Verizon. Visit www.cleanair-coolplanet.org.

Contact: Clean Air-Cool Planet
Bill Burtis, Communications Manager, (603) 422-6464 ext. 105
bburtis@cleanair-coolplanet.org