Conservation
Energy Conservation and Use of Alternative Fuels
• Wachusett is one of only three ski resorts in the Northeast to be converting 100% of its waste cooking oil into environmentally-friendly Biodiesel to fuel its five grooming vehicles. Converting 2,500 gallons of waste cooking oil from the restaurant and cafeteria (plus the mountain-owned Wachusett Village Inn) into biofuel. In addition to helping run the mountain’s five snow cats, the biodiesel product will also be utilized by the 4 diesel-powered backup lift engines and the area’s 4 on-premise snow removal vehicles.
• Princeton Municipal Light Department and Community Energy, Inc. partnered in 2007 to build and operate two 1.5-megawatt wind turbines on Wachusett Mountain in an area on the back side below the summit. Scheduled for completion in 2007, these new wind mills will assist Wachusett Mountain Ski Area in reducing overall energy costs.
• Installed a state-of-the-art snowmaking compressor system which utilizes re-circulated heat from air compressors to supply the base lodge with 100% of its heat, significantly reducing electrical consumption.
• Wachusett constructed a new snowmaking compressor building in 1997 utilizing this technology with even more energy efficient compressors.
• The mountain also uses specially-designed HKD tower snow guns for snowmaking which are eight times more efficient than conventional water guns and significantly reduce noise levels.
• Automated energy management system to control conditions in base lodge.
Water Conservation and Protection
• Installed a 7.2-mile sewer line from the mountain to the Fitchburg wastewater treatment plant in 1982. The line was donated to the town of Westminster, providing the town with its first link to public sewer service.
• In 1983, Wachusett Mountain also installed a $750,000 storm water diversion system to protect Wachusett Lake, Fitchburg’s primary source of drinking water, as well as diminish flooding impacts from spring run-off.
• In further steps to protect the lake, Wachusett Mountain State Reservation conducts extensive testing and monitoring with water tests daily at 9 locations around the mountain. This system has proven that water flowing from the ski area to Wachusett Lake meets drinking water standards and shows snowmelt run-off does not contribute to contaminants in the Lake.
• In 2000, Wachusett has responded to concerns about the use of ponds for snowmaking by installing a 1 mile pipeline to Wachusett Lake to purchase water needed for making snow from the City of Fitchburg. This innovative plan eliminated the need for additional snowmaking ponds.
• An automated turbidity meter has been installed in the snowmaking pond and Wachusett Mountain has participated with the City of Fitchburg since 2000 in an extensive water quality study of Wachusett Lake and its tributaries.
• Wachusett has invested over $150,000 over the past 5 years to improve the quality of storm water runoff from the area including the installation of storm water structures, sediment chamber, paving of heavily traveled areas and grading to reduce erosion in and around the base area. Wachusett has committed and additional $64,000 and was recently awarded a grant funded by the EPA and administered by Mass. DEP to improve the quality of storm water runoff.
• All restroom toilets use pond water instead of potable well water.
Waste Management
Ski area-wide recycling with a recycling center right on the premises.
Waste oil recycle program in kitchen
Vehicle oil recycling program in mountain garage
Brochure Reduction Plan
In an effort to reduce the volume of paper utilized for promotional brochures, Wachusett has started a phased-plan to reduce the size and pages of numerous resort brochures. The mountain can rely on its website to provide valuable resort information previously printed in brochures. |