Middlefield, Connecticut — Last year, a Connecticut ski area bought an innovative snowmaking machine that drastically changed its snowmaking capabilities. Powder Ridge purchased a DeMaclenko SNOWPRO, which helps produce snow at temperatures up to sixty degrees. The machine created an icy layer, which Powder Ridge would then use as the base for the synthetic snow to be placed on top of. The goal of this machine was to allow Powder Ridge to open for skiing and riding by Thanksgiving weekend. Unfortunately, this machine had environmental costs.
This week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has entered into an Administrative Order on Consent with Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort over an alleged violation of the Clean Air Act’s General Duty Clause. The alleged violation concerns the handling of anhydrous ammonia (NH3). The machine had 1,200 pounds of anhydrous ammonia inside, which could have resulted in the accidental release of ammonia, so the EPA decided to act.
David W. Cash, who’s the EPA New England Regional Administrator, described the reasoning behind their actions:
“EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment – and one way we do this is working to reduce the risk of chemical accidents. This order will ensure workers and people visiting the park are made safer from the dangerous risks of anhydrous ammonia. Owners of winter sports parks and ice rinks should take note and ensure they are following these requirements. With climate change on the rise, slope-side ice and snow making units may become more common, so it’s important to make sure they are designed and used in a safe way.”
Powder Ridge has complied with the EPA. In response to the EPA’s concerns, they gave them a missing EPCRA Tier II form and hired a third-party Process Hazard Review to review their practices. A significant factor appears to be that the rules of regulations for anhydrous ammonia in Europe (DeMaclenko‘s HQ is in Italy) are different in the U.S. Sean Hayes, the owner of Powder Ridge, told Connecticut Insider that “there were different standards set by the EPA that no one was aware of.” Hayes told Connecticut Insider that they’d been in contact with the manufacturer to make the required changes.
The situation is a bummer for Powder Ridge. I was listening to a New England Ski Journal podcast last weekend with Sean Hayes, saying that this new machine was a game changer for the ski resort:
“This system takes this facility over the hump. It makes it profitable. You’re adding an entire month. We’re talking about a ski area in Connecticut. We’re lucky to get January, February and maybe 15 days in March. That’s our season. So if I add all of December, I’ve increased my market share by a third.”
Being a profitable ski area in Southern New England is tough sledding (although they’ve diversified their offerings during the offseason), so I hope they can figure this out.
Image Credits: Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort
