A small group of protesters gathered in Salt Lake City last week to launch a protest against Snowbird ski resort owner Dick Bass’s plans to invest in a strip coal mine in an environmentally sensitive river in Alaska. Snowbird has won awards for its initiatives on environmental protection, but businessman Bass has upset environmentalists by announcing plans to invest in the coal strip mine in the Alaskan wilderness. Environmental campaigners point out that on Snowbird’s website Mr Bass writes, “My overarching dream for Snowbird is the creation of an environmentally sensitive, responsible year-round mountain resort which is inspired by the beauty and magnificence of this breathtaking alpine setting.” “I’m here to ask Dick Bass to have that same dream for Alaska,” environmental activist Emily Fehrenbacher, from Alaska, told a press conference at the protest. The protestors argue that not only will those plans harm Alaska’s natural environment, they’ll also lead to increased burning of fossil fuels, further damaging the planet’s environment and shortening the future for all ski resorts, including Snowbird. Local media report that Dick Bass has not been available to comment and Snowbird staff tell them it is not appropriate for them to comment on Mr Bass’s ‘diverse business interests’ outside Snowbird.
