Aspen, CO – In the past year the Environment Foundation donated almost $200,000 to 34 projects protecting the environmental quality of Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. Since its inception the foundation donated more than $1.6 million to 323 projects. The foundation is funded by Aspen Skiing Company employee contributions with substantial support from the Aspen Community Foundation and Aspen Skiing Company’s Family Fund.nGrants made during the past year also include $25,000 in matching funds from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Aspen Skiing Company’s official coffee.

“Not only does Green Mountain Coffee Roasters provide a great product, but they are also committed to improving the environment and communities in which they operate, says John Rigney, VP of Sales and Events, ASC. “This commitment comes to life at Aspen/Snowmass through this innovative partnership with the Environment Foundation.”

In the last year Aspen Skiing Company employees donated $66,000. The 15-member board of directors, made up of ASC employees, determines which qualified applicants receive a grant. Funded projects represent a broad range of environmental issues facing the Roaring Fork Valley:

• Alliance for Climate Education: Kickstart Climate Education and Action in Roaring Fork Valley $6,000.00
• American Whitewater: Support Efforts to Defend Upper Colorado River for Fish, Wildlife and People $7,500.00
• Aspen Center for Environmental Studies – Environmental Education School Support Program $7,500.00
• Aspen Center for Environmental Studies – Rock
• Bottom Ranch: General Operations $5,000.00
• Aspen Public Radio – KDNK: Environmental Reporting/Education Project $5,000.00
• Basalt Elementary School – Edible Garden $5,000.00
• Basalt Green Team – Basalt Middle School Photovoltaic and Education Project $8,000.00
• Carbondale Community School: Classroom Based Energy Efficiency Projects $1,076.00
• Colorado Conservation Voters: Strategic Communications Project $3,000.00
• Colorado Fourteeners Initiative – Capitol and Pyramid Peaks Trail Maintenance $5,000.00
• Colorado Rocky Mountain School: Micro-Hydroelectric Feasibility Study $2,500.00
• Environment Colorado: Build Green Colorado Project $5,000.00
• Fat City Farms: Development of Agricultural Center at Roaring Fork High School $8,000.00
• GO3 Foundation – Air Quality Monitoring Project at Aspen High School $4,495.00
• Grand Valley Citizens Alliance: Funding to support Rifle-Silt Mesa-Peach Valley-New Castle (RSPN) Council, a group of rural and agricultural residents advocating against 10-acre spacing of Antero gas wells AND Funding to work cooperatively with MIT Center for Future Civic Media to utilize web based tools designed to enable landowners living in proximity to gas and oil development to report their experiences in relation to the industry $6,000.00
• Habitat for Humanity – Fan Installation at ReStore $4,650.00
• High Country News: Reporting on Energy Development in Western Colorado $7,500.00
• Kids First FBO Yellow Brick Building: Energy Efficiency Upgrades $7,000.00
• Mount Sopris Montessori School – Environmentally Centered Outdoor Space $1,260.00
• Mount Sopris Nordic Council – Spring Gulch Trail Improvements $3,200.00
• Roaring Fork Conservancy – Targeted Education Campaign and Floating Summit $5,000.00
• Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers – 2010 Trail Projects $10,000.00
• Ruedi Water and Power Authority – Zebra and Quagga Mussel Inspection Program at Ruedi $1,000.00
• Sonoran Institute – Garfield County Regional Planning: Community Design Academy $5,000.00
• Sonoran Institute: Garfield County Open Space Initiative Operating Support $5,000.00
• Thompson Divide Coalition: General Operations Support $5,000.00
• Tomorrow’s Voices: To Support Politics of Sustainability Civics Class $4,000.00
• We-Cycle: Organizational and Planning Grant $7,000.00
• Western Colorado Congress – Battlement Mesa Gasfield Justice Project $10,000.00
• Western Resource Advocates – Legal Guidance to Protect Thompson Creek $10,000.00
• Western Resource Advocates: Preserving Colorado’s Model Oil and Gas Regulations $7,500.00
• White River National Forest – Maroon Bells – Snowmass Wilderness Area Human Waste Reduction program $8,850.00
• Wilderness Workshop – Colorado Mountain Club – Colorado Environmental Coalition – Hidden Gems Wilderness Campaign $10,000.00
• Yampah Mountain High School – Gardener-in-Residence $5,000.00