Park City Launches New Blue Sky Community Challenge
September 02, 2010
PARK CITY, Utah — Mayor Dana Williams and the City Council of Park City are launching a new Blue Sky Community Challenge on September 6, 2010 to increase support for renewable energy in the region. The challenge is Park City’s third in the past 10 years and will run through April 29, 2011. The September 6th kickoff coincides with Park City’s annual Miner’s Day event and Blue Sky Week.
“With the Blue Sky program’s 10th anniversary this year, the time is right for Park City residents and businesses to step up our combined support for renewable energy,” said Mayor Williams. “Park City was one of Utah’s first communities to support Blue Sky renewable energy in a big way, and we have continued to be a leader in practicing and encouraging sustainability. To show our commitment, we’ve proclaimed September 6-10 as Blue Sky Week and have initiated a community challenge that will be ongoing for the next eight months.”
The goal of the community challenge is to increase total Blue Sky participation in Park City from 11 to 15 percent. This will require 535 new enrollments in Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky program by residents and businesses. Increasing Blue Sky participation to 15 percent could help Park City move up one position on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Communities list from its current ranking of 14th in the nation.
“We are excited about Park City’s efforts to increase community support for Blue Sky renewable energy,” said Lori Hansen, Rocky Mountain Power customer and community manager. “We’ll be contributing to the city’s efforts by staffing informational booths at local events and partnering with community organizations to help get the word out about Blue Sky renewable energy and how to sign up.”
Through the Blue Sky Block program, customers sign up to support renewable energy in 100-kilowatt-hour increments, or blocks, for $1.95 per block per month, in addition to their regular monthly electric bill. Rocky Mountain Power buys renewable energy certificates on customers’ behalf from wind farms in the region, equal to their Blue Sky purchase.
Blue Sky funds also help develop small-scale renewable energy projects in communities served by the company. These projects can help accelerate the marketability of renewable energy technologies, and provide public education opportunities. Community-based renewable energy projects in the Park City area that have received Blue Sky funding include solar arrays at Ecker Hill International Middle School, Park City Historical Society and Museum, Swaner Nature Preserve, Park City Ice Arena and Creekside Park.
“We can all make a difference, even if it’s supporting a single block of Blue Sky renewable energy,” said Mayor Williams. “I play in the Motherlode Canyon Band and we’re proud supporters of Blue Sky.”
To participate in the Park City Blue Sky Community Challenge, or for more information, visit www.rockymountainpower.net/parkcity or call toll free at 1-800-769-3717.
About Blue Sky
This year, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory ranked the company’s Blue Sky program second in the nation in the number of customers buying renewable power, and third in the nation for renewable power sales volume. Blue Sky was named 2007 Green Power Program of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. To learn more about Blue Sky or to sign up, visit www.rockymountainpower.net/bluesky or call 1-800-769-3717.
Media inquiries: 800-775-7950
