Epic Promise or Epic Problem? The Truth Behind Vail Resorts' Environmental Impact
Apr 29
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Editor’s Note:
This article aims to provide a clear, evidence-based look at Vail Resorts’ environmental impact over time. Our goal is not to disparage, but to critically examine the gap between corporate sustainability commitments and on-the-ground outcomes. As advocates for environmental responsibility and community transparency, we believe that companies operating on public lands have a duty to lead by example. We invite readers to consider the facts presented and join the broader conversation on how companies like Vail can — and must — do better.
The Truth Behind Vail Resorts' Environmental Impact
In 2014 Vail Resorts adopted the Epic Promise, which is an initiative to be stewards of the land and supporters of the community — on many levels — and to reach a zero net carbon footprint by 2030.
As part of our broader campaign to hold Vail Resorts to a higher standard — including their role in Gore Creek's restoration — this article highlights key incidents in their track record illuminating a reality that may have been overlooked for far too long. A reality that shows Vails sustainability efforts may not entirely be what we’re led to believe.
The Epic Promise
“Vail Resorts' EpicPromise is a comprehensive commitment to social responsibility and environmental stewardship. It encompasses a range of initiatives, including charitable giving, community programs, employee support, and a strong focus on achieving zero net operating impact by 2030. This includes goals of zero net emissions, zero waste to landfill, and zero net operating impact on forests and habitat.”
While this sounds great on paper and allows PR to thrive, Vail has a track record — before and after the inception of the Epic Promise — of not embodying the stewards they claim to be. This article will detail some of the incidents the Vail Corporation has gotten themselves into over the years and will help paint the picture for those still unaware of the pattern: harmful environmental impact, neglect and lack of accountability.
Please be sure to check out our other Article that goes into more depth on Vails sustainability claims not aligning with their operational reality.
Forest and Habitat Impacts: 1999–2023
1. 2013 Heavenly Mountain Resort – Lack of Inspections & Oversight Relating to Environmental Responsibility
fined $94,000 for environmental violations that include:
Failure to implement controls to prevent spillage from a used oil tank.
Neglecting to assess & inspect the used oil tank.
Lack of secondary containment for the used oil tank and its connected pipes.
Failure to provide refresher training for the hazardous waste manager.
Improper disposal of aerosol cans.
Absence of required eyewash and shower facilities for employees handling hazardous waste.
2. 2008 Heavenly Mountain Resort – Stormwater Runoff into Lake Tahoe
Pollution making its way into Lake Tahoe from stormwater runoff
Heavenly undertook a $3.2 million treatment project
Installing over 400 water filters in 6 vaults under the parking lot causing the issue — showing reactive measures, not preventative.
The concern was pollutants like nitrogen, phosphorus, oil, grease, and sediment getting into the lake degrading the water quality and ecosystem
The runoff from the parking lot flowed directly into Bijou Creek, a tributary of Lake Tahoe
Since 2004, Heavenly violated the stream standards four times, twice each for phosphorous and sediments
3. Unauthorized Wetland Impact — Vail Mnt. Blue Sky Basin Expansion Area, road closure
July 1999 Vail Mountain was denied access to their Category III expansion (Blue Sky Basin) area due to violating the Clean Waters Act
Their road construction was found to be impacting wetlands without proper permitting
Environmentalists tried to stop the expansion due to its construction happening in endangered Canada Lynx territory
In 2003, settled for only $80,100 — the EPA was considering a $200,000 fine but somehow that number was lowered over 50%…
This left environmental groups in discontent with the penalty.
critics note: these are arguably the groups Vail should have a vested interest in some way making happy — as they are the ones who will hold them accountable— that’s not the case though. Vail operates as they please and behaves as they will, falling on a billion dollar PR department to in some way remedy their debacles, time and time again.
4. Snowmaking and Water Use Controversies
Concerns and issues raised around 2000s and beyond in Summit County, CO primarily Keystone — concerned with drought, low flow, decimation of aquatic ecosystem & toxic abandoned mine additives
In 1999 Keystone tried to get away with no public oversight in its proposal to take more than double the water for snow making from the Snake River.
Keystone annually stocks fish in an ecosystem they’re in part responsible for degrading — stocking before the busy season, perhaps giving the illusion of a healthy river to visiting anglers. (Snake River)
Trout really don’t survive in the area due to low flows and poor habitat. Keystones snowmaking is criticized for quickening river degradation in a watershed already stressed by abandoned mine pollution. Pollution thought to be exacerbated by a warming climate —concentrating the toxic minerals.
5. Beaver Creek, CO: 2022 McCoy Park 250 acre expansion – Another Creek Spill with Entitlement Concern
In 2021 construction waste from oil to human sewage leaked into McCoy Creek
The mess was not cleaned up quickly enough – leading to a compliance advisory to be sent (Nov 5, ‘21)
Vail Resorts did not care to respond to Colorado Dept. Public Health & Environment when confronted
Beaver Creek VP Douglas Lovell was confronted by the CDPHE about the advisory; the division demanded a reply per legal requirement.
They had 2 weeks (Nov 19) to respond to the advisory… They did not.
2 months went by (Jan 17, ‘22) before they ever responded to the advisory notice from the Water Quality Control Division of CDPHE
NO reports of a monetary fine found
“The division said Vail Resorts provided no additional information on why corrective actions were not completed, nor did the company provide a schedule for installation or repair, or a statement of what interim steps were taken to minimize the discharge of pollutants.”
*Incident occurred in August 2021, Gore Creek spill: September 2021
Related Reading: Learn more about this incident in Vail Resorts’ Sustainability Claims Don’t Ski Straight: A Tale of Profit Over Planet with an Environmental Track Record
6. Keystone, CO: 2023 Bergman Bowl 555 acre expansion – Bulldozing Alpine Tundra
(Vail Resorts’ most recent environmental impact)
Increased water diversions from Snake River and Clinton Reservoir for snowmaking
Habitat loss through tree removal
Construction halted in 2022 for environmental violations:
Violations included:
Bulldozing through 2.5 unauthorized acres of sensitive alpine tundra to make a road (slow recovery areas — high altitude)
Damage to wetlands
This resulted in some to call for stricter oversight of Vail’s special use permits.
White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams issued a cease-and-desist letter for non-compliance, halting construction and had them simply fix their mistake
NO fines — only costing Vail a season of revenue in delaying the open
This issue being swiftly corrected through restoration and labeling the mistake as a misunderstanding from the construction crew minimizes the severity of damaging a rare alpine tundra ecosystem and ignores Vail’s pattern of environmental lapses, including the 2021 Gore Creek spill and McCoy Park incident. The rapid approval of the restoration plan & lack of fine could suggest regulatory leniency, possibly due to Vail’s economic influence in Summit County.
Keystone general manager Chris Sorensen said “Our priority is preserving and caring for our natural environment,” Sorensen said in a statement. “We take our role as stewards of the environment and of National Forest Service land extremely seriously, and we will operate with that at the heart of the work we execute for the restoration plan and the full Bergman Bowl project.”
This statement carries little weight in light of recent violations. This response appears consistent with a ‘do it now, ask for forgiveness later’ approach, reflective of a recurring pattern of reactive rather than proactive stewardship.
Due to the 2020s pattern alone, the focus on their end could probably move more towards preventing these issues opposed to talking about them if they’re to reach their 2030 goals.
alpine tundra does not consist of trees, rather fragile plant life – Vail Mnt.
7. Vail, CO: 2020 Golden Peak 68 acre expansion – More, More, More.
Increased water consumption for snowmaking
Increased water and energy demands showcase Vails prioritization of growth over sustainability
Tree removal, resulting in habitat loss
The son of Vail Mountain founder, Pete Seibert Jr., calls this the Golden Peak completion, not expansion…
There has been over 800 acres of expanded terrain between Beaver Creek & Keystone in ’22 & ’23 alone — reforesting 200+ acres since 2017 does not nearly compare.
8. 2021 Gore Creek snowmaking spill in Vail, CO
Damaged 1.5miles of Gold Medal Waters
Killed 120 fish and other aquatic life
No ($) dollar amount given as to their damages, only a settlement made & no liability claimed to avoid further legal accountability
Paying just 40% of a $617k restoration project sparked by their pollution & settlement money
The McCoy Park project incident happened just weeks prior
Related Reading: See our intro to the Vail Gore Creek Petition
9. 2022 East Vail Housing Development in Bighorn Sheep Territory (Failed)
Vail Resorts discovered they owned Booth Heights in 2016 and planned workforce housing, but the town prioritized protecting the bighorn sheep habitat.
The town offered $7.8 million, then $12 million, to buy the land, which Vail Resorts rejected.
Town of Vail tried proposing various other sites that would address the unrelenting housing crisis and not impact the Bighorn Sheep
Vail ultimately did not want to hear it
The town used eminent domain to keep this out of the resorts hands
Vail Resorts filed a complaint to the Eagle County District Court against the Town of Vail for misuse of emergency ordinance (in other words the Vail Corporation took the town of Vail to court for their environmental efforts)
Vail Resorts lost, with the court affirming the town’s right to prioritize habitat preservation
The town bought the land for $17.5 million in 2023
Vail Resorts dropped appeals in 2024 for a housing partnership elsewhere
The sheep habitat is saved – with the incident giving observers another chance to consider Vails priorities
Are Vails Hip Initiatives a Distraction?
Vail brags about partnering with Pepsi to up-cycle candy wrappers into terrain park features but the company takes the road of pollution in order to be able to use this stuff. It’s cool to shred on up-cycled features but not cool when you hear the builders polluted or destroyed the environment to make way for these features like in McCoy Park.
(McCoy Park has no terrain park but you get the point being made here.)
Unfortunately, it feels as though this may be a distraction from some of the more negative impacts the corporation has had and continues to have…
A Critics Conclusion
The truth about Vail Resorts' environmental impact is that there is more to it than on the surface. They appear to “make it right” through responsive action, not preventative — lending credence to the possibility their environmental efforts are a PR stunt being used as a shield or to display a too-difficult-to-maintain identity. Rightfully so, these massive, multi-billion dollar players need to have an environmental initiative in place operating on public lands –– displaying negligence in their operations and profit seemingly being the only real motive.
I think it would be reasonable for some to feel that Vails Epic Promise is a facade, only in existence because it has to be. With a track record of such ineptitude and irresponsibility, the Vail Corps. stewardship persona needs to be or they would most likely be disliked and distrusted by far too many to succeed. Operating on a model such as this gives much room for the critic and steward alike to share their discontent and bring change to an otherwise unruly and perhaps greedy entity.
Looking Ahead
As outdoor enthusiasts, community members, and stewards of our great planet, we deserve transparency, responsibility, and genuine leadership from companies profiting off natural resources –– our resources. Vail Resorts has the capacity — and the obligation — to truly lead, not just market their commitment to the environment.
We urge them to do just that.
To learn more about this check out:
Vails Sustainability Claims Don’t Ski Straight: A Tale of Profit Over Planet with an Environmental Track Record
If this speaks to you and you’d like to be part of raising the bar for players like these —in turn bringing forth a healthier and happier planet— please consider signing and sharing our Vail Gore Creek Petition.
Moreover, bringing awareness to Vails' faltering Epic Promise and holding them to a higher standard will demonstrate to big companies like this that the people are standing by and ready to hold them accountable — for ourselves, our planet and our future.
Note to readers and supporters:
***This petition is to bring awareness to a perception and a revealing reality that have people concerned — with the hopes of changing the answers to future slip-ups; eventually eliminating them.
This is not a campaign against Vail resorts to put them down, rather to bring them up. We hope to push them toward true accountability and meaningful, long-term environmental leadership that sets examples—not just when it's convenient or required.
Links and references:
Most links can be found in our other article as this is just a more in depth look at the first section — additional links below.
https://coloradogoldmedalwater.tu.org/gold-medal-waters/
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/us-forest-service-signs-off-on-golden-peak-expansion-project/
vail-resorts-files-complaint-against-vail-in-district-court-alleging-misuse-of-emergency-ordinance
https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-resorts-rejects-vails-12-million-offer-for-east-vail-land/ https://www.vaildaily.com/news/vail-resorts-vail-setlle-lawsuit-new-base-village/ https://coloradosun.com/2023/10/04/vail-condemnation-bighorn-sheep/
BC McCoy Park eco impact https://coloradosun.com/2022/02/16/snake-river-summit-county-water-pollution-snowmaking-climate-change/
