On November 6, the City Council of Park City voted unanimously to support the Blue Sky Community Challenge by approving the purchase of 363 blocks – 36,300 kilowatt-hours per month – of Blue Sky energy for City facilities. That equals 7.5 percent of the City’s total electric energy usage, and places the City at the Blue Sky program’s Visionary level.
 
“Park City is a world-class recreation destination and a terrific place to live,” said Mayor Williams. “The natural beauty of our surroundings is a big reason for that. It only makes sense for everyone in Park City to support a sustainable future with an energy source that is pollution free and renewable. I personally endorse Blue Sky energy and encourage all Park City residents and businesses to get on board with Blue Sky.”

The Park City Blue Sky Community Challenge has two goals. The first is to boost Park City’s Blue Sky customer participation to five percent, to a total of about 430 residents and businesses. The second is to raise the Blue Sky purchase amount to two percent of the community’s total monthly electric usage. Achieving the second goal will also earn for Park City the distinction of being an Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partner. 

Blue Sky gives customers a way to grow the demand for wind energy and take advantage of its environmental benefits. It is sold in 100-kilowatt-hour block increments for $1.95 each, in addition to a customer’s regular monthly electric bill. Purchasing one block of Blue Sky energy over a period of a year is equivalent to offsetting more than a ton of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to not driving more than 1,800 miles or to planting almost a third of an acre of trees.

"We are thrilled to partner with Park City and Rocky Mountain Power to promote wind power in Utah," said Sarah Wright, director of the Utah Wind Power Campaign, a project of Western Resource Advocates. "Park City’s purchase and their community challenge demonstrates their leadership in reducing the environmental impact of their electricity use. We can all do our part to help our environment by purchasing pollution-free wind power."

Giving a tremendous boost to the Park City Blue Sky Community Challenge were announcements of participation from the three Park City area ski resorts. The Blue Sky purchases for all three resorts – Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort and The Canyons Resort – represent six percent of their total energy usage and equal 441 blocks, 407 blocks and 282 blocks, respectively.

The first phase of the Blue Sky Challenge will run through Earth Day 2004.