EPA Honors Stratton Mountain

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently issued two certificates of achievement to Stratton Mountain, one for the resort’s composting initiative and another for comprehensive recycling programs.

“Thanks to your participation and results, EPA New England Food Recovery Challenge participants diverted over 56,000 tons of food to donation or composting in 2016,” reports Deborah Szaro, regional EPA administrator. Stratton has diverted 50 tons since 2014 when the composting program for cafeterias, restaurants and events began.

“We have incorporated single stream recycling throughout the resort and when composting became available we seized the opportunity to further reduce waste,” explained Stratton Environment and Safety Manager Jeffrey Cavagnino. In addition, Stratton was among the first resorts to offer reusable cutlery and dishes in its cafeteria.

Stratton is also the only organization in Vermont to be recognized as an EPA WasteWise partner; together the New England partners prevented and diverted more than 242,000 tons of waste that would otherwise have been disposed of in landfills or incinerators.

“For 23 years, EPA’s WasteWise program has helped organizations and businesses apply sustainable materials management practices to prevent and reduce municipal and industrial waste,” said Szaro in announcing the second certificate for Stratton.

“The environment is our No. 1 asset,” explained Cavagnino. Stratton has been recognized with numerous national and state environmental awards, beginning in the early 1990s when the resort invested $100,000 in a radio telemetry study of Vermont’s black bear. The research provided valuable data for land use planning throughout the state and resulted in Stratton’s permanent preservation of 1,500 acres of prime habitat now held in conservation easements.

Stratton’s unique habitat protection program earned the resort a Golden Eagle and three Vermont environmental awards, including the Vermont Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence and the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife Commissioner's Landowner Appreciation Award, the first time a corporation was recognized with this award.