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Tom Bradley is the vice president of sustainability at Boyne Resorts, which owns Sunday River, Sugarloaf and Pleasant Mountain.
For generations, we at Sunday River, Sugarloaf and Pleasant Mountain have watched as Mainers and out-of-state visitors set out before dawn, eagerly embracing winter’s chill as they ascend our mountains and savor that silent, almost reverent moment just before they drop in. It’s a moment we and our parent company, Boyne Resorts are committed to preserving for generations to come. The Maine Board of Environmental Protection is championing this same spirit through its consideration of the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation, and we are genuinely appreciative of this effort.
Each of our resorts is taking action to minimize our impacts — such as reducing energy waste and adopting cleaner energy and transportation practices. In early 2023, the Boyne Resorts ForeverProject 2030 Master Plan was released, and it outlines our commitment to reduce our carbon emissions to net zero. We know our communities need large-scale, economy-wide solutions, which is why we also support strong public policy that protects Maine’s winters.
In Maine, just as it is across the U.S., the transportation sector is a major source of air pollution produced primarily by cars and trucks on our roads and highways. We simply cannot reduce the risks we face from transportation-related pollution without increasing drivers’ access to clean vehicles.
Thankfully, Maine recently took a step to do just that when the Board of Environmental Protection signaled its initial approval of these important and impactful regulations. The ACC II is designed to accelerate sales of zero-emission vehicles such as electric cars and trucks over the next decade. If the rule is enacted, by 2032, more than 80 percent of new vehicles sold in the state would be clean models — ensuring that a wide array of models are available to meet the needs of drivers throughout Maine. We strongly encourage the state to finalize and adopt this rule in the coming weeks and put a clean transportation future in our sights.
The auto industry and ski industry have signaled they will embrace a zero-emission future. Auto buyers are steadily moving toward electric vehicles, and we at Sunday River, Sugarloaf and Pleasant Mountain are continuing installations of electric vehicle chargers to match this demand. Visitors can find 14 charging stations at Sunday River, 15 at Sugarloaf and four at Pleasant Mountain.
Additional chargers are already planned and we are proud to align with the ACC II, providing our guests the opportunity to top off their batteries while carving down our mountains.
New clean car rules in Maine could supercharge these advancements by bringing predictability for industry and consumers as the electric vehicle market expands, ensuring residents and businesses can easily access the vehicles, and spurring even more investment in charger installations and smarter electric grids to support them.
Each winter since 1938, our historic Maine resorts welcome skiers and snowboarders from near and far. Our environment and natural resources are precious to many and the state must take a leading role in our collective efforts to confront climate change. Reducing transportation pollution is critical to us winning that battle. We look forward to the state’s finalization of the ACC II rule soon and applaud the Board of Environmental Protection for embracing innovative solutions to protect the climate and our cherished winter seasons.
