Zion National Park recently installed several ClipperCreek electric vehicle charging stations. Stuart Irwin, Business Operations Manager for ClipperCreek attended the ribbon cutting ceremony and took the pictures below.
The following is an article about the new charging stations, which was published in The Spectrum.
Zion, Pipe Spring join push for electric cars
David DeMille 4:46 p.m. MDT April 26, 2015
Visitors can now join Zion National Park rangers in an effort to promote clean air and clear skies by taking the wheel behind an electric vehicle to visit the park.
Park officials from Zion and Pipe Spring National Monument joined with local elected leaders Saturday to celebrate the opening of two new level-two electric vehicle charging stations at the entrance to the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, part of a larger project that will eventually include 10 stations located throughout Zion and Pipe Spring. Zion has also acquired two plug-in hybrid electric vehicles for use within the park, with another one acquired by Pipe Spring, all through a grant program offered through the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities National Parks Initiative.
“As the National Park Service enters its Centennial in 2016, with the theme “Find Your Park,” we look forward to a sustainable and environmentally conscientious second century,” said Jeff Bradybaugh, superintendent at Zion. “By partnering with Utah Clean Cities Coalition, Zion helps visitors find their park in an energy efficient way by installing electric vehicle charging stations.”
The program is the first of its kind to be offered at Utah’s popular national parks, joining a larger nationwide effort to encourage cleaner alternative fuel vehicles. Since 2010, the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative has helped 27 parks across the country to adopt new alternative fuel vehicles, lowering petroleum use and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, said Utah Clean Cities Executive Director Robin Erickson.
“It is our pleasure to partner with Utah’s parks on projects like these, moving forward the National Park Service’s mission to conserve our national treasures for the enjoyment and education of all,” she said.
To use park charging stations, visitors will need to purchase a code at the Zion Natural History Association desk inside visitor centers during operational hours. The $5 code is valid for 3 days, and can be used at all Zion National Park public charging stations.
This weekend marked the end of National Parks Week, a week full of informational presentations, public celebrations and other events tied to the National Parks Service’s efforts to reconnect with residents and reach out to new audiences.
The NPS also released an annual analysis on the parks visitation numbers showing the importance of the parks to southwest Utah’s economy.
More than 5.2 million visitors spent an estimated $336.8 million while visiting Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument and Pipe Springs National Monument, supporting nearly 5,000 jobs and $152.8 million in labor income, according to the report.
Statewide, Utah’s national parks accounted for some $1.1 billion in economic impact over the course of the year, according to the report, with the state showing a 19 percent increase in visitor spending and an 11 percent increase in total visitation over the previous year.
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Get more information on Zion National Park at http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm, or visit http://www.nps.gov/pisp/index.htm for more information on Pipe Spring National Monument.
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