Citing a difference of opinion over climate change, the Aspen Chamber Resort Association decided to cut ties with theU.S. Chamber of Commerce earlier this week.
According to a statement read by board chairman Warren Klug during a Tuesday meeting on the topic, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s position on environmental policy was “too opposed to our community values” to ignore. The Aspen Times reported:
During the meeting, ACRA chairman Warren Klug read a statement that called for the board to withdraw from the national chamber. ACRA has been a member since 2005. Annual dues are $800 and the local business group's membership was slated for renewal in May. “Aspen and our major governmental bodies and major employers all see things so very differently (than the U.S. Chamber of Commerce),” Klug's statement said.
The U.S. Chamber’sweb sitesays it supports legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But the Chamber also says it will work to discourage “ill conceived climate change policies” that could severely damage the security and economy of the U.S.
The move by Aspen followsa similar one by Homer,Alaska last fall.
Both Apple and Nike parted ways with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2009 for similar reasons.