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Western Slope counties study regional sustainable aviation fuel as Aspen airport plans multimillion‑dollar rebuild
Summary
Pitkin and Eagle County officials described a multi‑county feasibility study for producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using municipal waste and other feedstocks, funded in part by a Department of Local Affairs grant; Aspen airport leaders also outlined a full redevelopment plan that could require a planned nine‑month runway closure in 2027.
Officials from Pitkin and Eagle counties briefed the joint meeting on a regional feasibility study exploring sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) options for Western Slope airports and a parallel, large‑scale redevelopment of Aspen‑area airport facilities that could disrupt commercial service.
John Peacock (Pickett County) said counties and partners issued a joint request for proposals and selected a consultant under a Department of Local Affairs grant to model SAF production pathways, feedstocks, certification paths and financial models. "We've got Mesa County," he said, naming counties brought into the partnership because of local feedstock and infrastructure advantages; Delta County and other western counties are also participating for regional supply options.
Peacock and Eagle County Manager Jeff Scholl described an existing municipal solid waste (MSW) project under discussion that could convert landfill waste to SAF. Scholl estimated that Eagle County currently sells about 7,000,000 gallons of jet fuel annually while Aspen‑area ASE sells about 9,000,000 gallons, and said the proposed MSW conversion at Eagle's landfill would likely produce about 2.0–2.5 million gallons per year from processing roughly 90 tons of MSW per day — well short of regional demand. That shortfall, officials said, is driving evaluation of additional feedstocks including agricultural material and beetle‑killed timber.
The feasibility study is expected to conclude in the third quarter of 2025, with matching funds contributed by participating entities, and officials said they will use it to scope potential regional facilities and public‑private partnerships. The group is negotiating a nonbinding letter of intent (LOI) with a technology provider and anticipates a land‑use and permitting process, potentially including special‑use permits at landfills, followed by lease and operations agreements.
Separately, Aspen‑area airport leaders discussed a planned multimodal redevelopment of runway, terminal and operations facilities driven by an FAA determination that the airfield must meet full design standards. Airport staff said procurement for design and engineering will progress in mid‑ to late‑2025 with construction activity staged so the airport could be fully shut down for an estimated nine months in mid‑2027 if the current timeline holds. "We're anticipating about a 9 month closure," airport staff said when describing the runway rebuild window. Officials urged coordinating with neighboring counties and airline partners to manage increased traffic pressure at nearby airports and on regional roads during construction.
Ending: County officials called the SAF feasibility study and airport redevelopment an opportunity for regional cooperation on fuel supply and transportation planning, and asked partner jurisdictions and municipalities to help shape permitting, transportation mitigation and potential shared revenue or procurement strategies as the feasibility study and procurement steps proceed.
