Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) reintroduced the bipartisan Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development (SHRED) Act to invest in outdoor recreation in mountain communities by enabling National Forests to retain a portion of annual fees paid by ski areas operating within their boundaries. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Colorado U.S. Representative Joe Neguse and U.S. Representative Blake Moore (R-Utah).
“Colorado’s outdoor recreation economy depends on the strong partnership between ski areas, the U.S. Forest Service, and our mountain towns,” said Senator Bennet. “The SHRED Act will support Colorado’s iconic mountain communities and National Forests in maintaining their landscapes for millions of visitors each year. This bill has strong bipartisan support on the ground and in the House and the Senate. Congress should pass this legislation swiftly to support our ski areas and public land recreation management.”
“Skiing plays an important role in Wyoming’s economy. Wyoming communities and ski areas deserve to reap the benefits of the money earned through ski fees,” said Senator Barrasso. “This money can be used for critical projects like facility and trailhead improvements. It can also be used to limit the impact of wildfires across Wyoming. This bill is a win for skiers, local economies, and the health of our national forests. Keeping ski area fees local will ensure we keep Washington out of the West.”
According to the latest estimates from the U.S. Forest Service, the legislation could bring up to $27 million in retained ski area fees to Colorado National Forests that can be used to improve the ski area program and permitting, as well as overall National Forest recreation management and community needs.
In exchange for using some of America’s most stunning forestlands, the 124 ski areas operating on Forest Service lands across the country pay fees to the Forest Service that average over $40 million annually. The SHRED Act would establish a framework for local National Forests to retain a portion of ski fees to offset increased recreational use and support local ski permit and program administration. The SHRED Act also provides the Forest Service with the flexibility to direct resources where they are needed the most.
The SHRED Act would:
- Keep Ski Fees Local: By establishing a Ski Area Fee Retention Account to retain the fees that ski areas pay to the Forest Service. For National Forests that generate ski fees, 80 percent of those fees are available for authorized uses at the local National Forest. The remaining 20 percent of those fees would be available to assist any National Forests with winter or broad recreation needs.
- Support Winter Recreation: In each forest, 75 percent of the retained funds are directly available to support the Forest Service Ski Area Program and permitting needs, process proposals for ski area improvement projects, provide information for visitors, and prepare for wildfire. Any excess funds can be directed to other National Forests with winter or broad recreation needs.
- Address Broad Recreation Needs: In each forest, 25 percent of the retained funds are available to support a broad set of year-round local recreation management and community needs, including special use permit administration, visitor services, trailhead improvements, facility maintenance, search and rescue activities, avalanche information and education, habitat restoration at recreation sites and affordable workforce housing. This set-aside would dramatically increase some Forest Service units’ budgets to meet the growing visitation and demand for outdoor recreation.
This legislation is supported by the National Ski Area Association and its 124-member ski areas operating on public lands, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, Colorado Association of Ski Towns, Northwest Colorado Council of Governments, America Outdoors Association, Vail Resorts, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
In addition to Bennet and Barrasso, the bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.)
The bill text is available HERE. A one-page summary of the bill is available HERE.
“Ski areas across the country appreciate the leadership of Senator Barrasso and Senator Bennet and their unwavering support for outdoor recreation,” Michael Reitzell, President & CEO, National Ski Areas Association. “Retaining ski area permit fees and reinvesting them locally to help the Forest Service keep pace with public recreation demand is key to boosting the agency’s capacity, improving visitor services and expanding access to our nation’s forests for all Americans.”
“CAST is excited to see the SHRED Act take the next step in the legislative process and is proud to have collaborated with Senator Bennet, Representative Joe Neguse, federal land managers, the ski industry, and local governments to develop the bill,” said Margaret Bowes, Executive Director, Colorado Association of Ski Towns. “The SHRED Act will direct much-needed funding to some of the nation’s most visited national forests and give the USFS additional resources to manage and protect the public lands on which mountain town economies are so dependent.”