Denver, CO – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet issued the following statement in response to today’s announcement from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on water in ski area permits:
“Water is a precious resource on which Colorado’s ski areas rely for economic sustainability and growth. We are lucky to live in a state with world class skiing right in our back yard and we want to keep it that way. The final directive, published today, seems more balanced than the Forest Service’s original directive. We are hopeful that it will be workable for all sides by protecting private water rights and keeping Colorado’s ski resorts sustainable long into the future.”
According to recent study by Colorado Ski Country USA and Vail Resorts, Inc., Colorado’s ski industry generates $4.8 billion each year for our economy and supports more than 46,000 year-round equivalent jobs.