There are lots of fishermen in this country, but there are also lots of skiers.
Yet the fishermen are mounting an all-out attack on ski areas around the country, claiming (wrongly) that snowmaking interferes with their fishing. It just isn’t so, but because the squeaky wheel syndrome is in effect, fishermen are gaining momentum. Ski resorts across the country are being pressured and people are beginning to believe the fishermen.
It is interesting to note that figures concerning the use of water for snowmaking and the effect on fishing streams are hypothetical. There is no solid proof at all that the fishermen are correct in their assumptions. In fact, there is convincing documentation that they are wrong.
So then, why do ski areas sit back and allow this to happen? Save for a few leaders in the industry, very little is being done to counteract these charges. Are we so smug, so complacent, that we feel we will never be harmed by all this rhetoric? If we are, then one day we could be in for a rude awakening. We might actually discover that while we ignored the posturings and posings and pleadings of this tiny group, they will have effectively hamstrung us. Then what?
If, in fact, ski areas were to be curtailed in their ability to make snow, there would be no skiing to speak of in this country. A fun, healthy, winter sport could be erased, not to mention the livelihood of countless thousands who depend on the ski industry to put bread on the table. Not only would individuals be affected, but city, state and the federal government would also be hurt by lost taxes that ski resorts generate.
We are not saying that all environmentalists are bad. In fact, there is nothing wrong with being an environmentalist AND a skier. The two are not mutually exclusive. What we are saying is that they are wrong, but because there has been very little opposition to ski areas, they just might get their way. And that would be a tragedy of major proportions.
Now is the time for ski resorts across the country to organize, to come together and to use the clout that we have individually and collectively, to contact elected officials and to spread the word in the media. We must let everyone know how we feel about this tiny group attempting to usurp OUR rights.
The simple fact of the matter is that ski resorts probably do more toward helping the environment than just about any other group. The water used to make snow returns to the ground and the streams when the snow melts in the springtime. That’s a fact. There is no harm, never was, never will be, to fish in any of the streams surrounding ski areas.
Yes, we are all in the ski business and we are concerned about our business being damaged by people who are creating a climate of disinformation. But we truly care about the environment, and our record speaks for itself.
We must band together now to counteract the negative information that has been spread. We need to support ourselves. And we need to do it before it is too late!
