SAM Magazine—Lakewood, Colo., March 21, 2018—NSAA is encouraging resorts on public land to help line up co-sponsors for the Ski Area Fee Retention Act of 2018, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate earlier this month. According to the NSAA “Capital Watch,” the bill would earmark a major portion of USFS permit fees, roughly $22 million to $24 million of the roughly $37 million resorts on public lands pay in permit fees, for improving ski area permit administration, processing of ski area proposals, and addressing any backlogs in permit administration or processing. The fees can also be used for interpretation, visitor services and support of USFS Avalanche Information/Education.

To encourage resorts to get involved, NSAA has posted sample co-sponsor letters on its website, nsaa.org. The more co-sponsors, the better the chances of passage. Already, NSAA has corralled several co-sponsors: Reps. Cook (CA), Lamborn (CO), Simpson (ID), and Sensenbrenner (WI).

The primary House co-sponsors of HR 5171 were Rep. Tipton (R-CO) and Rep. Kuster (D-NH), the co-chairs of the Congressional Ski and Snowboard Caucus. Senate lead sponsors of S. 2501 include Senators Gardner (R-CO), Bennet (D-CO), and Wyden (D-OR). NSAA is asking resorts from Colorado, New Hampshire, and Oregon to thank Representatives Tipton and Kuster and Senators Gardner, Bennet and Wyden for their leadership on this bill.

The bill could have broad impact. It would allow the USFS to transfer funds from one ski forest to another if the originating forest can’t reasonably spend the amount of fees retained. This means that all 13 ski states with public land ski areas can benefit from this legislation. The retained funds can also fund regional Winter Sports NEPA teams. After all those uses are met, the bill allows retained funds to be expended on non-ski area recreation permit administration.

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