Rep. Kuster at Nansen Ski Club

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Berlin, NH - Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), co-chair of the Congressional Ski and Snowboard Caucus, visited the Nansen Ski Club in Berlin and met with the club’s leadership, community leaders, and members of “Friends of the Nansen Ski Jump” to discuss the restoration project of the ski jump. In 2019, Nansen Ski Club was awarded a $250,000 NBRC grant – which Kuster supported – for the planning and redevelopment of “Big Nansen” and the eventual return of competition ski jumping. The Nansen Ski Jump was the largest steel towered ski jump in the world when it was built in 1937, and it hosted the first-ever U.S. Olympic trials, four National Championships, and other national and international competitions.

“As a lifelong skier and Granite Stater, I was thrilled to visit Nansen Ski Club today for an update on the restoration of the historic ‘Big Nansen’ ski jump,” said Rep. Kuster. “The ski and outdoor recreation industry is a critical part of New Hampshire’s local economy and identity as a state. I was proud to support the Northern Border Regional Commission grant that made this restoration and redevelopment project possible, and I look forward to seeing the resumption of ski jumping at this historic site.”

"It was indeed a pleasure to meet Congresswoman Kuster this afternoon, at the site of the Big Nansen Ski Jump, and to be able to provide her with an update on our progress to restore the Jump, to return elite ski jumping to the area,” said Scott Halvorson, Treasurer of the Nansen Ski Club. “The Nansen Ski Club and the Friends of the Big Nansen are extremely grateful for her advocacy in our successful bid to secure our Northern Borders Regional Commission grant that has provided our path forward. There's still much work to be done but we're very encouraged with our progress and with Congresswoman Kuster's enthusiasm and continued support for this North Country icon."

In May, after ski areas across the country closed to stop the spread of COVID-19, Rep. Kuster and Rep. Scott Tipton (R-CO), co-chairs of the Congressional Ski and Snowboard Caucus, led a bipartisan letter calling on House Leadership to consider temporarily waiving the federal permitting fees for ski areas through June 2021. Last year, Kuster and Tipton introduced bipartisan legislation to support ski areas in New Hampshire and across the country that are operating on National Forest System lands by directing a portion of ski area permit fees to the National Forest System instead of the Treasury Department. That funding would be used to promote year-round recreation activities, infrastructure improvements, and expanded services for visitors through more efficient permitting.

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