Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH), Congressman John Curtis (R-UT), Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO), and Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to support ski areas across the country. The Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development (SHRED) Act would invest in outdoor recreation by enabling National Forests to retain a portion of the annual fees paid by ski areas operating within their boundaries. U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and John Barrasso (R-WY) are leading this effort in the Senate. U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) served as cosponsors.

“Outdoor recreation and skiing are cornerstones of our New Hampshire economy and Granite State way of life,” said Rep. Kuster, co-chair of the House Bipartisan Ski and Snowboard Caucus. “I am pleased to reintroduce the Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development (SHRED) Act to steer more New Hampshire dollars back home by investing fees paid by ski mountains into local forests to strengthen our regional economy and create more year-round jobs. The SHRED Act will provide funding for Forest Service training, trail maintenance, and increase visitor services, so everyone can enjoy the White Mountains and the winter sports we know and love.”

“I am proud to announce the introduction of the SHRED Act, which will provide much-needed support to improve ski infrastructure,” said Rep. Curtis, co-chair of the House Bipartisan Ski and Snowboard Caucus. “As co-chair of the Congressional Ski and Snowboard Caucus, I am dedicated to preserving access to these important recreational opportunities for future generations.” 

“Colorado is home to some of the best skiing in the world, and the revenue generated from the growing outdoor recreation and tourism industry serves as a lifeline to the hardworking folks who call our mountain communities home,” said Congressman Joe Neguse, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands. “The SHRED Act delivers for Colorado, keeping ski fees local and bringing more federal resources to our National Forests. It’s time we invest in these lands, wildfire planning, and outdoor recreation permitting —and pass this bill.”

“Our district is pretty epic with lots of great recreation opportunities, but Washington, D.C., and ski resorts shouldn’t be the only winners in a good ski year,” said Congressman Doug LaMalfa, Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry. “This bill creates a new account within the Forest Service budget that keeps land use proceeds local and gives ski regions the opportunity to expand their recreation projects, address deferred maintenance and tackle land management issues. I’m stoked to see what good this bill will do for our ski towns and forests so our skiers can get out there and SHRED like they want to!”

“Interest in skiing and snowboarding on public lands continues to grow in New Hampshire and nationwide, and that’s a massive opportunity on all fronts,” said Kelly Pawlak, President of the National Ski Areas Association. “We applaud Rep. Kuster’s leadership on the SHRED Act, which will strengthen the essential partnership between ski areas, mountain communities, and the U.S. Forest Service.”

“Over the last couple of years, New Hampshire’s outdoor spaces have witnessed a boom in visitation, and that includes our ski areas that operate on public lands. This welcome increase in guests comes with challenges, however,” said Jessyca Keeler, President, Ski New Hampshire. “The SHRED Act would help the local Forest Service staff administer permits and make critical and timely decisions that impact the health of public lands infrastructure as well as that of local economies. Ski New Hampshire and its members applaud Congresswoman Kuster on her continued support of outdoor recreation in the Granite State.”

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.

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