[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15827-15828]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           SKI AREA RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITY ENHANCEMENT ACT

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Madam President, I have come to the floor this 
morning to talk about the most important issue facing our country and 
our people; that is, jobs and job creation. In a bit of good news last 
night, overcoming 18 months of obstacles in the Senate, the Senate 
passed my Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act that will 
help expand economic opportunities in many of our mountain resort towns 
in Colorado. It will also help create jobs throughout the rest of the 
country in States such as the Presiding Officer's, New York, which has 
a robust ski industry, as our State does.
  I wish to acknowledge Senators Barrasso of Wyoming and Risch of 
Idaho. They have been tremendous partners in this effort, both in this 
Congress and in the last one. I thank them upfront for their leadership 
in pushing for passage of this important piece of bipartisan 
legislation.
  Even though our economy is showing some signs of recovery, there is 
still a long way to go. This is especially true in rural communities 
that are dotted all over my State of Colorado. I know this question of 
job creation is on the forefront of the minds of all my colleagues. It 
is on the minds of Coloradans wherever I am in the Centennial State. So 
the action we took last night not only represents a major step forward 
in our efforts to create jobs, it is a reminder to the American people 
that we can work together on commonsense, job-creating legislation.
  Let me speak a little bit about the bill we passed last night. It is 
narrowly tailored, it is pragmatic, it is bipartisan, it doesn't cost 
one dime to the American taxpayers, and it reduces government 
regulation while allowing businesses to create more jobs. That is the 
direction we need to head. It gives greater flexibility to businesses 
to productively use public lands. It facilitates outdoor recreation, 
and it endorses responsible use of our natural resources.
  Often, ski areas are located on National Forest lands through the use 
of permits issued by the Federal Government that spell out what 
activities are allowed. But under the existing law--although we are 
going to change the law given what we did last night--the National 
Forest Service limits ski area permits primarily to ``Nordic and Alpine 
skiing.'' This is the phrase used in Federal regulation. But the 
classification I mentioned doesn't reflect the full spectrum of snow 
sports or the use of ski areas for nonwinter activities. For example, 
the word ``snowboarding'' is not used in the law, even though we know 
snowboarding now exists in every single ski area across the country. So 
the problem with that regulation is it has created uncertainty for both 
the foresters and the skiers as to whether now other activities, 
particularly those in the summer, can occur in permitted areas. In 
effect, ski areas on National Forest lands are restricted to winter 
recreation as opposed to year-round recreation. One only has to imagine 
what will happen when we open ski areas to year-round recreation. We 
will create opportunities for businesses to expand and openings for new 
businesses to explore previously restricted ventures. Colorado ski 
resorts have told me they will be able to create more jobs this year 
when they are given more flexibility, and Colorado's ski towns have 
said the same to me, so it is just plain common sense.
  The Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act clarifies how 
ski area permits can be used. It ensures that ski area permits can be 
used for additional snow sports such as snowboarding, as well as 
specifically authorizing the Forest Service to allow additional 
recreational opportunities, such as summertime activities, in these 
permitted areas.
  Let me note that the authority--this expanded authority--is limited. 
It doesn't give ski areas carte blanche use of public lands. The 
primary activity in the permit area must remain skiing or other snow 
sports.
  We want to preserve the unique characteristics of our world-renowned 
mountain communities. Therefore, certain types of development--water 
parks, amusement parks, and other activities that require new and 
intrusive structures--are prohibited. Rather, we envision opening 
opportunities for zip lines, mountain bike terrain parks, Frisbee golf 
courses, ropes courses and activities that are similar. As I mentioned, 
not only will they increase economic activity and create new jobs, the 
ski areas tell me it will actually help them recruit more Americans for 
jobs that currently go to foreign visa holders.
  Many Coloradans would love to work year-round in and around our 
mountain communities, but they are forced to take other jobs that can 
ensure them year-round employment. Subsequently, our ski areas often 
recruit visa holders to run the lifts, work in the resorts, and cover 
the winter months because they oftentimes can't recruit locals for such 
short-term employment. In effect, this bill we passed last night will 
help create year-round demand in our mountain communities and provide 
the year-round employment that Coloradans need. This is a win-win 
situation.
  For those who earn a job because of this bill, it will be very 
welcome news from a Congress they see as increasingly ineffective and 
disengaged.
  As I have implied and said already, I represent a State where the use 
and the enjoyment of the outdoors is just who we are. It is why we live 
in Colorado. One could say it is in our blood, but it is also in our 
wallets. Tourism and outdoor recreation is the No. 1 economic driver 
for our State. Activities

[[Page 15828]]

such as hiking, skiing, shooting, and angling contribute over $10 
billion a year to our economy, supporting over 100,000 jobs and 
generating $500 million in State tax revenue.
  This is not limited to Colorado. The Outdoor Industry Foundation 
found that outdoor recreation activities add over $730 billion to the 
national economy every year. In fact, during this time of economic 
uncertainty, outdoor recreation and tourism are two very bright spots 
in our economy. Perhaps most important, this is an area of our economy 
that continues to grow. It has grown by more than 6 percent in just 
2011, and it has outpaced U.S. economic growth more generally.
  More Americans are spending time outside, enjoying nature and getting 
exercise. I have long felt it is in the National interest to encourage 
Americans to engage in outdoor activities that can contribute to our 
health and wellbeing. But as Americans enjoy recreating outdoors, they 
are also supporting a large and growing industry of supply stores, 
manufacturers, guides, hotels, and other important businesses that are 
the backbone of many rural communities.
  Ski resorts are a major component of this economic sector in 
Colorado, many western states, and, indeed, many places throughout the 
country. This bill is a huge priority for them and its passage--while 
long overdue--is truly a remarkable move that will help job creation 
all across the country.
  Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association, said 
it best when he noted:

       Ski areas serve as a portal to the country's national 
     forests. Bringing summer and year-round recreation to rural 
     communities is the No. 1 priority in Washington for ski areas 
     today. We are anxiously awaiting to plan and implement year-
     round operations at ski areas, create year-round jobs and 
     encourage more kids and families to enjoy the great outdoors. 
     All of this will of course benefit the rural communities in 
     which ski areas are located.

  The ski areas have been great partners in this effort, and I cannot 
wait for President Obama to sign this important legislation into law so 
they can begin immediately creating the important and well-paying jobs 
Americans are desperately waiting for.
  At a time when it seems as though Congress is too wrapped up in 
partisan wrangling to find commonsense ways to create jobs, this is a 
remarkable achievement. It signals to job seekers everywhere that not 
only are we capable of finding creative ways to create jobs, but that 
when we put our minds to it, we can set aside our differences and work 
together.
  I hope this bipartisan action will catch on and that we can continue 
to chip away at both our unemployment numbers and our record of 
partisan dysfunction.
  Here is what is most important to note: The outdoor recreation 
industry is a part of our economy across our country and there is very 
significant growth occurring. So this is an important achievement 
because we have been tied up in partisan knots. We showed last night we 
can actually do something on behalf of the American people that will 
help create jobs.
  I wish to particularly acknowledge the staff who worked so hard on 
this piece of legislation. Scott Miller, a longtime staffer on the 
Energy and Natural Resources Committee, worked tirelessly, as did a 
former staff member of mine, Doug Young, who now works for the Governor 
of Colorado, John Hickenlooper. We began this work in the House of 
Representatives, where the Presiding Officer and I both served. I wish 
to thank also, in special fashion, Wendy Adams and Stan Sloss, who 
persevered time and time again as we fought through a series of 
procedural holds and other setbacks. While economic challenges still 
face our country, this is a positive step forward.
  I wish to thank all my colleagues for supporting me in this effort.
  I yield the floor.

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