Pappas Helps Reintroduce Bipartisan SHRED Act

Last week Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02) and Congressman Blake Moore (UT-01) in reintroducing 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.

In exchange for using some of America’s most stunning forestlands, the 124 ski areas operating on Forest Service lands across the country pay fees to the Forest Service that average over $40 million annually. The SHRED Act would establish a framework for local National Forests to retain a portion of ski fees to offset increased recreational use and support local ski permit and program administration. The SHRED Act also provides the Forest Service with the flexibility to direct resources where they are needed the most.

“New Hampshire's ski and winter outdoor recreation industries play a critical role in our state's economy,” said Congressman Pappas. “This bipartisan legislation will ensure that communities across New Hampshire can invest ski fees locally to improve facilities, safety, and more, and ensure our ski industry continues to thrive.”

Specifically, 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 unit’s budgets to meet the growing visitation and demand for outdoor recreation.

Co-sponsors of this legislation include U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

This legislation is supported by the National Ski Area Association and its 124-member ski areas operating on public lands, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, America Outdoors Association, and Vail Resorts.