Industry News
The Big Beautiful Bill, which is currently being voted on by the Senate, has drastic implications for the ski industry if it is passed. Even though much of the public lands that were being sold off in earlier versions of the bill have been removed, there are still many ways in which this massive piece of legislation could have a negative impact on the ski industry and outdoor community as a whole.
American investment in clean energy will be devastated if the bill makes it through the Senate. According to Annelise Fisher, of the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV), the bill proposes “substantial rollbacks to the clean energy policies established under Biden’s administration.” This includes investment in solar and wind power, tax credits for electric vehicles, and many other policies. Reducing investment in clean energy will substantially hurt the ski industry long term, with climate change already posing an existential threat. Skiing will struggle to survive if the world keeps warming up as snowfall is projected to decrease, and cutting clean energy investment would only enable that.
Additionally, if the bill passes, environmental protections against pollution are significantly weakened. Project sponsors would be able to essentially pay a fee in order to sidestep environmental review, potentially ignoring public input and the environmental cost of new development. These “pay-to-play” models mean companies and private individuals can circumvent community concerns, choosing to start new projects and developments even when local groups are against it. Changing the policies around environmental review could impact the ski industry significantly, with resorts or real estate companies choosing to expand or develop more land with less opportunity for communities to voice their concerns.
Fundamentally, the Big Beautiful Bill has the capacity to dramatically impact the ski industry and entire outdoor enthusiast community. It creates loopholes to exploit America’s public land, threatens the protections against pollution that keep our air and water safe, and risks setting the nation back on the fight against climate change. Skiing as an industry is dependent on the continued protection and conservation of our natural environment, of which the bill provides opportunities to be impacted negatively if it passes.
