Industry News
President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill has passed and the ski industry finds itself staring down a future shaped by fossil fuel expansion, climate policy rollbacks, and deep cuts to public lands funding. While the bill promises energy independence and economic growth, it also poses a risk to shorter ski seasons due to the potential for warmer temperatures. For ski towns, resort operators and skiers, it means the rapidly changing climate of winter sports.
The House narrowly passed Trump’s bill with a vote of 218-214. Trump is set to sign the bill into law during a White House ceremony on Friday, July 4, which is one of America’s busiest holidays, and some people may not notice the impact of the bill’s outcome. The bill supports the mining, drilling, and production of oil, coal and gas. It also cuts funding for NOAA, USGS, and other agencies, which could undermine accurate mountain weather forecasts and is vital for avalanche safety and ski operations.
The bill repeals clean energy incentives like solar, wind, EVs and geothermal, which can increase U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in the future. This can accelerate climate change, potentially leading to shorter winters and lower snowpack levels. The impact on skiers would result in fewer skiable days, rising snowmaking costs and a loss of revenue to ski resorts.
The bill reduces funding for agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service, which manage access roads, trailheads, avalanche safety, wildfires, and infrastructure.️ This would impact backcountry trail maintenance, avalanche forecasting, and infrastructure maintenance. Trump’s bill also expands fossil fuel leasing in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. This includes drilling, coal mining, and pipeline construction across millions of acres of public land. Areas in the backcountry may experience new construction and restricted access due to these projects.
There are also economic concerns for ski resorts and ski towns across the country, including Colorado, California, and Vermont, where clean energy projects have been heavily invested. The bill removes or phases out federal incentives for clean energy projects, which has the potential to increase the price of energy in these regions. Ski resorts and towns could see higher heating and fuel costs due to these cutbacks.
For an industry already grappling with the realities of climate change, the Big New Bill introduces a fresh set of challenges. With fewer tools for adaptation, reduced federal support for protecting natural resources, and policies that may even hasten the environmental shifts threatening winter itself, the stakes have never been higher. As the snowline retreats and political priorities shift, the future of American skiing may hinge not only on snowfall but on the collective will to safeguard it.
