Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1084
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-06: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-11T05:06:20Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act (H.R. 1084) aims to create a dedicated fund for retaining and using fees collected from ski area permits on National Forest System lands. This allows the U.S. Forest Service (part of the Department of Agriculture) to directly invest these fees in managing and improving ski areas, promoting economic growth in recreation-based communities without relying solely on general government budgets.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of the Account: Creates the "Ski Area Fee Retention Account" in the U.S. Treasury. Fees from ski area permit rentals (charges paid by ski operators for using national forest land) are deposited here.
- Availability of Funds: These fees become available for spending without needing additional approval from Congress (no further appropriation required) and can be used for up to 4 fiscal years after deposit.
- Distribution of Funds:
- 80% stays at the local national forest unit where the fees were collected ("covered unit"), split as 75% for administrative tasks (e.g., processing permits, staff training, visitor services, wildfire planning) and 25% for on-site improvements (e.g., repairing trails, building parking, habitat restoration, search and rescue).
- 20% is used across any national forest unit for similar administrative or improvement activities.
- If local needs are low, the local share can drop to at least 60%, with the excess going agency-wide in the same 75/25 split.
- Allowed Expenditures: Funds can only support specific recreation-related activities, such as permit processing, training, signage, fee collection costs, wildfire risk reduction (but not suppression), facility maintenance, law enforcement, and avalanche education. Partnerships with local governments or nonprofits are permitted for some activities.
- Limitations: Funds cannot be used for fighting wildfires or buying new land for national forests.
- Other Rules: The account supplements (adds to) existing budgets and does not replace them. It does not change other laws on ski area funding or fee recovery processes. The changes take effect 60 days after the bill becomes law.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Section 701 of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (a law governing fees on public lands). Previously, ski area permit fees likely went into the general U.S. Treasury for broad use. The new subsection (k) allows these fees to be kept and spent directly by the Forest Service on targeted ski area needs, creating a "retention" mechanism similar to fee programs for other public lands but tailored to skiing. It preserves existing rules under the Granger-Thye Act (a 1950 law on national forest uses) and other permit cost-recovery laws.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The U.S. Forest Service gains flexible, dedicated funding for ski area operations, reducing delays in permit processing and maintenance. This could ease budget pressures and improve efficiency in managing over 120 ski areas on national forest lands.
- On Citizens: Skiers, outdoor recreation users, and nearby communities may see better-maintained facilities, safer access (e.g., improved roads, avalanche info), and enhanced visitor services, boosting local tourism and jobs in ski-dependent areas (often in rural Western states).
- On International Relations: No direct impacts; the bill focuses on domestic land management.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Forest Service and Department of Agriculture: Primary beneficiaries and administrators of the fund.
- Ski Area Operators and Permit Holders: Pay the fees but gain from faster approvals and better infrastructure.
- Local Communities and Economies: Especially in mountain regions (e.g., Colorado, Utah), where skiing drives tourism and jobs.
- Recreation Users and Visitors: Benefit from improved safety, access, and services on public lands.
- Nonprofit and Local Partners: Can collaborate on activities like search and rescue or education.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces existing public land fee laws by specifying uses, ensuring fees directly support the activities generating them (a "user pays" principle). No conflicts with cost-recovery rules or broader forest management statutes.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's authority over federal lands and spending (Article IV and Appropriations Clause); no takings or property rights issues, as it affects permit fees on public land.
- Political: Could appeal to bipartisan support in ski-heavy states by promoting economic development and recreation without new taxes. May encourage similar retention accounts for other public land uses, potentially shifting how fees are handled nationwide.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (9)
Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1], Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1], Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1], Rep. Kiley, Kevin [R-CA-3], Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3], Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7], Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3], Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-06: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-02-06: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
- 2025-02-06: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act — issued 2025-02-06 — PDF (8 pages)