NWSCC supports legislation on climate change
/Northwest Snowsports Advocates
Press Release – March 1, 2019
The Northwest Ski Club Council Supports the Reduction of Carbon Emissions
On January 30, 2019 the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), Snowsports Industries America (SIA), and National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced the formation of the “Outdoor Business Climate Partnership” to provide leadership on climate change. Leaders of seven state and regional ski area trade associations including the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association, Colorado Ski Country USA, Ski Utah, Ski California, Ski Vermont, Ski Areas of New York, and Ski New Mexico have also joined.
The “Outdoor Business Climate Partnership” is committed to providing leadership and advocacy for climate solutions across the country. The announcement was followed on February 20th, 2019 with a press release from the resorts on Mt. Hood, OR, to support federal and Oregon state legislation designed to limit our country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association followed this announcement with a press release in support of federal, Oregon and Washington legislation concerning climate change.
The members of Northwest Ski Club Council (NWSCC) are concerned that climate change will affect the future operations of our ski areas. NWSCC applauds the recent actions of the members of our industry to provide leadership on climate change and we support policies to combat it. Our Council would like to be an active partner in the common goal of addressing the critical issues concerning climate change.
Three important legislative proposals which will significantly affect climate change are now before us. NWSCC urges the 116th Congress, the 80th Oregon Legislative Assembly, and the 66th Washington Legislative Assembly to enact these three packages of climate legislation:
1. We support S. 3791/H.R. 763, the Federal Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2019. This Act stands out with its market-based approach to meeting aggressive emissions reductions targets while providing citizens with a dividend. The federal legislation is bipartisan, embodying an American ideal of working together to find common solutions that are effective and long-lasting.
2. We support the basic framework of Oregon House Bill 2020 which creates an Oregon Carbon Policy Office to administer the Oregon Climate Action Program. This Act would adopt an economy-wide “cap and invest” system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon.
3. We support the Washington House and Senate Bills H.R. 1211 and S.B. 5116 which enhance the transition of Washington’s clean energy economy to a clean, affordable and reliable energy future.
Even though aspects of Oregon and Washington legislation will change during the legislative process we encourage our Oregon and Washington representatives to adopt meaningful legislation this session.
NWSCC is a non-profit association in its 40th year representing 10,000 members of 25 ski and snowboard clubs and 13 charitable associations in Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. Our clubs offer a wide variety of snowport activities including recreational alpine ski racing, ski trips, and many year-round sports and social activities. We are active supporters of many on mountain charitable causes and provide scholarships for junior ski racers with hopes to participate in a future Olympics. NWSCC is a member of the Far West Ski Association which represents 50,000 skiers in 12 western states and also a member of the National Ski Council Federation which represents 300,0000 snowsport enthusiasts nationwide.
Press Contact:
Stephen Coxen
NWSCC Director of Public Affairs
Facebook: Northwest Snowsports Advocates
Email: publicaffairs@nwskiers.org
Phone: 503.679.9022