A bill designed to make it easier to create off-season jobs cleared the U.S. House of Representatives late Monday and will now head for the Senate. The Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act would amend the current ski-only permitting rules for ski areas on U.S. Forest Service land and clear the way to add summer activities in these areas.
It is expected that this Act could help boost employment by providing more year round jobs in mountain communities. This bill could also help to boost tourism and the economy in ski resorts and surrounding towns by making it easier for the Forest Service to permit activities and events on national forest lands, apart from the Nordic and alpine skiing and snowboarding already allowed.
The bill put limits on the sorts of activities allowed on National Forest System land: tennis courts, water slides, swimming pools, golf courses and amusement parks would not be permitted.