October 19, 2021
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell, Senator Manchin, Senator Sinema, Senator Tester, Senator Hickenlooper, Senator Bennet, Senator Shaheen, Senator Hassan and Senator King:
Snowsports Industries America (SIA) is the national trade association for the $79.6 billion winter outdoor industry – representing manufacturers and retailers of winter gear, from global brands to small, local retailers supporting 1.1 million jobs nationwide.
Our industry and communities depend on a stable environmental ecosystem, with consistent winter seasons that drive revenue in almost every state in the US.
Climate change is a material threat to the winter outdoor experience, the future of our industry and the communities in which we live and work. We are on the front lines of the climate crisis, already witnessing the impacts first-hand through the loss of annual snowpack and shorter, wetter and more inconsistent winter seasons. Economically, those impacts can result in over one billion dollars of lost revenue with every below-average snow year – devastating losses amongst large and mid-sized manufacturers and businesses throughout our tourist-based mountain communities that depend entirely on the revenue that the winter season generates. For many of these businesses, another inconsistent winter will lead to layoffs and permanent closures.
As business leaders, we understand that solving climate change is both a moral and a business imperative – we feel the urgency and are committed to helping drive sensible, science-based climate policy forward. We are making changes within our businesses to reduce our corporate emissions, but we can’t do this alone. We also need strong federal action to address the climate crisis at the systemic level. The American public is asking for this as well. A majority of Americans see the effects of climate change in their own communities and want the federal government to take a more significant role in addressing climate change.
We need to aim high to enact the most ambitious and forward-thinking climate policy possible, directed at the largest sources of our carbon problem. The reconciliation bill currently being negotiated represents precisely the type of bold climate policy and innovative thinking we need right now, accelerating our economy-wide emissions reductions in the very tight window we have and making a substantial investment in a clean energy future for the United States.
In it, The Clean Electricity Performance Program (CEPP) is the kind of ambitious action we’ve waited over a decade to see. The program incentivizes utility companies to go beyond what they are already doing to address climate change at the systemic level by decreasing carbon emissions at the source. Furthermore, the CEPP will unlock opportunities to emissions reductions in other critical sectors such as transportation and buildings.
The CEPP will accelerate our progress towards 80% clean electricity by 2030, a crucial milestone on the way to 100% clean energy by 2050, while also driving economic development and expanding the workforce by 8 million jobs over the next decade. Without a doubt, cleaning up our power grid is essential to winning the fight against the climate crisis and this program is the pivotal step to our clean energy future.
From those of us who are feeling the economic impacts of climate change on our businesses, we urge you to pass the reconciliation bill, the CEPP and the other critical climate investments in the Build Back Better Act, to strengthen our industry and protect the beloved communities in which we live and work. This common-sense policy is key to the success of the entire winter outdoor industry, and it is important to remember that the cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of addressing this issue now.
This is our once-in-a-generation opportunity to truly lead, enacting the type of policy that will protect the planet for future generations, ensuring the long-term success of American businesses and re-establishing American innovation and leadership throughout the world.
We look forward to your bold leadership in helping solve the climate crisis. We understand that passing this transformative policy is challenging and the conversations are complex, and as business leaders, we know that achieving a bold vision requires a steadfast commitment to see it through.
SIA and our member businesses stand alongside you and urge your leadership on this historic policy that will build
a stronger, more equitable American economy for the future.
Thank you for your consideration.
Signed,
686 Technical Apparel
Alta Ski Area Environmental Center
Armada
Black Tie Ski Rentals
Bootdoctors
Boyne Resorts
Burton Snowboards
Catalate
Christy Sports
Corduroy Media
Compose(d)
DemandScience
Effective Edge
Fera Intl. Corp.
Ingemie & Associates
Jones Snowboards
K2 Sports
Liberty Mountain Resort
Living X Elements
Meteorite PR
Moosejaw Mountaineering
Nidecker US Inc
NILS Inc
nickel n’ diamond
outdoor DIVAS
Outside
Phunkshun Wear
Presidio Sports and Medicine
Protect Our Winters
Render Branding
Rossignol Group
RRC Associates
SAM Magazine
SCARPA North America
SMC
Snow Industry Letter
STOKE
Strafe Outerwear
Sturtevants
Talley & Company
Taos Ski Valley
Verde Brand Communications
Williams & Helde
XCSkiResorts.com
YSC Ltd