46 outdoor brands sign letter to Congress in support of climate provisions in reconciliation package
Park City, Utah (October 20, 2021) – Snowsports Industries America (SIA) – with support from more than 40 businesses with an active interest in the winter outdoor industry – has sent an open letter to members of Congress urging them to consider the climate investments in the current reconciliation bill set for an imminent vote, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senator Joe Manchin, Senator Krysten Sinema, Senator Jon Tester, Senator John Hickenlooper, Senator Michael Bennet, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Senator Maggie Hassan and Senator Angus King
“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,” the letter states. “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.”
Of particular note, the Clean Electricity Performance Program (CEPP) is highlighted as the type of action that had been needed for more than a decade as a way to accelerate our progress towards 80% clean electricity by 2030, a crucial milestone on the way to clean energy by 2050 and a massive reduction in carbon emissions.
“This reconciliation package is a transformative piece of legislation that will accelerate our progress on climate by driving systemic change and reducing the impacts of climate change on our community, and our collective future is on the line,” says Nick Sargent, SIA president. “This is the climate policy that we have been waiting for decades to see.”
As of press time, the 46 signatories of the letter to Congress are:
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, PAX West, 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 and YSC Ltd.
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About SIA
Founded in 1954 and based in Park City, UT, Snowsports Industries America (SIA) is a nonprofit, member-owned trade association representing the winter outdoor community including suppliers, retailers, sales reps, resorts and nonprofits whose mission is to help the winter outdoor community thrive. SIA provides value to its members through continuous education, insightful research, creating a path for an inclusive winter outdoor community, growing participation in winter outdoor sports and developing consumer events (Snowbound Festivals) that drive business, while advocating for pressing issues that face the winter outdoor industry such as climate change and tariffs. We are #UnitedByWinter. For more information and to become a member, visit snowsports.org.