Bill > S472

This bill, known as the Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act, establishes a Ski Area Fee Retention Account within the U.S. Treasury to manage fees collected from ski area permits on National Forest System lands. The account will allow the Secretary of Agriculture to retain and use ski area permit rental charges for specific purposes, with 80% of the funds (potentially reduced to 60% if deemed excessive) being used at the original collection site. These funds can be used for activities such as processing ski area permit applications, staff training, visitor services, wildfire planning and risk reduction, facility maintenance, habitat restoration, law enforcement, parking area improvements, avalanche education, search and rescue operations, and lease administration. The bill specifies that these funds are supplemental to existing appropriations and cannot be used for wildfire suppression or land acquisition. The retained fees will be available for use over a four-fiscal-year period, with 75% allocated to Forest Service ski area program administration and 25% for facility and visitor-related improvements. The provisions aim to provide more local control and flexibility in managing ski area permits and related infrastructure on National Forest System lands.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/472/all-info