Concurrent Resolution Supporting Utah’s Interconnected Ski and Snowboard Industry - S.C.R.010
Utah Legislators are pushing for a resolution supporting a system interconnecting seven central Wasatch ski resorts between Salt Lake County and Summit County. It is no coincidence that this resolution is being proposed concurrent to the SkiLink legislation. It is a means to advance support for the idea of SkiLink and interconnecting all of the Wasatch. The resolution was drafted by Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy and urges interconnection as a means to bolster the ski and snowboard industry and enhance Utah’s economy. S.C.R.010 is up for consideration at the Senate Workforce Service Community and Economic Development Standing Committee.
The hearing was held on Monday, February 27, 2012, 8:00AM
215 Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex
Here is Save Our Canyons' testimony on SCR 10 that we delivered earlier this morning:
Thank you for the opportunity.
We cannot support the resolution as written, but would like to get it
to a point where we can be supportive. The ski industry is part of our
community, however, S.C.R 10 stops short and fails to include or
recognize the contributions of the other businesses, retailers and
manufacturers that play an integral role in our local vibrant ski
industry. Companies like Black Diamond, Voile USA, Wasatch Touring,
and many others are generally people's first point of contact for the
local ski industry. Ensuring for transportation solutions that
consider these businesses clientele and use of these mountains is
integral to our local recreation economy.
Next, it gives no recognition of the current collaborative process
concerning the construction of a mountain transportation system which
is looking at long range, multiple use, year round transportation
solutions for the benefit of all users, residents and visitors, our
municipal water supply, and environmental integrity. This local
collaborative process could use the support of the legislature and
lending support to only one industry participating in the process
undermines the hard work being put in by all stakeholders who want to
find the best way to move people about these treasured mountains.
Understanding use, patterns of travel through studies and public
dialog is the surest way to invest in good transportation solutions
supported by the many diverse interests who utilize this area for any
number of reasons.
In 2010, Envision Utah completed the Wasatch Canyons Tomorrow report
which found the public was supportive of a variety of transportation
methods and was the impetus for the collaborative mountain
transportation study currently underway today. The study also went on
to say that the public is supportive of our local ski industry, but
that 94% wanted no further infringements on lands that lie outside of
existing resort boundaries. We feel S.CR 10 goes too far by tacitly
supporting controversial expansions which would place infrastructure
in these treasured areas and are not in the interest of the public.
We too have concerns about the economic longevity of the greater ski
industry locally. So to is the National Ski Area Association who has
been lobbying congress to enact measures to curb greenhouse gas
emissions to protect the economic viability of the ski industry. We
feel acknowledgement of this problem of climate change and laying a
foundation to start locally protecting the snow which is integral to
the monies generated by this industry is one of the most important
steps the state can take to protect the ski economy. Failure to act on
this will result in this industry to melt away. Park city mountain
resort recently did a study on the severity if these impacts and found
that nearly $120 million in lost economic revenues by 2030 inclusive
of 1,137 jobs. These numbers will more than double by 2050.
To fully support our community, our local ski economy, and our
environment we ask you today to work with Save Our Canyons, local
governments, the greater ski industry and the public at large to send
a message that we all want to support Local industry but ensure that
we don't kill the goose that lays the golden egg in the process.
We look forward to working with Sen. Neiderhauser on reworking this
resolution to get it to a point where the public and other members of
the ski industry and members of the Wasatch mountain transportation
committee can support this resolution.
Thank you
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Here are some recent articles on the subject of interconnect and Skilink:
Viewpoint: Save our Canyons
Deseret News
This number is not supported by a study, merely a conversation between the Canyons and a ski lift salesman. This arbitrary number forms the basis for the ...
Senate resolution pushes ski interconnect
Salt Lake Tribune
Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, SCR10 contends that linking the resorts would ... in local processes," said Save Our Canyons Executive Director Carl Fisher.
Utah Senate panel OKs ski interconnect resolution
Salt Lake Tribune
The conservation group Save Our Canyons testified Monday that it could not support the resolution because its approach to use and care for the central ...
State legislators show support for SkiLink
Park Record
The controversial lift system SkiLink, which would connect Canyons ... Carl Fisher of Save Our Canyons said the resolution undercuts the public process.
Wasatch Interconnect Idea Seeks Political Support
OnTheSnow.com
The resolution drew immediate fire from Save Our Canyons, a conservation group that has battled with commercial interests over various plans to build lifts ...
Utah Officials Want 7 Ski Areas Connected Euro-Style
Boulder Weekly
Late last year a proposal to tie together Solitude and The Canyons ski resorts raised ... Save Our Canyons Executive Director Carl Fisher told the Salt Lake ...
SkiLink proposal divides users over access and environment
Deseret News
s the Canyons resort wants to link its Park City runs with Solitude in Big ... Carl Fisher, director of the nonprofit Save our Canyons, said the Forest ...
Backcountry.com: The Goat » save our canyons
A study on the effects of the lift that would run from Park City to Big Cottonwood Canyon is ongoing. The resolution doesn't specify what kind of interconnect ...
thegoat.backcountry.com/tag/save-our-canyons/
Dedicated to protecting the beauty and wildness of the Wasatch canyons, mountains, and foothills.
