Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a cosponsor of H.R. 2476.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that you have had the chance to visit some of the terrific winter recreation and summer recreation areas in Colorado's Second Congressional District, in places that are known across the United States and across the world, like Vail, Beaver Creek, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Breckenridge, Winter Park.

People know us for our skiing. Our alpine and Nordic skiing is among the best in the world. And yet there are many more opportunities to be both good stewards of our mountain resources and provide additional recreational opportunities for you, Mr. Speaker, our colleagues and friends from across the country, and across the world.

With those recreational opportunities that we give for people to enjoy our mountains with summer activities like mountain biking, activities on the mountain, activities in our rivers, with those opportunities, Mr. Speaker, we create jobs, jobs for people who reside in Eagle and Summit Counties, and Grand County in my district, and other areas across the country.

We have the opportunity with National Forest System land that we use for skiing to provide additional opportunities for seasonal and year-round recreational opportunities, providing enjoyment and fun for families across the United States, and promoting jobs in my district and others like it, and the communities that serve these areas.

By increasing the extent to which the National Forest Service land is managed to allow for outdoor recreational activities, we can provide more opportunities for people to interact with nature, to gain an appreciation of our ecosystem and natural heritage.

With this bill, we clarify the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to permit appropriate seasonal or year-round recreational activities. This all continues to be subject to permits that are granted through a process that takes into account impact on the lands themselves.

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Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, with the passage of this bill we can do an even better job in Vail, Beaver Creek, and in our mountain communities in showing you a good time, Mr. Speaker. And in showing you a good time, Mr. Speaker, we're going to create jobs for the good residents of Colorado's Second Congressional District.

I urge support of H.R. 2476.

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