Rep. Jim Hansen has proposed legislation that would allow ski resort operators in Utah and other states to buy the public land on which they operate.
The Utah Republican says his proposal would avoid disputes between resorts and the U.S. Forest Service that often erupt when leases are up for renewal."That has been a bone of contention in every ski resort next to public lands," he said in Washington Thursday. "I think this is a win-win for everyone."
The idea came in for immediate criticism by environmentalists afraid the public could be excluded from the new, private resorts that could result from buyouts.
However, Hansen insists the public would be guaranteed continued access, since his proposal makes that a condition of sale.
The measure was tacked on to the Interior Department's budget reconciliation bill - the same bill Hansen used to resurrect the defeated idea of a national park review commission late Tuesday.
The ski area legislation would direct the Forest Service to put the land up for sale for fair market value within five years. The current owners would have first crack at it.
Ski resorts with more than a $2 million investment would be affected, about 40 in all, Hansen said.
That would include Snowbasin in Ogden Valley, and Utah resorts Snowbird, Solitude, Brian Head and Brighton. Several top-quality Colorado resorts, such as Steamboat, Vail and Telluride, also would be included.
But Hansen said the five-year waiting period means the change would not affect the pending land swap between the Forest Service and Snowbasin. That deal involves about 700 acres.
Hansen also said construction sites for the 2002 Winter Games would not be affected by his proposal.
Rainer Kolb, Snowbasin's general manager, was out of town Thursday and unavailable for comment on the proposal. But Ray Gardiner, chief executive officer at Snowbird, said his resort hopes to use the plan to increase public access.
He pointed to Park City, which is on private land, as an example. "They're not cutting off the public," he said.
Under the proposed legislation, the Forest Service would receive half of any proceeds from the sale of ski mountains. The other half would be deposited in the federal treasury for use in reducing the budget deficit.
Rep. Bruce Vento, D-Minn., led opposition to the idea, warning that selling the nation's most popular ski destinations could exclude the public from the land and, in extreme cases, end skiing at the location altogether.
"The new private owner of the ski area would be able to clear cut or mine the site," Vento said. "Aspen or Vail could become an exclusive club that would deny those who cannot afford to pay."
It was Vento who negotiated with Hansen to include language requiring any such sale to guarantee public access and allow local government input.