Opinion: Skiers need to take action on national level

To the community,

I am proud to share that Squaw Valley-Alpine Meadows recently received the Ski magazine Golden Eagle Award in the large resort category for our multifaceted approach to sustainability and utilization of our network to promote climate change solutions. This is a tremendous honor bestowed by the National Ski Area Association. Our work in the environmental domain will continue for as long as we ski and ride these beautiful mountains, which is why I am reaching out for your support:

Andy Wirth

Together, we are a community of outdoor enthusiasts that is based on a love of our mountains, and I feel it is our duty to speak up and advocate for the continuous protection of our environment. President Trump and other leaders of our country are considering the exit from a commitment we made to the globe in the Paris Climate Agreement.

Mr. Trump, who vowed during his campaign to eradicate President Barack Obama’s policies related to climate change, plans to sign an executive order directing Scott Pruitt, the new EPA administrator, to begin the legal process of undoing Mr. Obama’s regulations surrounding the reduction of greenhouse pollution generated from coal-fired power plants. These regulations are the cornerstone of the Obama administration’s program that supports our nation’s compliance with the obligations we have in our commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.

With undeniable evidence that global temperatures are currently on the rise, we have a duty to the environment to participate in positive climate action. As skiers and riders, we rely on Mother Nature to provide us with snow, and we must protect our outdoors for the use of future generations of enthusiasts.

We stand with our partner Protect our Wintersin imploring the EPA to maintain and even increase the critical regulations that combat climate change. I encourage you to do the same: Speak up, use your voice and help us advocate for the environment and stand by the commitment we, as a nation, made to the globe by participating in the Paris Climate Agreement. To act, use the Protect Our Winters Climate Activist’s Roadmap to submit your comments to the EPA.

Andy Wirth, president and CEO Squaw Valley Ski Holdings