This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Fresh wind blowing on rosy cheeks, the swoosh and flurry of snow beneath skis or snowboards, a warm drink clasped between chilly hands — these are just a few iconic images of wintertime in the mountains. There is an exhilarating sense of freedom in winter sports that is hard to come by any other way, which is one reason why we, like millions of other people, spend time in mountain destinations each year.
Yet as winter sports enthusiasts across the country begin to hit the slopes, decreasing snowpacks and other environmental problems are becoming more acute. Climate change is rapidly affecting all areas of America, particularly mountain communities. Symptoms of a warmer global climate are changing mountain regions, and in our tourism dependent home of Alta, Utah, the local outdoor recreation based economy as well as the environment is in jeopardy.
Skiing has defined our community's character since the late 1930s, when America's second chairlift was installed here. The superlative snow conditions of the Alta Ski Area make our town, along with neighboring Snowbird, a top global skiing destination. Our community and our economy depend on cold temperatures, abundant snow and the unspoiled natural beauty of this area. Economic activity directly associated with tourism in the Wasatch Mountains generates over $1 billion in tax revenue annually. These mountains play a critical role in the economy of the state of Utah, and compromising their vitality will have huge negative consequences for all of us. Not only are they a world-class tourist destination, but the Wasatch Mountains are also an essential watershed for the Salt Lake Valley, a desert region that is home to more than a million people.
Climate change threatens the economic and recreational opportunities for us in Alta, those who live in the valley, and for the many more people who live far from the mountains. Because we are witnessing these costs first-hand, we understand the dramatic environmental and economic consequences of climate change.
Now is the time for communities like ours to develop resilience to climate change. Alta and other mountain communities nationwide need the resources to prepare our landscapes and local economies for both warming temperatures that result from and natural disasters that are exacerbated by climate change.
The costs of warming temperatures, more frequent and intense natural disasters and the subsequent decline of tourism can be detrimental to mountain communities. Taxpayers who live and work in these communities shouldn't be forced to front these bills alone. We need new money to pay for proactive climate resilience.
We need to reduce carbon emissions globally while also preparing for the impacts of climate change locally. We agree with President Obama who said, in his final State of the Union on Jan. 12, that it's time to change "the way we manage our oil coal resources, so that they better reflect the costs they impose of taxpayers and our planet."
As it currently stands, the federal coal program lacks transparency, and coal companies are able to exploit loopholes to pay less. By incorporating the cost of carbon emissions and modernizing the fees and royalties on fossil fuels extracted from public lands, the government can create additional revenue streams while reducing emissions. These missed revenues could instead help our Western communities to deal with the costly challenges of a changing climate.
Following the president's address, the Interior Department announced on Jan. 15 the launch of a comprehensive review of the coal leasing program. The review will consider how to account for the environmental and public health impacts of federal coal production as well as ensuring American taxpayers are earning a fair return for the use of their public resources.
We support President Obama and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell's leadership on federal coal reform. If we act now, we can help protect the natural beauty and quality of renowned ski areas, and sustain local economies and the livelihoods of thousands who live in mountain towns across the country.
Harris Sondak serves on the Alta Town Council and is the David Eccles Professor of Business and Ethics at the University of Utah. Big mountain skier and champion Angel Collinson grew up at Snowbird and is a climate activist and member of the Protect Our Winters Riders Alliance.