S. 472 — Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act

This section establishes a Ski Area Fee Retention Account in the Treasury for ski area permit rental charges collected by the Forest Service from permits on National Forest System lands (i.e., charges calculated as a percentage of adjusted gross revenues—1.5% below $3 million, 2.5% for $3–$15 million, 2.75% for $15–$50 million, and 4% above $50 million—from lift tickets, ski school, and ancillary facilities). Funds deposited in the account are available without further appropriation for four fiscal years and must be allocated as follows: (1) 80% (reducible to not less than 60% if exceeding a covered unit's needs) to the collecting National Forest System unit, with 75% for ski area program administration, staff training, visitor services, fee collection, and wildfire planning (not suppression) and 25% for facility/road/trail maintenance, habitat restoration, law enforcement, parking, permit processing, avalanche education, search and rescue, and certain lease administration; and (2) 20% agency-wide for the same activities. (Thus, the provision enables the Forest Service to retain and expend fees directly on ski area and recreation infrastructure and operations, supplementing—not supplanting—appropriated funds, without affecting cost recovery or the Granger-Thye Act.)