News Release

For Immediate Release

Thursday, August 25, 2011 

Utah Outdoor & tourism industry companies ask congressional delegation to support Jobs, stop attacks on public lands

 

Open letter to delegation signed by 27 companies

                                                      

Salt Lake City, UT – The vital economic boost brought to Utah by the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market is still coursing through the state’s economy. But Utah companies working in the outdoor industry feel their congressional delegation is ignoring the economic impact and jobs created by the industry in favor of proposals that would have significant negative impacts for Utah public lands and their businesses. 

 

In an open letter to Utah’s congressional delegation sent Wednesday, some 27 companies, including the Outdoor Industry Association and internationally known leaders Petzl and Black Diamond, are asking their congressmen to recognize the significant value of their contributions to Utah’s economy.  But more than recognition, these companies want the Utah delegation to stop supporting proposals to cut funding for key conservation programs and end protections for valuable pristine lands in Utah. Download the letter at http://lovecomm.net/outdoorletter.

 

“Our industry brings some $4 billion and 65,000 jobs to the Utah economy each year,” said Mark (Roody) Rasmussen, President of Clearfield-based Petzl America, who organized the effort to send the letter.  “And yet my own Representative, Rob Bishop, as well as the rest of our delegation, act as if the policies they are supporting in Washington will have no negative impacts on Utah jobs and the Utah economy. These policies are short sighted and ignore the significant contribution to our economy provided by hundreds of Utah companies and the important roles our parks, monuments and open spaces play as the infrastructure for a sustainable outdoor economy.” 

 

The letter specifically mentions several proposals before Congress that would hurt Utah’s outdoor and tourism industries. For example, Congress is currently considering proposals to massively defund the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which have helped preserve key recreation areas in Utah, including Antelope Island, Dead Horse Point, and Wasatch Mountain State Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and has also funded community parks in nearly every Utah community. 

 

“Funding for these key conservation programs is a crucial long-term investment in the Utah economy,” said Peter Metcalf, CEO of Utah-based Black Diamond Equipment. “These funds are leveraged many times by private donations and return significant benefits for communities and jobs throughout Utah.” 

 

The outdoor companies signing the letter also collectively oppose an amendment in the appropriations bill (currently before Congress) that would prevent federal funding to be used in implementing Antiquities Act designations, effectively stripping the President of the power to designate national monuments.  Many iconic Utah parks, such as Zion, Bryce, Arches and Capitol Reef, were designated through the Antiquities Act and now serve as the iconic foundation for many rural Utah towns. 

 

“The Antiquities Act has brought and will continue to bring significant economic development to Utah,” said Craig Mackey, Director of Government Affairs for the Outdoor Industry Association.  “To try and completely destroy the powers associated with the Antiquities Act not only ignores the facts of the past, but risks jobs in the future.”

 

Likewise, Representatives Bishop and Jason Chaffetz, as well as Senators Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee, have co-sponsored a proposal by California Representative Kevin McCarthy and Wyoming Senator John Barrasso to eliminate wilderness and roadless protections on 5 million acres of public land in Utah. 

 

“Support of recreation and conservation are the fundamentals of our business.  We need a supportive and balanced agenda for Utah’s public lands.” said Red Oelerich, Editor in Chief, Outdoor Utah.  “We’re just asking them to be reasonable, to be ‘pro jobs,’ and ‘pro business.’” 

 

# # #

 

Contacts:      

·         Roody Rasmussen, President, Petzl America: 801.926.1590, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

·         Craig Mackey, Outdoor Industry Association: 303.327.3522, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

·         Red Oelerich, Outdoor Utah: 801.278.6294, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

·         Peter Metcalf, CEO, Black Diamond Equipment: 801.365.5551

·         Angie Welling, Love Communications: 801.647.0702, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it