S. 472, Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development Act

S. 472 would authorize the Forest Service to spend, without further appropriation, rental fees that it collects from ski resorts operating on Forest Service land.

The estimated budgetary effect of S. 472 is shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).

For this estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be enacted near the beginning of calendar year 2026. The bill would take effect 60 days after enactment; thus, estimated spending under the bill would begin about halfway through fiscal year 2026.

Under current law, rental fees from ski areas are recorded in the budget as offsetting receipts (that is, as reductions in direct spending) and deposited in the Treasury. Over the 2016‑2024 period, the Forest Service collected $54 million annually, on average, in such fees. S. 472 would authorize the Forest Service to spend those fees without further appropriation to administer the ski area program, provide visitor services, repair and maintain roads and facilities, prevent wildfires, and for other purposes.

CBO estimates that under current law, the Forest Service will collect rental fees that total about $55 million in 2026 and increase each year to about $85 million in 2035. (S. 472 would not affect the amounts collected.) Based on historical spending patterns for similar activities, CBO estimates that enacting S. 472 would increase direct spending by $6 million in 2026, $151 million over the 2026‑2030 period, and $498 million over the 2026-2035 period.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Lilia Ledezma. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.