EPA chief to attend Winter X Games

Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy will be attending the Winter X Games this week to draw attention to the impact climate change has on winter sports.  

The X Games, which will be held in Aspen, Colo., include snowboarding, snowmobile and ski. 

{mosads}”The Administrator will bring attention to the extreme weather impacts of climate change, particularly in Colorado, and the need for us to act now to limit carbon pollution in order to protect communities and the outdoor industry from economic and environmental consequences,” EPA spokeswoman Liz Purchia said in an email. 

During her visit, McCarthy will meet with outdoor industry business leaders, athletes and students about the need to act.

The trip was made possible by the agency’s partnership with Protect Our Winters, a nonprofit that taps winter-sport athletes and ski-industry executives to highlight the impact of climate change on winter sports and outdoor sites crucial to the games. 

“Snow-based recreation alone contributes $67 billion annually, supporting over 900,000 jobs,” Purchia said. 

“Shorter seasons or unsatisfactory skiing conditions mean less tourists, less businesses, less hiring for jobs to support those businesses, less spending on things that neighboring businesses sell, and so on,” Purchia added.

Climate change action has grown within the winter-sporting industry in recent years. Notably, the National Hockey League has taken steps to boost its sustainability, and cut its carbon emissions, citing climate change as a threat to the sport. 

The Aspen Times first reported on McCarthy’s plan to attend the games.