News Releases from Headquarters›Office of the Administrator (AO)

THURSDAY: EPA Administrator at X Games to Focus on Economic and Environmental Need to Act on Climate

WASHINGTON - On Thursday, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy will join the X Games in Aspen, Colo., to bring attention to the extreme weather impacts of climate change. A strong economy and a strong environment go hand in hand, which makes acting on climate necessary to protect tourism, recreation and the outdoor industry. Administrator McCarthy will hold a press conference with CEO of Aspen Skiing Company, Mike Kaplan and Winter Olympians, Gretchen Bleiler and Alex Deibold to talk about how climate risks are economic risks. She will focus on the need to act now to spur clean energy and reduce carbon pollution to protect communities and the outdoor industry from economic and environmental impacts.

Outdoor recreation pumps hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy a year and accounts for millions of jobs. Snow-based recreation alone contributes $67 billion annually, supporting over 900,000 jobs. 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. With a science-driven mission to protect public health and the environment, EPA is implementing President Obama's Climate Action Plan to build more resilient communities and curb the carbon pollution fueling climate change.

Thursday, January 22
2:30 p.m. MST

WHAT: Press Conference on the environmental and economic risks of climate change to the tourism, recreation and outdoor industry

WHO: EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy
Mike Kaplan, CEO of Aspen Skiing Company
Alex Deibold, Winter Olympian and X Games snowboarder

WHERE: Gondola Plaza

Aspen, Colo. 81611

RSVP: Media interested in covering the event should email press@epa.gov.