Colorado Sens. Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet introduced a bill Tuesday that could help keep some of the money generated by fees for ski areas that use national forests closer to the slopes.

Gardner, a Republican from Yuma, and Bennet, a Denver Democrat, along with Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, think a portion of the $37 million in fees paid to the U.S. Treasury by slope operators should to be more of a benefit to the source of that revenue: skiers.

The Ski Area Fee Retention Act, as the bipartisan bill is called, would help the U.S. Forest Service expedite permits and approve construction projects, the trio of snow-loving lawmakers said.

That would polish such treasures as Colorado’s White River National Forest, the country’s most visited national forest, because the woods also include Vail, Aspen, Snowmass, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone and Beaver Creek ski areas.

“It’s important that our skiing communities don’t just send money to Washington and not fully benefit from the government fees they are charged,” Gardner said in a statement. “My bipartisan legislation with Sen. Bennet will make it easier for our skiing communities to make the capital improvements they need to grow and thrive.”

Bennet called the U.S. Forest Service an important partner with communities and the outdoor recreation industry in Colorado.

“Retaining some of the ski area fees in our national forests will help strengthen that partnership and provide new opportunities for growth in our mountain communities,” he stated.

Gardner’s office provided a statement from Geraldine Link, the director of public policy for National Ski Areas Association:

“All of the ski areas operating on public land appreciate Sen. Gardner and Sen. Bennet’s support in introducing this critical legislation. The bill will support the important public-private partnership between the Forest Service and ski areas, facilitate private investment in infrastructure on public lands, and ultimately benefit rural economies and the recreating public.”

Melanie Mills, the president and CEO of National Ski Areas Association, added, “Ski areas in Colorado strongly support this proposed legislation, which will provide local Forest Service offices with the resources they so badly need to administer ski area permits and to review and process ski area proposals for improvements.”