Here in Aspen, we know a thing or two about snow. It’s not just our calling card — it’s our livelihood. But I’m not here to talk about powder days or climate change, even though we have a stake in both. I’m here to talk about jobs, energy bills and what it takes to keep our country competitive in a fast-changing world.

The clean-energy tax credits passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are doing exactly what they were meant to do: driving investment, creating jobs and helping businesses like ours cut costs and plan for the long haul. The proposed rollback of those credits in the massive budget passed by the House and now with the Senate is like hitting the emergency off button on the chair lift just as people are loading.

At Aspen One, we’ve been investing in cleaner, more efficient operations — not for public relations, but because it’s good for our business. We’re electrifying buildings and installing renewables — all of which help make our infrastructure tougher, more resilient and more cost-effective over the long term. And thanks to the IRA, this kind of work is accelerated all across the country while putting people to work, even here in our own Roaring Fork Valley. This isn’t about party lines. It’s about power lines, paychecks and keeping America competitive.

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The momentum is real. More than $420 billion in private-sector clean economy investment is already underway — rebuilding infrastructure, reshoring supply chains and reclaiming U.S. leadership in manufacturing and innovation, all important goals of the administration. Nearly 70% of the new jobs created are going to Republican districts. Importantly, since the passage of the the IRA, more than three quarters of all new energy sector jobs created in Colorado are in clean energy. Studies show in Colorado alone, the IRA will create almost 100,000 new jobs and attract billions in investment. These incentives are working — they’re delivering affordable, reliable, homegrown energy while enhancing resilience and driving down costs here in Colorado and around the country.

Rolling back these tax credits would mean higher energy bills for everyday Americans, fewer jobs in places that need them, and a missed opportunity to lead in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy. According to independent analysts, energy prices could rise by as much as 14% if these credits are eliminated. That hits everyone, from ski towns like ours to small towns across the midwest.

We get Washington has budget debates to sort out. But gutting the clean energy provisions of the IRA isn’t fiscal responsibility — it’s undercutting America’s competitive edge. We’re proud two of Colorado’s Republican House members, U.S. Reps. Jeff Hurd and Gabe Evans, have joined more than 20 other Republican members of the House and Senate in support of preserving these important tax credits. We encourage both Colorado congressmen to continue their leadership and to work across the aisle with their colleagues as the legislation moves through the Senate to ensure the provisions remain in place.

Whether you believe in climate change or not, you can believe in American jobs, in lower energy costs, and in staying competitive on the world stage. Business leaders are ready to do our part — making smart investments and putting people to work.

Now we need Congress to do theirs. Strip the rollback provisions from the reconciliation bill. Keep the clean energy tax credits in place. Protect the progress the IRA has sparked across the country.

We’ve finally caught some downhill momentum. Let’s not throw ourselves off course mid-run. Now is the time to keep the lift running — and let American clean energy keep climbing.

Dave Tanner is president and chief executive of Aspen One, which is the parent company of world-class and innovative brands and businesses, including Aspen Skiing Company, Aspen Hospitality and Aspen Ventures.