Outdoor Retailer Industry Lunch: Historic Investments In Climate Change, New Opportunities For Environmental Justice

With continued discussion of the Build Back Better plan in Congress, policymakers are responding to the outdoor industry’s call to make historic investments to combat climate change, which is a major existential threat to the outdoors, our communities, and the outdoor recreation economy. These proposed funds are committed to build resilience, promote natural climate solutions, support a Civilian Climate Corps, and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. It is imperative that the passage and eventual implementation of Build Back Better also addresses two other related threats to our industry: the disproportionate impact climate change has on minority and marginalized communities and the need to ensure that the outdoors are open, safe and accessible to all Americans. Join us for an informative discussion with key stakeholders, industry leaders, and representatives from Washington, D.C., on how combating climate change, prioritizing climate action, and ensuring more diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors are intertwined and how you and your business can play a key role in the future of an equitable and healthy outdoors.

Moderator: Rebecca Gillis, State & Local Government Affairs Manager, Outdoor Industry Association 

Panelists:

Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, U.S. Representative for California’s 44th congressional district

Clarence Edwards, Legislative Director, Sustainable Energy and Environment, Friends Committee on National Legislation  

Angelo Villagomez, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress 

Taishya Adams, National Policy and Education Director, Outdoor Afro

 

Takeaways from the session include:

  • There is intersectionality between investments in climate sustainability and the potential follow-on impacts on environmental justice and outdoor accessibility across the nation. These topics are intertwined with broader conversations about equity in the outdoors, and amongst outdoor industry stakeholders.
  • Other current policy options and efforts in the Biden Administration to further invest in pivotal environmental justice issues include the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Justice40 initiative. The proposed Civilian Climate Corps has a potential role to play in not only on-the-ground conservation and climate mitigation work, but also localized efforts to build out more accessible green space for individuals in nature-starved areas – paving the way for increased equity in the outdoors.
  • Storytelling across diverse communities is an important mechanism for increasing effective advocacy for climate investments.
  • While sometimes daunting, it is critical to talk about climate impacts, environmental justice, and outdoor accessibility to audiences who may have been intimidated or felt unmotivated about climate action and equity.

Outdoor Retailer Education Session: Ask OIA Anything On Trade

OIA’s international trade program is dedicated to promoting a stable and predictable trade environment for outdoor businesses of all sizes, from domestic manufacturers to those that utilize global value chains to bring product to market. Members of OIA’s Trade Advisory Council (OIATAC) meet regularly to provide advice and guidance on new initiatives to help the bottom line of outdoor companies and to collaborate and exchange new ideas and best practices as they navigate tariffs, supply-chain disruptions, shipping costs and other challenges to their businesses. Watch our presentation from Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2022 to learn from OIA’s outside trade counsels from Sorini Samet & Associates and members of OIATAC on the latest federal trade updates, challenges to outdoor supply chains and how OIA members are responding.

Moderator: Richard W. Harper, Jr., Director of Government Affairs, Outdoor Industry Association 

Panelists: 

Ron Sorini, Principal, Sorini, Samet & Associates, LLC

Ben Christensen, Vice President of Operations, Simms Fishing Products 

Sara Bowersox, Senior Manager of Global Trade Compliance, Keen Footwear

 

Takeaways from the session include:

  • There is broad, bi-partisan support for getting even tougher on China with regard to trade. Punitive tariffs are likely to remain in place for some time.
  • While Congress and the administration focused on domestic priorities in 2021, there’s a chance we’ll see movement on some outstanding trade items early in 2022, like renewing the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and a package of miscellaneous tariff bills.
  • Outdoor companies are dealing with unprecedented challenges in bringing products to market, from high freight costs to congestion at US ports. Work on addressing these issues has gone up considerably. Some have found success in broadening partners in freight and logistics, adding more options.
  • Looking at the year ahead, outdoor companies are looking for any opportunity to help with their bottom line, from leveraging any duty savings, streamlining supply chains to developing multiple vendor relationships.

Audio Outdoorist: Maine Senator Angus King and L.L.Bean Executive Chairman Shawn Gorman

In today’s episode, OIA government affairs director Rich Harper speaks with King and OIA Government Affairs Committee Chair and L.L.Bean Executive Chairman Shawn Gorman about why they support federal investments in national, state and local parks as means for driving sustainable economic growth, and they discuss how government and outdoor businesses can work together to pass equitable climate-smart legislation like the Outdoors For All Act to ensure our planet, its people and the outdoor industry continue to thrive.

OIA Policy Alert: Letter to Support Priorities in Build Back Better Act

The deadline to sign-on has been extended to Friday, December 10th!

Proposed Climate and Outdoor Investments in the Build Back Better Act are Pivotal to the Future of Business, People, and the Planet  

Congress will spend the next weeks finalizing the contents of a historic social spending bill. Key provisions in the Build Back Better Act will tackle climate and environmental justice issues head-on and will promote key policies for the outdoor industry’s success. The draft legislation has changed over the past months of negotiation, and as the process heads toward the finish line, we must ensure that those issues that matter to us are retained in the final bill language.  

These historic investments include dollars for the creation and funding for a Civilian Climate Corps; capital and incentives for the development and deployment of renewable energy across sectors; and, increased resources for underserved communities to have access to safe, clean, and accessible green spaces.  

As Congress moves forward on finalizing the legislation, considering amendments, and eventually handing it to President Biden for signature, it is important that our industry’s voice is heard and that these consequential programs are codified and implemented. The vitality of the outdoor industry, our outdoor participants, and our climate are dependent upon this generational opportunity for investment.   

NOW is the time to voice our industry’s priorities for the Build Back Better Act! Ensure your company’s support is heard and add your company’s name to our letter to Congress by close of business on Friday, December 10th.

Read the letter here.

It is pivotal that key provisions outlined below remain in the final text of the legislation for passage. OIA and our members support the following crucial components of the Build Back Better Act: 

  • The creation and funding for a Civilian Climate Corps to bring jobs to local communities, and to advance implementation of the Great American Outdoors Act; 
  • Robust funding for the Department of the Interior; 
  • Funding for pivotal investments in renewable energy, including expenditures in the power sector, as well as tax incentives for the development and application of clean energy solutions across sectors; 
  • Environmental and Climate Justice funding for disadvantaged communities to address disproportionate public health and environmental damage; and, 
  • Initiatives prioritizing the development of urban parks and other place-based programs supporting increased access to outdoor spaces in traditionally underserved communities. 
  • Combined with important investments committed in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Build Back Better Act will ensure that our nation’s lands and waters will get the attention needed to encourage resiliency, health, and sustainable access.
  • The Build Back Better Act will also prioritize catalytic investments in renewable energy, and in rural and urban communities disproportionately impacted by climate change.
  • Finally, the Build Back Better Act will include human-centered investments that will make it easier for people throughout the country to experience the wonder of the outdoors.

Now is the time to speak up about our values and priorities around the future of the planet, our industry and outdoor participants! Sign our letter to Congress before December 10th!  

Current signatories (as of December 10th): 

BBB Signatories as of 4pm MT Dec 10  

 

22 Designs 

Akers Digital  

American Camp Association  

b4 Adventure 

Backcountry Access, Inc. 

Backpacker’s Pantry (American Outdoor Products) 

Backslope Tools 

BearVault 

Bearclub Outfitters 

Bell (Vista) 

Bemis 

Big Agnes 

Blackburn (Vista) 

Board Retailers Association  

Bridge City Kid 

Burton 

CGPR 

CamelBak 

caseSensitive Photos 

Clif Bar & Company 

Colorado High School Cycling League 

Collaborative Trails 

Compose[d] 

Conatus Counsel 

Confluence Sustainability 

Cross Current Insurance Group 

DHTC CO LTD 

Darn Tough Vermont 

Darn Tough Vermont(R) 

Emerger Strategies 

Erem Desert Inc 

evo 

First Name LLC 

flaik 

Giro (Vista) 

Hipcamp 

Honey Stinger 

Hyrdo Flask 

Industrial Revolution 

Industrial Revolution -UCO 

Island Explorer LLC dba Whidbey Island Kayaking 

Jones Snowboards 

K2 Sports 

Klean Kanteen 

Krimson Klover 

L.L.Bean 

La Sportiva N.A., Inc. 

LightHeart Gear 

Linked Adventures 

Miir 

Minneapolis Southwest KOA Holiday 

Minority Outdoor Alliance 

Mountain Khakis 

Myles Apparel 

NEMO Equipment 

New Balance 

Never Summer Mountain Products 

Oberalp North America 

Orvis 

Osprey Packs Inc. 

Outbound Collective 

OutdoorX4 Magazine & XPLORE Journal 

Outdoor Afro 

Outdoor Research 

Patagonia 

Peak Design 

PeopleForBikes 

Playmakers, Inc. 

PolyCore Solutions 

Portland Design Works 

REI Co-op 

Ruffwear 

Rutabaga Paddlesports 

See More Birds Nature Tours 

Sierra South 

SIMBOL Communications 

Simms Fishing Products 

Smartwool 

Snow Peak 

South Coast Tours LLC 

Stanley, a Brand of PMI Worldwide 

The Sporting Life Network 

Toad&Co 

Tools For Trails 

True North Gear 

Turtle Fur 

Vargo Outdoors 

VF Corp 

Verde Brand Communications  

WA Event Management 

WAYWARD 

Waterloo Bicycle Works 

Western Spirit Cycling 

Weston Backcountry 

YAMA Mountain Gear 

YMCA Camp Shady Brook

Greetings from the White House — Letter from OIA Executive Director Lise Aangeenbrug

Outdoor Industry Association Executive Director Lise Aangeenbrug and Outdoor Recreation Roundtable Executive Director Jessica Turner

On Monday, I joined President Joe Biden and a group of bipartisan lawmakers and business leaders at the signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. I’m proud to say that OIA has been a key player every step along the way, ensuring that meaningful climate provisions and other projects important to our industry were included in this new law. We should be encouraged by its many provisions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, including wildfires, droughts and floods; to expand access to and improve our nation’s parks and trails; and to enhance our nature-based infrastructure.

Just as importantly, this bill will provide long overdue improvements to America’s core infrastructure – roads, bridges, ports and airports – which will help our $689 billion industry and 4.3 million employees deliver our products to consumers and connect people with parks and green spaces.

But our work is not done yet. As Congress continues to work on budget reconciliation, OIA is committed to working with lawmakers and the Biden administration to ensure that additional climate priorities – like funding for the Civilian Climate Corps, climate resiliency projects, outdoor restoration projects and the Department of Interior – are properly supported in the Build Back Better Act.

OIA’s advocacy and policy work would not be possible without the support of our members. Thank you for your continued engagement, and please do not hesitate to reach out about our policy priorities

Together We Are a Force,

Lise Aangeenbrug
OIA Executive Director

Audio Outdoorist: 2021 International Shipping Crisis

This is the second in our series about international trade and trade policy. In this episode, our director of government affairs Rich Harper and three members of our Trade Advisory Council, discuss the recent precipitous rise in shipping costs, which, on top of punitive tariffs, trade wars and the global pandemic, have made it difficult for our member companies to remain nimble and competitive. Recently, OIA sent a letter to the White House, calling on this administration to invite all stakeholders to the table to identify immediate solutions to the crisis and to enforce all existing regulations. In addition, we’re calling for support on legislation recently introduced in Congress to help alleviate the issues. To learn more about OIA’s advocacy work, to sign up for our trade alerts and to get involved in legislation to help outdoor companies address this crisis, reach out to Rich Harper, OIA Government Affairs Director.