WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped lead bipartisan legislation to provide financial relief to Michigan small businesses who are economically impacted by unseasonably warm winters and low snowfall totals. The Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act – which he introduced with U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) – would allow businesses to qualify for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which aids businesses that have been impacted by extreme weather situations.
“Mild winters can be devastating for the businesses and communities across Michigan that depend on winter tourism and recreation to drive their local economies,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan legislation would ensure small businesses are eligible for assistance when unseasonably warm winters impact our state.”
"Senator Peters continues to be a true champion for Michigan's outdoor recreation economy. His support and introduction of the Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act recognizes that ski areas are not just businesses—they’re community hubs, job creators, and engines of winter tourism. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, it’s a relief to know we’ve got someone in Washington who understands the stakes and is working to ensure the industry can bounce back stronger,” said Mike Panich, Executive Director, Michigan Snowsports Industries Association.
“The people and businesses of the Upper Peninsula are used to tough winters – in fact, with our SISU spirit, we embrace them. But as we learned last year, there are times no matter how resilient we may be that Mother Nature offers us a hard lesson on who is really in charge,” said Marty Fittante, CEO of InvestUP. “I join with U.P. businesses and institutions in expressing gratitude to Senator Peters for taking to heart the lessons that we learned from the unseasonably warm Winter of 2023 with this legislation so that we are better positioned next time we face such an extreme weather crisis to manage it and mitigate the adverse hardships that U.P. small businesses and our regional economy experienced.”
“The option for small businesses to access SBA and EIDL support is a vital tool, especially as we face increasingly unpredictable winter weather,” said Susan Estler, CEO of Travel Marquette. “As we have seen in Marquette County, mild winters can impact local businesses, particularly those in the tourism sector. I recently spoke with a small business owner who is struggling to recover from financial shortfalls caused by the past few winters. This bill is a critical resource for businesses, helping them manage weather-related setbacks and remain resilient, ensuring they are ready to serve both locals and visitors.”
“The UP200 Sled Dog Race draws thousands of tourists to the Upper Peninsula, injecting more than $2 million into our local economy. The increasing instability of winter events, due to weather, has taken a toll on small business in our area that depend on these tourism dollars generated,” said Ross Anthony, Treasurer of the Upper Peninsula Sled Dog Association. “We were proud to bring the race back to Marquette in 2025, but it was nowhere near enough to erase the loss of tourism from 2023 and 2024. This bill would ensure Marquette businesses can access the financial relief needed to offset those losses in the unfortunate event we have to cancel our event in the future.”
Currently, EIDLs can only be awarded to businesses impacted by disaster situations currently defined by the Small Business Act – which only includes floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, and landslides. This bill seeks to broaden the definition to make businesses impacted by low snowfall eligible to apply for financial assistance through the SBA.
This bill is introduced as Michigan communities have faced record-high temperatures and below average snowfall during recent winter seasons, leading to significant decreases in winter tourism and opportunities for winter recreation. According to the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association, data from 30 ski hills across Michigan shows a combined $41 million loss in revenue during the 2024 season. Unseasonably warm weather also contributed to more than 3,400 layoffs for employees that work in ski operations.
Mild winters have also led to the cancellation of events that are integral to Michigan’s communities and our local economies – including the UP200 Sled Dog Race in Marquette, which had to be cancelled for two years in a row due to low snowfall throughout the Upper Peninsula.
Weather data shows that winter is the fastest warming season for most of the United States, and the number of days below freezing is only expected to decline. To help address this warming trend, the bill would also direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study and make recommendations on how winter weather-dependent businesses can adapt their business model and become more resilient against changing weather patterns.
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