Podiums to Policy: POW Takes on Capitol Hill
Photos by Creative Alliance member Mike Thurk
When the rules protecting our public lands, clean air, clean water, and climate are being eliminated behind closed doors, you don’t sit on the sidelines. You show up.
Last week, Protect Our Winters descended on Capitol Hill with 13 Olympic athletes, scientists, filmmakers, and outdoor industry leaders with a message Congress couldn’t ignore. Public lands are not for sale. The health of our communities and planet is not negotiable. And the Outdoor State is paying attention.
The delegation included:
Over the course of an action-packed two days, they held 38 meetings with congressional offices and staff, including 15 Republican and 23 Democratic, as well as members of the House Natural Resources Committee.
What we were advocating for:
Stopping EPA Deregulation
Since early 2025, the federal government has dismantled or weakened more than 50 core environmental protections by sidelining science, weakening enforcement, and increasing pollution. Federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were created by Congress to protect public health and the environment, and POW went to the Hill asking lawmakers what concrete steps they’d take to restore that mission and regulate harmful pollution, hold polluters accountable, and put science back at the center of decision-making.
During these meetings, POW made the case that clean air and clean water are not partisan issues. They are the foundation of healthy communities and every outdoor experience we have.
Having Stu Nissenbaum, a former EPA scientist, in the room proved to be one of the most credible and powerful moments of the trip. There is nothing more compelling than firsthand expertise when the conversation turns to what is actually lost for communities, public health, and for the outdoor economy, when these protections are stripped away.
Defending Public Lands from Fossil Fuel Extraction
The Trump Administration has moved aggressively to expand oil and gas leasing across some of America’s most iconic public landscapes. Earlier this year, the Department of Interior held a major lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, resulting in 187 leases covering approximately 1.3 million acres. The Arctic Refuge was next, with a Coastal Plain lease sale opening bids in early June.
POW’s message to lawmakers was clear. Public lands are not disposable, and they should not be sacrificed for short-term oil and gas development. During these meetings, POW asked lawmakers to reject attacks on all public lands, oppose further Arctic lease expansion, and support the Arctic Refuge Protection Act as the strongest long-term tool to prevent future industrialization of the Refuge.
“Protecting our water, air, and key habitats are non-partisan issues; we might just have different ideas of how to get there,” said POW Ski Alliance member Gus Schumacher. “Keep having those conversations and remember most people care about our natural world! We have the solutions to protect it. We just need to get them out there.”
Key Takeaways
One of the most encouraging signs from this trip was how effectively public lands served as a bridge across party lines. Conversations on both sides of the aisle, including with offices not traditionally seen as environmentally minded, opened the door to stronger dialogue and genuine relationship growth. Supporting public lands as a tool to combat climate-driven crises like wildfire and drought is nonpartisan messaging that works, and we saw it land in room after room.
“Yes, our government is complex and nuanced, and often frustratingly so. But it’s that way because it is formed by people trying their best to represent those who elected them. Although this rarely leads to collective relief on the issues shaping our time, it is still the best way to guarantee that the greater good of the people is upheld, even if it happens over generations,” said POW Creative Alliance member Max Lowe. “The world is moving fast, so it’s easy to be frustrated by inaction on things that directly impact how we all live our lives. However, from what I observed and felt taken by in our experience in D.C., is that the best way to change is most often the slow way, and a grain of patience goes a long way as we consider how we want to shape our world.”
Our Alliance members remain the best and most trusted messengers POW can bring to the Hill. Watching lawmakers light up at the sight of Olympic medals, and truly grasp how climate change is threatening the future of winter sports, was inspiring. Science Alliance members added another layer of credibility, providing substantive expertise that no talking point can replicate.
Guides, outfitters, hunters, anglers, skiers, climbers, small business owners, and gateway town residents all depend on healthy public lands and a stable climate. POW brought that constituency into the room — literally — while amplifying our leadership in moving the outdoor community toward climate progress.
Author: Stacie Sullivan
Stacie always knew she wanted to pursue a career in the ski industry from a young age, having first clicked into skis at the age of 4 and writing her 8th grade career project on being a professional skier. While her dreams of becoming a professional athlete didn’t quite pan out the way she planned at […]
