Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act
House Committee Reviews Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act to Protect Public Lands, Block New Mining
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- Would set aside large areas of federal land in Colorado as new or expanded wilderness, plus new conservation and special management areas, which generally means less development and more protection.
- Creates wildlife conservation areas in parts of the White River National Forest (including a migration corridor over Interstate 70), with limits on new roads, heavy equipment, and commercial timber cutting.
- Sets up the Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Area to block new mining and most new oil and gas leasing there, while offering lease credits if current leaseholders give up certain leases.
- Starts a pilot program to find and reduce leaking methane from coal mines in parts of western Colorado, including possible leases to capture the gas for energy or to destroy it safely.
- Creates the Curecanti National Recreation Area (about 50,300 acres) in the National Park System, generally allowing boating, hunting, and fishing while giving the Park Service clearer authority and planning duties.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
State Impacts
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
3 articlesFeds bar new drilling, mining in Colorado’s Thompson Divide
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland signed a public lands order withdrawing over 221,000 acres in western Colorado from new mineral leasing for 20 years. The action, a core component of the CORE Act, was hailed by conservationists but criticized by industry groups as a hurdle to domestic production.
President Joe Biden declares Camp Hale a national monument
President Biden used the Antiquities Act to designate the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument, a 53,804-acre site honoring WWII veterans. The designation protects a major portion of the CORE Act, though other elements like the San Juan Mountains protections remain stalled in Congress.
As CORE Act stalls, supporters continue to hope the Colorado land legislation will become law someday
Despite passing the House multiple times, the CORE Act faces a deadlock in the Senate. Opponents, including Rep. Lauren Boebert and several Colorado county commissioners, argue the wilderness designations limit land use, increase wildfire risks, and ignore the concerns of rural communities.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(3)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.