Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act

Key Points

• Sets aside large parts of Colorado federal land as new wilderness and conservation areas, which generally limits new roads, mining, and some motorized use.
• Adds multiple wilderness areas and expansions in the White River National Forest and the San Juan Mountains, with grazing generally allowed to continue where it already exists.
• Creates several wildlife conservation areas that focus on protecting habitat and migration routes, while still allowing things like firefighting work and emergency access.
• Protects the Thompson Divide area by blocking new mineral leasing there, while offering leaseholders credits if they give up existing oil and gas leases in the area.
• Creates the Curecanti National Recreation Area (about 50,300 acres), keeps boating/hunting/fishing allowed under rules, and lays out how land transfers and management planning would work.