Sponsors (2)
The bill secures extensive conservation, recreation, wildfire-risk mitigation, and tribal trust benefits across many Colorado lands while restricting motorized access and resource development and increasing federal/local management responsibilities — trading some local economic and access options for long-term environmental and public‑safety protections.
Residents, visitors, and wildlife across large parts of Colorado gain long-term protection of habitat, watersheds, scenery, and public lands through designations and withdrawals covering hundreds of thousands of acres.
Hikers, anglers, birders, tourists, and local businesses gain clearer and more durable outdoor recreation opportunities and trail connectivity that can support visitor experience and tourism economies.
Nearby communities and land managers get expanded authority to treat hazardous fuels and address insects/disease, and active management in new wilderness areas is allowed to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk and protect public safety.
Motorized vehicle owners, OHV businesses, and some cyclists across multiple designated areas lose access as OHV and bicycle use is limited to designated routes or closed in many units, reducing recreation options and outdoor revenue.
Local workers, small businesses, and counties that rely on extraction or timber could face lost jobs and revenue because many areas are withdrawn from mining, mineral leasing, commercial timber harvesting, or oil and gas leasing.
Federal agencies and taxpayers face increased management, planning, monitoring, and enforcement costs to implement new designations, plans (e.g., winter travel plans), surveys, and decommissioning, which could divert resources from other priorities.
Based on analysis of 11 sections of legislative text.
Designates new conservation, recreation, research, and wilderness areas in Gunnison/Delta Counties, places ~19,080 acres of tribal land into Federal trust (non‑gaming), and withdraws specified lands from mineral leasing.
Official title: To designate certain special management areas, wildlife conservation areas, protection areas, recreation areas, wilderness areas, and a scientific research and education area in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 15, 2025 by Jeff Hurd · Last progress May 15, 2025
Takes roughly 19,080 acres of Ute Mountain Ute Tribe-owned land in Gunnison County, Colorado into Federal trust for the Tribe and adds many specific federal land designations across Gunnison and Delta Counties to protect habitat, recreation, scientific research, and wilderness values. It sets management rules for those areas — limiting off‑highway vehicle and bicycle use to designated routes, restricting commercial timber harvests in covered areas, allowing wildfire and ecosystem treatments, withdrawing certain lands from mineral leasing, and prohibiting the newly taken‑into‑trust land from being eligible for Class II gaming under Federal law.