PRESS RELEASE<\/h1><\/div>\u00ab All Press Releases<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![\"Conservation](\"https:\/\/conservationco.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/bg_Mtn_NavyTop_04-scaled-1.png\" "\\"Conservation")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\nRELEASE: Public lands proposed for protection by Colorado communities at risk in Sen. Mike Lee\u2019s budget reconciliation proposal<\/h1><\/div>junio 17, 2025<\/h6><\/div>\nPress Contact:<\/h6><\/div>\nThomas Young, Vice President of Marketing & Communications | 303.333.7846<\/strong><\/a> | communications@conservationco.org<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n*Updated on June 18, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>National public lands in the CORE Act, Dolores River National Conservation Area Act, GORP Act and Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act at risk of being sold off<\/h2><\/div>GRAND JUNCTION \u2014 Under\u00a0new language<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0leaked from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, cherished public lands that Colorado communities have proposed for permanent protection are now at risk of being sold off to the highest bidder.<\/p>\nAn analysis by The Wilderness Society<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0finds that more than 250 million acres of our shared national public lands could be affected nationwide \u2014 including some 14.3 million acres in Colorado, or more than half of our state\u2019s national public lands. This includes areas that local communities have been working for years to protect permanently. From the Dolores River Canyon to Gunnison, and from Summit County to Steamboat Springs, these landscapes sustain local economies and provide clean water, wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities.<\/p>\n<\/div>CORE Act<\/h2><\/div>The\u00a0Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>would protect about 420,000 acres of public land across Colorado through a variety of designations. First introduced by Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse in 2019, the bill\u2019s four components would protect important wilderness and recreation areas along the Continental Divide, San Juan Mountains and Thompson Divide, and would formally designate the Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA). Under the language proposed by Sen. Lee, the following proposed areas could be sold off:<\/p>\n\n- Spraddle Creek addition to the Eagle\u2019s Nest Wilderness<\/li>\n
- Hoosier Ridge Wilderness<\/li>\n
- McKenna Peak Wilderness<\/li>\n
- Portions of the Liberty Bell and Whitehouse additions to the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness<\/li>\n
- Wilson addition to the Lizard Head Wilderness<\/li>\n
- Portions of the Thompson Divide withdrawal<\/li>\n
- Portions of the Curecanti NRA (Note: the Curecanti NRA was established through a memorandum of understanding between federal land management agencies and has never been permanently designated by Congress)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
Dolores Canyon<\/h2><\/div>First introduced in 2022 by Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Lauren Boebert, the\u00a0Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0would protect about 68,000 acres in Montezuma, Dolores and San Miguel counties in southwest Colorado. When introducing the bill, Rep. Boebert\u00a0said<\/a><\/strong>: \u201cThe bipartisan Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act is the gold standard for public lands bills as it protects traditional uses and was written from the ground up by a bipartisan coalition of local stakeholders.\u201d Portions of this landscape, including Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in the Ponderosa Gorge, would be eligible to be sold off under Sen. Lee\u2019s proposal.<\/p>\n<\/div>Sarvis Creek<\/h2><\/div>Introduced in 2024 by Rep. Neguse, Sen. Bennet and Sen. Hickenlooper, the\u00a0Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0would protect 6,800 acres of sub-alpine wilderness habitats and wildlife while preserving access to outdoor recreation. Nearly all of this proposed wilderness addition would be eligible for sale under the updated bill language.<\/p>\n<\/div>GORP Act<\/h2><\/div>The\u00a0Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is the result of a decade-long process by the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative to propose a variety of permanent protections for about 730,000 acres of critical public lands in and around Gunnison County. First introduced by Sens. Bennet and Hickenlooper in 2024, Rep. Jeff Hurd introduced a companion bill in the House in May 2025, lending it bipartisan support. Upon introducing the bill, Rep. Hurd\u00a0said<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0that he was \u201c[h]onored to lead the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act alongside Senator Bennet. This legislation reflects strong local support for the responsible stewardship of our land.\u201d Proposed areas at risk of being sold off include:<\/p>\n\n- Additions to the Uncompahgre Wilderness<\/li>\n
- Portions of the additions to the Powderhorn Wilderness<\/li>\n
- Castle, Lamborn and Soap Creek additions to the West Elk Wilderness<\/li>\n
- Star Peak Wilderness<\/li>\n
- Ashcroft addition to the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness<\/li>\n
- Portions of numerous wildlife conservation areas, including Sawtooth, Lake Gulch and Cebolla Creek, Pinnacles, Flat Top and Matchless<\/li>\n
- Portions of the Horse Ranch Park and Double Top Recreation Management Areas<\/li>\n
- Portions of numerous special management areas, including Pilot Knob, Clear Fork, Beckwiths, Whetstone Headwaters, North Poverty Gulch, American Flag and Union Park<\/li>\n
- Portions of the Rocky Mountain Scientific Research and Education Area<\/li>\n
- Portions of the Castle, Deer Creek and Granite Basin Protection Areas<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>
In addition to the areas noted above that have been proposed for permanent protections in Congress, numerous other important landscapes are at risk. Those places include wilderness study areas, inventoried roadless areas, critical wildlife habitat and big game migration corridors. Popular recreation areas are eligible for sale, including the Lunch Loops and North Fruita Desert trail systems near Grand Junction, Phil\u2019s World and Animas City Mountain near Durango, backcountry skiing and hiking accessed from the 10th Mountain and other hut systems, climbing crags along Independence Pass, and countless trails surrounding the municipalities in Summit County.<\/p>\n
The danger posed by Sen. Lee\u2019s budget reconciliation bill extends beyond currently proposed protections, threatening the very fabric of Colorado\u2019s outdoor recreation and heritage. This includes lands essential to our booming ski industry, long-standing grazing permits and a multitude of recreational pursuits such as hunting, angling, rock climbing, boating and mountain biking, alongside the outfitting businesses that depend on these landscapes.<\/p>\n
\u00ab All Press Releases<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Thomas Young, Vice President of Marketing & Communications | 303.333.7846<\/strong><\/a> | communications@conservationco.org<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n *Updated on June 18, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div> GRAND JUNCTION \u2014 Under\u00a0new language<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0leaked from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, cherished public lands that Colorado communities have proposed for permanent protection are now at risk of being sold off to the highest bidder.<\/p>\n An analysis by The Wilderness Society<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0finds that more than 250 million acres of our shared national public lands could be affected nationwide \u2014 including some 14.3 million acres in Colorado, or more than half of our state\u2019s national public lands. This includes areas that local communities have been working for years to protect permanently. From the Dolores River Canyon to Gunnison, and from Summit County to Steamboat Springs, these landscapes sustain local economies and provide clean water, wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities.<\/p>\n<\/div> The\u00a0Colorado Outdoor Recreation & Economy (CORE) Act<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>would protect about 420,000 acres of public land across Colorado through a variety of designations. First introduced by Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse in 2019, the bill\u2019s four components would protect important wilderness and recreation areas along the Continental Divide, San Juan Mountains and Thompson Divide, and would formally designate the Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA). Under the language proposed by Sen. Lee, the following proposed areas could be sold off:<\/p>\n First introduced in 2022 by Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Lauren Boebert, the\u00a0Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0would protect about 68,000 acres in Montezuma, Dolores and San Miguel counties in southwest Colorado. When introducing the bill, Rep. Boebert\u00a0said<\/a><\/strong>: \u201cThe bipartisan Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act is the gold standard for public lands bills as it protects traditional uses and was written from the ground up by a bipartisan coalition of local stakeholders.\u201d Portions of this landscape, including Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in the Ponderosa Gorge, would be eligible to be sold off under Sen. Lee\u2019s proposal.<\/p>\n<\/div> Introduced in 2024 by Rep. Neguse, Sen. Bennet and Sen. Hickenlooper, the\u00a0Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0would protect 6,800 acres of sub-alpine wilderness habitats and wildlife while preserving access to outdoor recreation. Nearly all of this proposed wilderness addition would be eligible for sale under the updated bill language.<\/p>\n<\/div> The\u00a0Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is the result of a decade-long process by the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative to propose a variety of permanent protections for about 730,000 acres of critical public lands in and around Gunnison County. First introduced by Sens. Bennet and Hickenlooper in 2024, Rep. Jeff Hurd introduced a companion bill in the House in May 2025, lending it bipartisan support. Upon introducing the bill, Rep. Hurd\u00a0said<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0that he was \u201c[h]onored to lead the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act alongside Senator Bennet. This legislation reflects strong local support for the responsible stewardship of our land.\u201d Proposed areas at risk of being sold off include:<\/p>\n In addition to the areas noted above that have been proposed for permanent protections in Congress, numerous other important landscapes are at risk. Those places include wilderness study areas, inventoried roadless areas, critical wildlife habitat and big game migration corridors. Popular recreation areas are eligible for sale, including the Lunch Loops and North Fruita Desert trail systems near Grand Junction, Phil\u2019s World and Animas City Mountain near Durango, backcountry skiing and hiking accessed from the 10th Mountain and other hut systems, climbing crags along Independence Pass, and countless trails surrounding the municipalities in Summit County.<\/p>\n The danger posed by Sen. Lee\u2019s budget reconciliation bill extends beyond currently proposed protections, threatening the very fabric of Colorado\u2019s outdoor recreation and heritage. This includes lands essential to our booming ski industry, long-standing grazing permits and a multitude of recreational pursuits such as hunting, angling, rock climbing, boating and mountain biking, alongside the outfitting businesses that depend on these landscapes.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\nRELEASE: Public lands proposed for protection by Colorado communities at risk in Sen. Mike Lee\u2019s budget reconciliation proposal<\/h1><\/div>
junio 17, 2025<\/h6><\/div>\n
Press Contact:<\/h6><\/div>\n
National public lands in the CORE Act, Dolores River National Conservation Area Act, GORP Act and Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act at risk of being sold off<\/h2><\/div>
CORE Act<\/h2><\/div>
\n
Dolores Canyon<\/h2><\/div>
Sarvis Creek<\/h2><\/div>
GORP Act<\/h2><\/div>
\n
![\"Conservation](\"https:\/\/conservationco.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/bg_whteMtn_Top.png\" "\\"Conservation")
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