Colorado Wildlife Federation
On Friday February 26 the House passed Protecting America’s Wilderness and Public Lands Act. It combines eight earlier pieces of legislation. Title VII is the Colorado Recreation and Economy Act (CORE), the bill earlier introduced by Colorado Rep. Neguse. Title II is the Colorado Wilderness Act of 2021, the bill earlier introduced by Colorado Rep. DeGette.
What CWF said: The CORE Act is the result of many local stakeholders working together to decide how to best safeguard important areas in Colorado: conserving 400,000 acres of public lands, protecting a migration corridor, improving greater sage-grouse habitat, and withdrawing acres of important wildlife habitat in the Thompson Divide area from future oil and gas development. This bill is good for wildlife and outdoor recreationists, and it will help create jobs at a time when they are so desperately needed.
Earlier:
On February 2, the CORE (Colorado Recreation and Economy Act) bill has been reintroduced by Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and also in the House by Rep. Neguse. The bill would protect 400,00 acres of public lands in Colorado. Similar to the original bill in 2019, it addresses: the Continental Divide Recreation, Wilderness and Camp Hale Legacy Act, San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act, Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act, and Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA) and Boundary Establishment Act. The act would not close existing roads and trails. 73,000 acres would be new wilderness areas, and almost 80,000 acres new recreation areas that allow continuation of existing recreational uses. Wildlife conservation areas are created for 11,815 acres: the Porcupine Gulch Wildlife Conservation Area would protect a migration corridor and Williams Fork Wildlife Conservation Area would improve greater sage grouse habitat. More than 200,000 acres in the Thompson Divide would be withdrawn from future oil and gas development.
CWF supports this bill.