Why it’s time for President Biden to Protect Colorado’s public lands

Colorado’s public lands define our state’s identity, provide world-class recreation opportunities, support iconic wildlife, and are critical to Coloradans’ way of life. Yet climate change, oil and gas drilling, sprawling new development, and barriers to accessible outdoor recreation are threatening the future of Colorado’s public lands, natural resources, and unique wildlife.

For over a decade, a broad coalition has worked to craft and pass the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act. This bill would increase protections for 400,000 acres of some of the state’s most treasured public lands, including the Thompson Divide, Camp Hale and the Continental Divide, Curecanti National Recreation Area, and the San Juan Mountains. Despite strong local support for the legislation, the bill has stalled in Congress. 

In August 2022, following a tour of Camp Hale with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Representative Joe Neguse, and Governor Jared Polis sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to designate the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument, initiate a 20-year mineral withdrawal for the Thompson Divide, and administratively protect places within the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests planning area.  

Permanently protecting Camp Hale and the Continental Divide through a national monument designation would honor Colorado’s military legacy at the home of the 10th Mountain Division ski troops and the vast alpine terrain where they trained, including the Tenmile Range. A 20-year mineral withdrawal for Thompson Divide and administrative protections for areas within the GMUG National Forests would provide interim protections and certainty for local communities until the CORE Act becomes law. 

While our community remains committed to passing the CORE Act, these vital landscapes urgently need protection. We join with our elected leaders mentioned above in urging President Biden to take executive action now. Send a message today!