Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act
A BILL
To provide for the designation of certain wilderness areas, recreation management areas, and conservation areas in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds that—
Coloradans value public land and have a long and proud history of balanced, varied, sustainable use of public land for agriculture, energy development, recreation, and other purposes;
public land—
is an essential part of the Colorado way of life and what makes the State a desirable place to live, work, and visit; and
provides for—
a clean water supply;
access to recreational opportunities, including hiking, backpacking, camping, mountain biking, skiing, climbing, snowmobiling, off-highway vehicle travel, and rafting;
high-quality wildlife habitat and migration corridors that support at-risk species and big game animals important to hunters and anglers across the United States; and
grazing land that supports the agricultural economy of the State;
outdoor recreation on public land is a key component of the economy of the State, supporting large and small businesses and communities statewide;
according to the Outdoor Industry Association—
71 percent of Colorado residents participate in outdoor recreation each year; and
in Colorado, outdoor recreation generates—
$28,000,000,000 in consumer spending annually;
229,000 direct jobs;
$9,700,000,000 in wages and salaries; and
$2,000,000,000 in State and local tax revenue;
the wilderness, conservation, and recreation areas in this Act will—
protect—
3 highly visible mountain peaks with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet (commonly known as “Fourteeners”), including Mt. Sneffels, Wilson Peak, and Quandary Peak; and
many well-known smaller peaks;
preserve iconic landscapes across Colorado;
conserve important wildlife habitat;
safeguard important watersheds that provide many communities a supply of clean drinking water;
protect valuable, high-quality land for biking, skiing, and other road- and trail-based recreation; and
provide access to world-class hunting and fishing opportunities;
the Camp Hale National Historic Landscape designation honors the legacy of the 10th Mountain Division, the members of which—
trained at Camp Hale;
contributed to the United States victory during World War II; and
went on to help create the modern outdoor industry in Colorado, including several iconic Colorado ski areas;
the Thompson Divide in western Colorado—
supports a robust agriculture-based economy;
provides outstanding recreation and hunting opportunities to the public;
serves as important spring and summer grazing land for ranching operations; and
was described by President Theodore Roosevelt as a “great, wild country”;
the National Park Service has formally recommended that Congress legislatively establish Curecanti as a National Recreation Area with a new legislative boundary;
Curecanti National Recreation Area—
includes an abundance of natural features in a setting of reservoirs, canyons, pinnacles, cliffs, and mesas;
includes Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest body of water entirely contained in Colorado and home to an outstanding fishery;
offers the public outstanding opportunities for recreation; and
is 1 of the few remaining units of the National Park Service that has never been legislatively established by Congress;
the provisions contained in this Act are the result of years-long, locally driven, collaborative efforts from a diverse set of stakeholders regarding the management of public land in Colorado; and
this Act will provide long-term certainty for management of public land in Colorado, protecting the relevant areas in perpetuity for the benefit of the people of the United States.
Sec. 3 Definition of State
In this Act, the term State means the State of Colorado.