Should Congress expand the borders of the Colorado wilderness?
Bill Summary
H.R. 2546 adds more land areas into protected wildlife regions, specifically in Colorado, including regions such as Redcloud Peak Wilderness and Deep Creek Wilderness. The bill maintains existing land rights such as water access, military training access, and use of the area for running or hiking events.
Sponsor:
Rep. Diana DeGette (Democrat, Colorado, District 1)
View full bill text ➔
How do you feel?
You can still save your opinion to your scorecard, but since the vote has already taken place, your opinion won't be sent to your lawmakers.
Oppose
Support
Opponents say
• “This bill is also a regrettable continuation of this committee's troubling trend of moving bills that are not supported by the Members who represent the impacted lands. All of the wilderness designated in this bill is located outside the bill sponsor's district. There is also significant local opposition to this bill from impacted counties and stakeholder groups. At the July 10, 2019, Subcommittee hearing on this bill, the Committee heard testimony from Montezuma County Commissioner Keenan Ertel who shared the County's concerns that this bill will negatively impact ``individual landowners, agricultural entities, water providers, first responders, and especially the recreation tourism industry.”
Source:
Rep Rob Bishop(Republican, Utah, District 1)
Proponents say
• “To ensure that Colorado’s most treasured landscapes remain protected – and available for generations to enjoy – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) introduced legislation known as the Colorado Wilderness Act of 2019. If approved, the Colorado Wilderness Act of 2019 would permanently protect more than 600,000 acres of wilderness in 32 distinct areas across Colorado. By designating these 32 areas as federally-protected wilderness, DeGette’s legislation will give them the highest-level of permanent protection available. While more than two-thirds of the areas to be protected under DeGette’s bill are already being treated as wilderness, DeGette’s legislation will officially designate them as such – ensuring they remain untouched for many years to come.”
Source:
Rep. Diana DeGette (Democrat, Colorado, District 1)
- Trump’s Interior Secretary Says We Can Make Land ‘Better’ Than Before It Was Drilled (HuffPost)
- How To Keep Conservation Policies From Backfiring in a Globally Connected World (The Conversation)
- OPINION: ‘Conservation is Conservative’; Republican Party Should Continue to Lead the Way on Environment (Western Herald)
- Legislation That Would Protect Colorado Wilderness Still Has Mountains to Climb (Colorado Public Radio)
- DeGette Argues for More Land to be Designated Wilderness (Colorado Politics)
