Coloradans’ views on protecting public lands transcend ideology. Whether you live in Grand Junction, Durango or Denver, the national public lands throughout our state define what makes Colorado special. While there are many contentious issues, Coloradans’ love for public lands unites us. That’s what makes the introduction of the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act so notable. The proposal, which would protect 730,000 acres along the Western Slope, is something we can all stand behind.
We all share these special places and should celebrate efforts to ensure they remain protected and accessible for future generations. When we hike the Weminuche Wilderness, ski Crested Butte’s slopes, cast a line in Hermosa Creek or mountain bike Hartman Rocks, we’re enjoying the fruits of previous generations’ stewardship – lands that continue to provide incredible outdoor recreation experiences today.
Our state was the first in the country to establish its own public lands day, proudly celebrated by communities across the state every third Saturday in May. To mark this year’s occasion, the 3rd Congressional District’s new representative, Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd, demonstrated that he recognizes the strong support from his constituents for protecting public lands by introducing the GORP Act, with Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper.
Upon introducing the bill, Hurd said: “(I am) honored to lead the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act alongside Sen. Bennet. This legislation reflects strong local support for the responsible stewardship of our land.” The collaborative whose work resulted in the GORP Act could not be more thankful for Hurd’s support.
Throughout the process of creating the bill, Gunnison community leaders engaged innumerable stakeholders across the region. A key player in these efforts was La Plata County Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, who before her current role on the commission, facilitated the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative working group of ranchers, mountain bikers, anglers, water users, hunters, conservationists and motorized recreation users to find common ground on a public lands proposal that ultimately resulted in the GORP Act. That work foreshadowed Porter-Norton’s and fellow commissioners’ unanimous support in April of a public lands resolution in support of federal public lands and its workforce, a first in the nation. Communities across the Western Slope have long supported this type of collaborative, community-driven process to craft a consensus public lands bill that would provide protections for key public lands across the state and in and around the Gunnison Basin.
Bennet first introduced the GORP Act in September 2024 with the support of six surrounding counties, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Gov. Jared Polis, the organizations that crafted the proposal and countless others. The bill enjoyed such broad support because of the hard work that went into finding compromises that not only would work for the communities in and around the Gunnison Basin but are critical to their future. The resulting legislation includes several different kinds of enhanced protections for existing national public lands, from special management areas to wildlife conservation areas, recreation management areas and wilderness that allow for a great many uses.
Previous Republican members of Congress who served the district also recognized the importance of protecting public lands. Former Rep. Scott Tipton has the Hermosa Creek Wilderness and Chimney Rock National Monument to his credit, and former Rep. Scott McInnis was instrumental in the establishment of three national conservation areas and numerous wilderness areas on the Western Slope.
Supporting Colorado communities in their desire for more public lands protections is commendable. Our sincere thanks go out to the many Coloradans in Gunnison County and across the state whose work resulted in the GORP Act. Bennet deserves a lot of credit for his tireless dedication to this effort, and Hurd for introducing and leading it in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Jim Ramey is the Colorado state director for The Wilderness Society based in Grand Junction.
