As the owner of RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service, I agree with Osprey Pack’s Layne Rigney that the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act is legislation whose time has come (“
Like Osprey, which established its base in Southwest Colorado for the area’s quality of life and access to spectacular lands, we founded our fly fishing and outdoor adventure business in Ridgway in 2001 to be close to Colorado’s gold-medal trout fishing lakes and streams and unparalleled rivers. In fact, RIGS received the first permit for guided fly fishing and rafting on the Uncompahgre River in 2002.
Without access to these stellar public lands, businesses like ours would not exist. In Southwest Colorado alone, outdoor recreation contributed $10.2 million to our economy and more than 53,000 jobs in 2017, according to a Colorado Parks and Wildlife report.
Among the 400,000 acres of cherished lands that the CORE Act will permanently protect are places like Mt. Sneffels, in our backyard. It will safeguard headwaters, local streams and trout fishing opportunities that are enjoyed by anglers from around the world.
Passage of this overwhelmingly popular legislation will ensure that future generations of Coloradans and visitors will continue to relish our remarkable outdoor recreation experiences.
We urge Sen. Cory Gardner and Colorado’s congressional members to join bill sponsors Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse in support of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act.
Tim Patterson
Ridgway
