Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper reintroduced the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act to permanently protect key portions of the Gunnison Basin and the surrounding regions through a variety of public land management tools, including special designations focused on recreation, wildlife, scientific research, and conservation. U.S. Colorado Representative Jeff Hurd introduced companion legislation in the House. Colorado Public Lands Day is Saturday, May 17th. Colorado was the first state to create a holiday for public land, demonstrating the deep connection Coloradans have to their public lands that define life in Colorado and drive our economy.
The bill is based on over a decade of collaboration with local governments, Tribes, and public lands user groups. It has the bipartisan support of six counties in Western Colorado, as well as the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and local municipalities. A wide variety of local businesses and public lands user groups, including summer and winter motorized recreation, conservation, mountain biking, whitewater recreation, rock climbers, ranchers, water users, and hunters and anglers, also support the bill.
“Coloradans have spent over a decade at trailheads and kitchen tables to find common ground and protect Gunnison County’s spectacular landscapes, economy, and natural resources,” said Bennet. “This bill proves that people with wide-ranging interests can develop a common vision to preserve our public lands for future generations.”
“Honored to lead the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act alongside Senator Bennet,” said Hurd. “This legislation reflects strong local support for the responsible stewardship of our land.”
“Adventurers across Colorado and the country come to the Gunnison Basin for its rugged canyons and untamed wilderness,” said Hickenlooper. “Protecting these additional 730,000 acres will help keep it that way for generations.”
“Land is very important to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and throughout history we have lost a lot of land that has been taken from the tribe unjustly,” said Manuel Heart, Chairman Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. “To get land back for the tribe by putting it into Trust status as this legislation does, is important to the tribe’s children and grandchildren. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe appreciates Senator Bennet’s work on the GORP Act, supports the legislation and hopes it will move forward quickly in the US Senate. We deeply appreciate the support of Congressman Hurd for introducing this important legislation in the US House.”
“Colorado’s great outdoors are known around the world and this bill marks a valuable step in the protection and management of the incredible Gunnison Basin for future generations of Coloradans and visitors,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis. “I appreciate Senator Bennet’s and Congressman Hurd’s leadership on this issue and look forward to continuing to engage on this bill with them as it moves forward.”
“As a former resident of the Gunnison Valley and Western Colorado University graduate, I am intimately aware of the importance public lands, wildlife and outdoor recreation are to local communities’ economy and environment,” said Dan Gibbs, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources. “Our forests, water, wildlife and open spaces are some of our most precious natural resources and outdoor recreation drives visitors and residents to our state to enjoy our diverse opportunities. I commend Senator Bennet, Representative Hurd and the many diverse stakeholders on developing the locally driven Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act. I look forward to working alongside all interested parties as this legislation makes its way through the U.S. Congress.”
“The GORP Act is the product of the way we do business in Gunnison County: We sit down with our friends and neighbors and do the hard work of finding common ground and durable solutions that best serve our communities. Public Lands touch every aspect of our lives and are the backbone of our economy, our values and our way of life. I am proud of the work we have done to bring so many stakeholders- snowmobilers, ranchers, mountain bikers, hunters/anglers and conservationists to name a few- together,” said Jonathan Houck, Gunnison County Commissioner. “While GORP started in Gunnison County, I couldn’t be happier to stand with five neighboring Western Slope counties in support of this legislation, and I thank Senator Bennet for listening to our communities and to Congressman Hurd for supporting the hard work of his constituents in this part of his district.”
“Delta County is glad to have worked with Senator Bennet and Representative Hurd on the GORP Act,” said the Delta County Commissioners. “Its provisions for Delta County will provide public access to a boat ramp, ensure that the BLM can continue to permit existing motorized boat use, and bring forward a thoughtful balance of uses on public lands in the North Fork Valley. This legislation shows what’s possible when we roll up our sleeves and work together.”
“The Saguache County Board of Commissioners are pleased to support the introduction of Senator Bennet’s Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act (GORP), and eagerly anticipate the passing of this legislation,” said the Saguache County Commissioners. “We appreciate the multiple years the many stakeholders have committed to this project. We also want to thank Representative Hurd for joining the effort to lead this bill in the US House. ”
“Pitkin County remains a strong supporter of public lands, and we believe in thoughtfully designating new Wilderness areas in sensitive landscapes, where it is appropriate,” said Greg Poschman, Pitkin County Commissioner. “I am deeply grateful for the dedication to their constituents and for the bold work of both Senator Bennet and Representative Hurd, as demonstrated by their advocacy for the GORP Act. We look forward to celebrating the ultimate success of two important new Wilderness designations in Colorado’s wild and pristine high country.”
“Hinsdale County was proud to have collaborated with Senator Bennet, Gunnison County and Ouray County on the GORP Act,” said Kristie Borchers, Chair, Hinsdale County Board of County Commissioners. “We are excited that a key portion of the scenic Cimarron area where Hinsdale, Ouray and Gunnison County come together will be protected by this legislation. This bill will help protect our watersheds and the landscapes that attract the visitors who help drive our mountain town economies in the San Juan Mountains. We look forward to seeing the GORP Act move forward in Congress and we are excited to see Congressman Hurd introduce a companion version of this bill in the US House. The support on the ground for GORP is bipartisan and it’s great to see the bill have bipartisan support in Washington DC as well.”
“The GORP Act sets the bar for collaborative and beneficial legislation,” said Lynn Padgett, Ouray County Board of County Commissioners. “I am forever grateful to Senator Bennet and his team and stakeholders like Gunnison, Hinsdale, and Ouray Counties for enthusiastically working together to include the proposed Uncompahgre Wilderness expansion and especially for protecting Turret Ridge. The peaks of the Cimarron range are unique in their scenery and geology. The GORP Act not only protects important migration areas for elk and key habitats for lynx and moose. The GORP Act protects our precious wildlands, vital to our local economy and quality of life. We deeply appreciate that Representative Hurd has now joined the effort to pass this bill in the US House.”
“As Mayor of Crested Butte I am beyond excited to see GORP being introduced as bipartisan legislation,” said Ian Billick, Mayor Crested Butte. “This is a testament to the community conversation shepherded by Senator Bennet, as well as his foresight and hard work. Serious kudos to Representative Jeff Hurd for stepping up to support this bill, making it clear that when local communities invest their blood, sweat, and tears in working through hard conversations, in this instance for more than 10 years, bipartisan progress is possible! Working together we can make good things happen.”
“Our groups have worked for nearly a decade to craft a vision for public lands in and around Gunnison County that will benefit our economy, environment, and quality of life into the future,” said members of the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative in a joint statement. “The GORP Act reflects the countless hours we spent working together and with communities around the Gunnison Basin. We are eager to see this thoughtful and well-vetted legislation signed into law.”
The bill is supported by: Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Gunnison County, Delta County, Hinsdale County, Saguache County*, Pitkin County, Ouray County, Town of Crested Butte, City of Gunnison, Town of Mt. Crested Butte, Town of Paonia, Town of Ridgway, Gunnison County Stockgrowers Association, Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association, Gunnison Trails, High Country Conservation Advocates, Gunnison Valley OHV Alliance of Trail Riders (GOATs), The Wilderness Society, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, Trout Unlimited, Gunnison Sno-Trackers, Gunnison Sustainable Tourism Outdoor Recreation Committee, American Whitewater, Wilderness Workshop, Western Slope Conservation Center, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, The Conservation Alliance, The Access Fund, Colorado Wildlands Project, Western State Ranches, Conservation Lands Foundation, and others.
* Supports applies only to the portion of the bill in their county
Background
The GORP Act will protect over 730,000 acres of public lands in Western Colorado, safeguarding the region’s local economy, world-class recreation, ranching heritage, wildlife habitat, and clean air and water. The bill also includes provisions for recreational boating in Delta County and, at the request of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, transfers the Pinecrest Ranch from fee ownership to trust ownership.
Senator Bennet drafted the GORP Act at the request of Gunnison County and based on a proposal from the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative. The bill also reflects the input from surrounding counties and feedback Senator Bennet received during a public comment period held in 2022. Bennet and Hickenlooper first introduced the GORP Act in 2024.
The text of the bill is available HERE. Maps of the areas designated by the bill are HERE. A summary of the bill is HERE. You can find additional information, including support letters and answers to frequently asked questions on the GORP Act website HERE.