Colorado counties, in close coordination with businesses, recreation groups, sportsmen, and conservationists, helped write each element of the CORE Act over the last decade.
The CORE Act combines four previously introduced Colorado public land bills, which have been developed over the past decade. Of the land protected by the bill, 71,000 acres are designated as new wilderness, and nearly 80,000 acres are designated as new recreation and conservation management areas that preserve existing outdoor uses, such as hiking and mountain biking. The bill also designates the Sandy Treat Overlook and Tenmile Wilderness in the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument and establishes a permanent mineral withdrawal in areas important to ranchers and sportsmen in the Thompson Divide.
Four CORE Act Elements
Continental Divide Recreation and Wilderness Act
The Continental Divide Recreation and Wilderness Act establishes permanent protections for nearly 53,000 acres of wilderness, recreation, and conservation areas in the White River National Forest along Colorado’s Continental Divide.
This legislation was originally introduced in 2018 as the Continental Divide Recreation, Wilderness, and Camp Hale Legacy Act. In crafting the bill, Michael and then-Congressman Jared Polis collaborated with community leaders, veterans, and businesses in Eagle, Summit, and Grand Counties. President Biden designated part of the lands in the original legislation as the Camp Hale – Continental Divide National Monument. The CORE Act has been updated to reflect the newly designated monument.
Wilderness Areas (39,291 acres): The bill creates three new wilderness areas in the Tenmile Range, Hoosier Ridge, and Williams Fork Mountains and expands the existing Eagles Nest, Ptarmigan Peak, and Holy Cross wilderness areas.
Wildlife Conservation Areas (14,489 acres): The bill creates three new wildlife conservation areas.The Porcupine Gulch Wildlife Conservation Area would protect Colorado’s only migration corridor over Interstate 70 for elk, bear, mule deer, and other wildlife. The Williams Fork Wildlife Conservation Area would enhance wildlife habitat for the Greater Sage-grouse and other species. The Spraddle Creek Wildlife Conservation Area would protect critical winter range for bighorn sheep, elk, and deer north of I-70 near Vail.
Other Land Management: The bill addresses a number of management issues in specific areas along the Continental Divide, including adjusting wilderness boundaries around the Trail River Ranch in Rocky Mountain National Park to ensure ongoing access to the property for youth and community education programs.
San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act
The San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act provides permanent protections for nearly 61,000 acres of land located in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado. It designates some of the state’s most iconic peaks as wilderness, including two fourteeners: Mount Sneffels and Wilson Peak. The bill is the result of more than 10 years of collaboration among local leaders, businesses, and ranchers in San Miguel, San Juan, and Ouray Counties. It has passed out of both Senate and House committees with bipartisan support.
Wilderness: The bill designates 31,725 acres of new wilderness areas near Telluride, Norwood, Ouray, and Ridgway, and adds nearly 23,000 acres to the existing Lizard Head and Mount Sneffels Wilderness Areas. It also designates 8,884 acres surrounding McKenna Peak, an existing Wilderness Study Area, as a new wilderness area in San Miguel County.
Special Management: The bill designates 21,663 acres as the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area between the towns of Ophir and Silverton, which includes Hope Lake and Ice Lakes Basin. The bill also creates the 792-acre Liberty Bell East Special Management Area near Telluride.
Mineral Withdrawal: The bill establishes a 6,590-acre mineral withdrawal outside of Norwood at Naturita Canyon, prohibiting future mining and drilling for oil and gas in the canyon.
Nordic Skier Safety: The bill directs the Forest Service to study options to ensure safe access for Nordic skiing in the vicinity of the Sheep Mountain Special Management Area.
Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act
The Thompson Divide Withdrawal and Protection Act protects the Thompson Divide – one of Colorado’s most treasured landscapes – by withdrawing over 252,000 acres from future mineral development. The mineral withdrawal helps resolve two long-standing community concerns by protecting lands outside the Carbondale area from new oil and gas development and on Mt. Emmons from future molybdenum mining. . It also creates a pilot program to lease excess methane from nearby coal mines. Michael worked with ranchers, sportsmen, local energy companies, and elected officials to ensure the bill reflects the wishes of Gunnison, Pitkin, and Garfield Counties.
In April 2024, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland withdrew the Thompson Divide from the mining, mineral, and geothermal leasing laws for a 20-year period. The CORE Act would upgrade this administrative withdrawal to a permanent withdrawal, ensuring the long-term protection of the area.
Mineral Withdrawal: The bill permanently withdraws the federal mineral estate covered by 252,000 surface acres in the Thompson Divide near Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, and Crested Butte from future oil and gas and mining development while preserving existing private property rights for leaseholders and landowners. The proposed mineral withdrawal does not affect any private minerals that may be located within the boundary. It also provides the option for leaseholders to exchange existing Thompson Divide leases for credits that could be used to bid on new leases elsewhere.
Methane Leasing: Based on a request from Gunnison County, Garfield County, Delta County, and natural gas producers, the bill creates a pilot program to lease and generate energy from excess methane in existing or abandoned coal mines in the North Fork Valley—supporting the local economy and addressing climate change.
Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA) Boundary Establishment Act
The Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA) Boundary Establishment Act formally establishes the boundary for the Curecanti NRA. Although created in 1965, the boundary has never been designated by Congress, limiting the National Park Service’s ability to manage the area effectively. The bill improves coordination among land management agencies and ensures the Bureau of Reclamation upholds its commitment to expand public fishing access in the basin. Since 2011, Senator Bennet has worked closely with counties, federal agencies, landowners, and sportsmen to craft the bill.
Boundary Establishment: The bill formally establishes the boundary of the Curecanti National Recreation Area, currently one of only a handful of National Park Service (NPS) units without a formal designation by Congress.
Land Management: The bill improves the efficiency of public land management in the area by initiating a series of administrative jurisdiction changes—a step supported by all of the relevant land management agencies that will save taxpayer dollars. It also ensures Bureau of Reclamation jurisdiction over the three dams in the area which play an important role in the Colorado River. Lastly, the bill allows nearby landowners to voluntarily receive assistance from the NPS to conserve natural resources on their property.
Fishing Access: The bill ensures that the Bureau of Reclamation upholds its commitment to expand public fishing access in the basin, which was lost when the Aspinall Unit was created.
Frequently Asked Questions about the CORE Act
Does the CORE Act ban all motorized use on 420,000 acres in Colorado? Is it a 420,000 acre wilderness bill?
Does the CORE Act close roads or trails that are currently open to motorized use?
Will any groomed snowmobile trail networks be closed to usage?
Will the trail buffers (i.e., the distance between the new proposed wilderness boundaries and existing trails and roads) be adequate to maintain existing trails outside of the wilderness areas?
How were the areas proposed for designation under the bill chosen? Did you consult with the motorized community?
How has the CORE Act changed to reflect the newly created Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument?
Following the request of Senator Bennet, Senator Hickenlooper, and Congressman Neguse President Biden designated the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument using the Antiquities Act in October 2022.
Given the permanent protections afforded by the National Monument, the Camp Hale National Historic Landscape and Tenmile Recreation Area have been removed from the CORE Act. The CORE Act continues to contain provisions to designate the Tenmile Wilderness Area within the monument boundaries and name an overlook in honor of Sandy Treat, a 10th Mountain Division veteran who spent many years advocating for the protection of Camp Hale.
Given the 20-year administrative mineral withdrawal for Thompson Divide established in 2024, is the Thompson Divide title of the CORE Act still needed?
Why does the Thompson Divide include Mt. Emmons and areas near Crested Butte?
Are the areas being designated in this bill places that Congress previously removed for consideration as wilderness?
No. Congress has not removed any acreage in this bill from consideration for wilderness. While some have inaccurately pointed to the 1980 Colorado Wilderness Bill as precluding future wilderness designations, Colorado Senator Will Armstrong (R) noted at the time that the roadless review language used in section 107 of that bill does not mean the opportunity for wilderness designation would be foreclosed in the future. This sentiment was enshrined on page 23 of the Committee Report for the 1980 Colorado Wilderness Bill, which stated: “The decision to not designate these areas as wilderness is made on the basis of the circumstances and information presented to the Committee and is not irreversible. The Committee expects that the Forest Service, under established laws, regulations, and policies, will continue to examine the full range of management options in the preparation and revision of management plans for these areas. If the Forest Service determines in the future that circumstances warrant the designation of these areas as wilderness, new recommendations may be made to Congress” and “[t]he language of section 5 does not prescribe any particular type of management for the lands involved…” Congress has designated a number of new wilderness areas in Colorado since 1980.
Does this bill prohibit grazing in the newly designated areas?
Does this bill limit the Forest Service’s ability to manage our forests or fight wildfires?
Are water rights protected in this legislation?
Yes, the bill protects existing water rights. The bill includes “headwaters language” to protect any water rights, water resources, or facilities that exist in areas designated as wilderness by the bill. The headwaters language was first used in the 1993 Colorado Wilderness Act. At the request of water community leaders, Congress has included the headwaters language in every Colorado wilderness designation bill passed since 1993, including the Hermosa Creek Watershed Protection Act in 2014. Similarly, the special management areas would protect water rights.
The bill will significantly enhance key watersheds and the quality of water they provide to water users locally and across the state. The bill was developed in close consultation with and enjoys strong support from an array of water users and providers.