|
In a Denver Post op-ed, Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala makes the case that Colorado legislators should champion the proposed Dolores Canyons National Monument. The Dolores Canyons area is home to a rich ecosystem of plants and wildlife—including native fish, river otters, beavers, black bears, mountain lions, bighorn sheep, and songbirds. It is also a lifeline for the Southwestern United States, connecting to the Colorado River system and sustaining the lives of 40 million people. For over a decade, community leaders, conservationists, river guides, and local business leaders have attempted to preserve the Dolores River watershed, one of the largest contiguous landscapes in the state.
A bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert would designate the southern portion of the Dolores River corridor in Montezuma, Dolores, and San Miguel counties as a National Conservation Area and Special Management Area. However, the legislation leaves out the Dolores Canyons in Mesa and Montrose counties, an area that contains the largest and most biodiverse contiguous swath of unprotected public lands in Colorado. A national monument for the Dolores Canyons in the north would complement the proposed legislation in the south.
While passing the bill ought to be a no-brainer for congressional leaders, particularly those in the West, Colorado’s elected leaders have an opportunity to think bigger by asking President Biden to protect the Dolores Canyons area in Mesa and Montrose counties as a national monument. The proposed Dolores Canyons National Monument would be wildly popular among Colorado voters, according to a 2023 poll of Colorado voters that showed support from 84 percent of respondents, spanning the political spectrum and including 93 percent of Democrats, 85 percent of Independents, and 71 percent of Republicans.
“The creation of new monuments is about invigorating our natural heritage, transcending political divides, and ensuring outdoor spaces will be here for future generations to enjoy,” said Rokala in the op-ed. “President Biden has already designated five new national monuments since taking office, including the Camp Hale–Continental Divide National Monument. Yet Colorado and the rest of the West deserve more.”
|
The scientists are out there saying, ‘There’s a problem. We have a drought. The demand exceeds the supply. There’s going to be a day of reckoning.’ Here we are: The crisis has arrived.”
