Congressman Scott Tipton, whose district includes the Roaring Fork Valley, released a draft proposal Wednesday that would designate new wilderness in Colorado. It does not include protections for key areas on the Western Slope.
Tipton’s draft legislation would designate new wilderness in the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests. It has some similarities to the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act, which was introduced by Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse, but Tipton’s proposal does not include protections for the Thompson Divide outside of Carbondale, or Camp Hale, near Leadville.
Members of the Thompson Divide Coalition, which formed to prevent oil and gas exploration in the area, released a statement asking Tipton to support the broader protections in the CORE Act. That legislation passed through the House Natural Resources Committee late last month.
