Frisch Announces Support for Proposed GORP Act
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO - Western Slope businessman Adam Frisch, candidate for Colorado's 3rd Congressional District, announced his support for new public lands legislation aimed at protecting key portions of the Gunnison Basin and the surrounding regions today.
“Colorado’s amazing public lands are a common denominator in why so many of
us live, work and raise our families in Western and Southern Colorado, and are a
key driver for our economy and our outdoor way of life. This locally-driven
proposal has support and buy-in from the people on the ground, which is my
number one criteria when evaluating any legislation,” Frisch said. “The GORP Act
has bipartisan support from Gunnison, Delta, Hinsdale and Saguache Counties,
local businesses, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and groups ranging from water
users, farmers, ranchers, hunters, and anglers. This is a great example of what
good public lands legislation should look like: a common sense, locally-driven
compromise that brings diverse groups of people together while supporting our
ag economy, keeping our forests healthy, protecting existing water rights, and
taking into account the needs and interests of the people it will impact the most.”
The Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act was developed through a decade of collaboration with local governments and public land users, and is based on a consensus 2019 proposal developed by the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative, a working group formed by Gunnison County that includes summer and winter motorized use, mountain bikers, conservation groups, water users, ranchers, hunters and anglers.
Supporters of the GORP Act
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Gunnison County, Delta County, Hinsdale County, Saguache County, Gunnison County Stockgrowers Association, Gunnison Valley OHV Alliance of Trail Riders (GOATs), Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, Gunnison Sno-Trackers,, Western State Ranches, and others.
Water Protections
The GORP Act is designed to protect critical headwaters for the Gunnison Basin and the Colorado River. It also includes specific provisions that apply to all of the special designation areas to ensure that the use and allocation of water rights are not affected. It also provides for continued access to, and the use, operation, and maintenance of, water resource facilities like irrigation canals.
Agriculture/Grazing
The legislation includes special language to ensure that ranchers will be able to continue their grazing operations within all of the proposed special designation areas.
Summer Motorized Use
The special designation areas in the bill do not close any roads or trails where summer motorized use currently is permitted by the federal land management agencies.
Wildfire Fighting and Hazardous Fuels Reduction
The GORP Act includes provisions ensuring that federal land managers continue to have discretion to fight wildfires within the proposed areas. The legislation includes provisions to account for wildfire risk and allow hazardous fuels reduction near communities.
