Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act

H.R. 1728 would protect approximately 420,000 acres of Colorado public land through various designations. The bill would establish roughly 73,000 acres of new wilderness areas and nearly 80,000 acres of recreation and conservation management areas that allow outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking, hunting, and fishing. The legislation would also create a Camp Hale National Historic Landscape to honor military heritage and would restrict new oil and gas development in areas important to ranchers and sportsmen, particularly in the Thompson Divide region.

The bill is designed to support Colorado's outdoor recreation economy while protecting natural resources and wildlife habitat. The protected lands span multiple regions including the Continental Divide, San Juan Mountains, and Thompson Divide, with areas in various national forests. The legislation would also formally establish the Curecanti National Recreation Area as an official unit of the National Park System.

This bill is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House. If enacted, it would require presidential signature to become law.