WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet released statements in support of their Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act alongside U.S. Representative Jeff Hurd, which received its first committee hearing. The GORP Act would protect over 730,000 acres of public lands in western Colorado, safeguarding the region’s local economy, world-class recreation, ranching heritage, wildlife habitat, and clean air and water.
“The Gunnison Basin’s sprawling landscapes and breathtaking scenery are a gem of the West,” said Hickenlooper. “Let’s protect these lands for generations to come.”
“Over a decade ago, I stood on the banks of the Slate River in the Gunnison Basin and promised the local community that if they could agree on a shared vision to protect this landscape, I would carry a bill to help make that vision a reality, and they did…These conversations reflect a broad vision for the landscape, bipartisan agreement on common sense solutions, and ultimately strong support for the Gunnison Outdoor Resource Protection Act, or as we call it, the GORP Act,” said Bennet.
The lawmakers have worked with seven counties in Central and Western Colorado, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, local municipalities, local businesses, and public lands users from dirt bikers to ranchers and conservationists to develop this bill. Provisions in the bill specify that the land would be protected through a variety of land management tools, focused on recreation, wildlife, scientific research, and conservation. The bill also includes provisions for recreational boating in Delta County and, at the request of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, transfers the Pinecrest Ranch from fee ownership to trust ownership.
Hickenlooper and Bennet first introduced the GORP Act in 2024 and reintroduced this legislation in 2025. U.S. Representative Jeff Hurd introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives in 2025.
Hickenlooper has fought to protect Colorado’s public lands and has been outspoken against the Trump administration’s attacks on them. In April, he led a group of Western senators in introducing an amendment to the budget bill to protect public lands from being sold to pay for Republicans’ tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy.
The full bill is available HERE. Maps of the areas included in the bill are HERE. A summary of the bill is available HERE.
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