On June 10, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet took a three-day trip down the Dolores River, meeting with county commissioners, tribal members, ranchers, and other members of the community.
“My time on the Dolores River only made me more grateful for the leadership of the county commissioners, Tribal members, conservationists, ranchers, small business owners, and recreationists who came together to write a bill that protects the River for everyone who lives, works, and depends on it,” Bennet stated in an emailed response to The Journal. “I share the profound responsibility they feel to make sure in 100 years, our kids and grandkids are still going to have the Dolores River.”
Bennet floated down the Ponderosa Gulch section of the Dolores River, and “ the last few miles of the San Miguel River into the confluence with the Dolores River,” Bennet’s secretary stated. He also saw the Hanging Flume.
Bennet reintroduced the Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act in March. This bill would “protect over 68,000 acres of public lands in Southwest Colorado,” a news release from last week said.
“The collaboration, negotiation, and compromise that underlies this bill should be a model for the entire American West as we wrestle with this 1,200 year drought,” Bennet said.
Coloradans who depend on the Dolores River wrote the bill to help protect the river for all, and ensure generations to come can enjoy the river like they have.
The Dolores River National Conservation Area and Special Management Area Act calls for a 75-mile-long section of the canyon that stretches from McPhee Dam to Big Gypsum Valley, located on Bureau of Land Management land to be designated a National Conservation Area.
Part of the San Juan National Forest that sits downstream of the dam would receive a special management area designation.
The bill has received support from U.S. Reps. Lauren Boebert, Ken Buck, and Doug Lamborn, all Republicans from Colorado.
Environmental groups, counties, recreationists, and ranchers also support this bill. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has expressed support in the past.
“The NCA legislation protects our Dolores Project allocations by legislatively resolving the conflicting authorities of the Bureau of Reclamation to manage McPhee Reservoir allocations and Forest Service/BLM authorities below McPhee Reservoir,” stated Tribal Chairman Manuel Heart.
The bill also bans new mining, oil and gas leases, dams, roads, and commercial timber cutting, while protecting existing leases and rights.
This bill would not impact public access to the river, or change water rights. The public would still be free to continue using the river recreationally, including boating.
The bipartisan bill was originally introduced in the 117th Congress in July of last year, but died in August. The bill was reintroduced in March to the 118th Congress, and Sen. Bennet hopes it gets a hearing soon.
