GORP Act is ‘good for the landscapes’

Editor,

It was great news to see that the GORP Act received its first hearing in the U.S. Senate, with Colorado congressmen, Jeff Hurd and Joe Neguse, alongside U.S. Senators  Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper,  united in support of passing this historic public lands legislation. 

I appreciate that Senator Bennet showed up to testify before the committee and spoke to the impressive and broad-based support that has rallied behind this locally-derived conservation vision for the Gunnison Basin. This support includes seven counties with both Republican and Democratic controlled county commissions along with town governments, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Council, more than 100 local businesses, and dozens of organizations from across the region.  

Most importantly, the GORP Act is good for the landscapes and natural systems that we all rely on. It protects access, existing agricultural practices, promotes recreation, and secures protections for the wildlife and outdoor resources that make the Gunnison Basin great - all recognized in the GORP Act and by the bill’s sponsors. The GORP Act has received scrutiny for "limiting public land access"; however, I urge those critics to read the legislation's land designation descriptions closely. I also urge people to take a look at which businesses, organizations, and community members support the act. This act and its goals have been a collaborative effort with community members across political boundaries for almost a decade, and decisions were made very carefully to accommodate community interests, tourism, wildfire management, and economic values, to name a few concerns. 

As a fly fishing guide and outdoor enthusiast, I see these designations as a way to keep the areas we love to recreate in designated that way, and to prevent them from being used for extractive and environmentally degrading activities such as mining. We already have amazing access to fishing spots within wilderness, beloved motorized trails, and historical ranching areas still in use. This act will protect those areas from oil and mining activities, while not affecting valid, existing claims and leases within them.

The GORP Act is a reminder that when communities come together around shared values, meaningful conservation is possible. I encourage everyone to thank our elected leaders for their bipartisan leadership and urge them to keep working until this landmark legislation becomes law.

Join me in supporting the GORP Act.

Ema Muslic