Public lands - Rocky Mountain Voice

Montrose Commissioner Pond: Why I’m Drawing the Line and Standing Against Federal Land Grabs

The views expressed here are my own and do not represent an official action or position of the Montrose Board of County Commissioners.

I was appointed to represent the people of District 3 in Montrose County, and I took an oath to uphold the Constitution. That includes defending our land, our rights, and our way of life here in Western Colorado.

In recent months, there’s been a coordinated push to place more of Colorado under federal control. We already fought back against the proposed Dolores National Monument, a 500,000-acre land grab, and we won.

Then came a 68,000 acre National Conservation Area proposal in Mesa and Montrose Counties. We stood our ground again and stopped it.

But now we’re facing two more massive federal designations.

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Gabel: State land board pick once cheered eco-terrorism—now she could control 2.8M acres

denvergazette.com, Approved, State / May 27, 2025 / Environmental Extremism, Governor Jared Polis, Land Management, Nicole Rosmarino, Public lands, State Land Board, Wildlife Policy

Much of the land around Vail that is now developed as resorts, ski slopes, and golf courses first belonged to sheep ranchers with Greek roots. By the 1960s, development was pushing them out of the valley and activists were bemoaning the negative effect on wildlife that took place when livestock grazing was replaced by progress.

In 1998, Vail Resorts was on the cusp of developing 2,2oo acres of backcountry. The plan riled activists, especially those devoted to preserving the habitats of elk and Canada Lynx that thrived before development came to town.

Members of the radical Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and the now-defunct Rocky Mountain Animal Defense (RMAD) marched and chanted through Vail with police on their tails, wielding decibel meters. According to 1998 reporting by Alex Markels, RMAD activists spotted a woman emerging from a fur salon wearing a mink coat, and an altercation ensued. An RMAD member told the woman, “You’d look a lot sexier without 65 dead animals on your back!”

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Colorado Democrats lead federal bill to revitalize Colorado public lands

State, Approved, The Center Square, Top Stories / March 10, 2025 / 119th Congress, Public lands

Three U.S. congressmen from Colorado have reintroduced the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, which combines four previously introduced Colorado public land bills into one piece of legislation.

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6% of Colorado land is supposed to be protected by conservation easements. But who enforces them?

Approved, State, The Colorado Sun / March 4, 2025 / Public lands

The landscape of sprawling pastures dotted with ponderosa pines and towering square buttes that bridges Interstate 25 south of Castle Rock and north of Monument is vast, quiet and largely undeveloped.

6% of Colorado land is supposed to be protected by conservation easements. But who enforces them? Read More »

Old laws impede energy transition efforts on public lands

Approved, Law Week Colorado, State / February 28, 2025 / Public lands

The transition to renewable energy is a major focus of the state of Colorado and a number of states across the country, but as Tommy Beaudreau explained to a full classroom at the University of Colorado Law School and around 150 online attendees, the work to complete it isn’t completely straightforward.

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife acquires 120 acres for new wildlife management area

Approved, CBS Colorado, State / February 17, 2025 / CPW, Public lands

In an effort to conserve wildlife and increase opportunities for hunters and anglers, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is creating a new wildlife area along Michigan Creek.

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