Colorado Wilderness Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7425
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-02-09: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-05T15:30:44Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation This bill designates specific public lands in Colorado as wilderness areas, adding them to the National Wilderness Preservation System. It aims to protect these lands for their natural qualities while allowing certain existing uses.
Key Provisions
- Amends the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 to add 15 new wilderness areas and incorporate additions into existing ones, covering roughly 20,000 to 56,000 acres each (examples include Bull Gulch Wilderness, Castle Peak Wilderness, Redcloud Peak Wilderness, and Dolores River Canyon Wilderness).
- Designates 17 additional wilderness areas directly, such as Assignation Ridge Wilderness, Badger Creek Wilderness, and Browns Canyon Wilderness, totaling over 300,000 acres across Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service lands.
- Adds one area to the West Elk Wilderness (about 6,846 acres) with a boundary adjustment tied to Blue Mesa Reservoir water levels.
- Establishes rules for managing these areas under the Wilderness Act, including continued livestock grazing, state control over wildlife, no new buffer zones around the areas, and allowances for military helicopter training.
- Creates three "potential wilderness areas" (Deep Creek, Pisgah East, and Pisgah West) that convert to full wilderness status once certain non-wilderness uses end.
- Addresses water by protecting existing rights, allowing the government to secure stream flow rights through state processes, and barring new water development projects in the areas.
- Permits continued competitive running events in two specific areas and reasonable access to existing water facilities.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands the total wilderness acreage in Colorado by adding many new named areas and enlarging some existing ones.
- Introduces detailed procedures for water rights in the new areas, requiring coordination with the Colorado Water Conservation Board before federal action and allowing boundary changes for reservoir needs.
- Creates a process for potential wilderness to become permanent wilderness without further congressional action once conditions are met.
Potential Impacts
- Federal agencies like the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Reclamation must manage the designated lands under stricter wilderness rules, limiting new development.
- Citizens and users may face restrictions on motorized access and new construction in these areas, but existing grazing, water rights, and certain military and recreational activities continue.
- The State of Colorado retains authority over fish and wildlife and may participate in water rights enforcement.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal land management agencies responsible for day-to-day oversight.
- The State of Colorado, including its water board and land board.
- The Colorado Army National Guard for training activities.
- Private landowners and state-owned parcels inside the boundaries (if the U.S. acquires them).
- Ranchers, recreation groups, and local communities near the affected lands.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The bill follows the existing Wilderness Act framework without creating new protective zones or altering activities outside the boundaries.
- It avoids reserving new federal water rights and instead uses state law processes, with provisions to enforce rights if state actions fall short.
- Boundaries can be adjusted administratively for one reservoir, and maps filed with Congress have the force of law once corrected for minor errors.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-02-09: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
- 2026-02-09: Introduced in House
- 2026-02-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Colorado Wilderness Act of 2026 — issued 2026-02-09 — PDF (25 pages)