Members of Colorado’s congressional delegation unveiled a compromise bill today to protect 250,000 acres of Rocky Mountain National Park as wilderness, while assuring the water rights of the Grand River Ditch and allowing a possible new bike trail.
“This bill constitutes a fair and complete proposal that reflects the legitimate needs of the public,” Rep. Mark Udall, an Eldorado Springs Democrat, said in a statement.
Efforts to protect the national park – the most popular in the state – erupted in partisan sparring last fall as competing Democratic and Republican bills were filed.
The Republican bill by Sen. Wayne Allard and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave of Fort Morgan was filed after one, supported by Udall, was offered by Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar.
The competing bills stalled action on the park’s protection.
Under the compromise bill, presented by the four legislators:
* A total of 249,339 acres in the park will be designated wilderness.
* There will guarantee that the park’s back country will be managed so future generations experience the park as is today.
* The National Park Service will be allowed to continue bark beetle and fire mitigation efforts as well as emergency response actions.
* The wilderness designation will not affect water rights connected to the Colorado Big Thompson Project know as the Grand River Ditch.
* Construction of a bike trail near Grand Lake would be allowed.
