The Colorado Lottery will deliver a $57 million jackpot to protect more than 138,000 acres of land in the state for future generations, Gov. Bill Ritter said today.
The money, in the form of Legacy Grants drawn from lottery proceeds, will sponsor 15 projects to expand urban greenbelts, provide wildlife habitat and scenic views.
Land trusts, local governments and state agencies partnered to win the grants from Great Outdoors Colorado, which receives half the proceeds from the Colorado Lottery.
“The investments in our natural assets by the GOCO board are not just good for the assets themselves, but they are good for our citizens and our economy,” Ritter said.
The money will provide additional dollars to nine projects that previously received GOCO grants, along with six new initiatives.
“We are very excited to be able to help start six new efforts, all centered around one of the state’s most valuable assets — rivers,” said GOCO board chairwoman and former state Sen. Norma Anderson.
The new corridors funded, and the amount each will receive are the Northeast Greenway project, sponsored by Adams County $5.25 million; the South Platte Greenway project, sponsored by Arapahoe County, $5.25 million; the Fountain Creek corridor in El Paso, Pueblo, Lincoln and Crowley counties, $4.75 million; the Rio Grande River corridor in the San Luis Valley, $7.38 million; the Crystal watershed in Pitkin, Garfield and Gunnison counties, $5 million; and the Upper San Juan watershed in Archuleta and Mineral counties, $4.15 million.
