GORP Act to Threaten 730,000 Acres of Public Land in western Colorado

Oct 28, 2025

The GORP Act will severely restrict recreation opportunities in the Gunnison Basin of western Colorado. BRC opposes the bill as it violates the multiple-use mandate, reduces local management of public lands and harms communities. Urge your representatives to oppose the bill via the form below.

Why you should submit here, even if you already have elsewhere!

We keep them honest. If everyone only comments through the government/agency site, we have to take their word on how many comments were received. By submitting through BRC, we create an independent record of our community’s response that can’t be buried or under-reported.

We protect your voice. If this fight ends up in court, having our own record of submitted comments means we don’t have to wait a year or more for a government agency to turn over documents. We can move quickly with proof that thousands of you spoke up.
We keep you in the loop. When you comment through our site, we can send you updates on what comes next. If you only use the government/agency site, you’re depending on them to tell you what happens next — and they won’t.

Double coverage matters. Even if you’ve already commented through the government/agency site, submitting through ours makes your voice count twice — once in their system, and once in ours. That way they know the OHV community is watching and tracking every move.

For years, BRC has been trusted to run action alerts like this. Thousands of members and supporters have used this system effectively to defend access to public lands. This isn’t about collecting your info — it’s about building the strongest, most transparent record possible to hold agencies accountable.

Why you should submit here, even if you already have elsewhere!

We keep them honest. If everyone only comments through the government/agency site, we have to take their word on how many comments were received. By submitting through BRC, we create an independent record of our community’s response that can’t be buried or under-reported.

We protect your voice. If this fight ends up in court, having our own record of submitted comments means we don’t have to wait a year or more for a government agency to turn over documents. We can move quickly with proof that thousands of you spoke up.

We keep you in the loop. When you comment through our site, we can send you updates on what comes next. If you only use the government/agency site, you’re depending on them to tell you what happens next — and they won’t.

Double coverage matters. Even if you’ve already commented through the government/agency site, submitting through ours makes your voice count twice — once in their system, and once in ours. That way they know the OHV community is watching and tracking every move.

For years, BRC has been trusted to run action alerts like this. Thousands of members and supporters have used this system effectively to defend access to public lands. This isn’t about collecting your info — it’s about building the strongest, most transparent record possible to hold agencies accountable.

In May 2025, Senator Michael Bennet introduced the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection (GORP) Act of 2025, a bill that would permanently restrict multiple-use activities across large portions of the Gunnison Basin in western Colorado. While the bill is framed as a conservation measure, the BlueRibbon Coalition opposes the GORP Act because it undermines balanced land management, economic opportunity, and local decision-making and it will prevent the public from accessing their public lands.

The GORP Act creates new federal land designations in the Gunnison Basin:

Protection Areas: 20,542 acres
Recreation Management Areas: 18,247 acres
Rocky Mountain Scientific Research and Education Areas: 12,250 acres
Special Management Areas: 214,650 acres
Wilderness: 122,902 acres
Wildlife Conservation Areas: 223,865 acres

Parts of the Uncompahgre National Forest, pictured here, will be affected

While Wilderness designations are the most restrictive form of designation we see on public lands, the other designations proposed are usually managed as de-facto wilderness. Even recreation management areas have been used to only allow certain types of recreation and have limited motorized use and access on our public lands.

Why BlueRibbon Coalition opposes the GORP Act:

It hurts local economies. The Gunnison Basin depends on a diverse mix of industries including recreation, ranching, tourism, energy, and resource development. By shutting down new leases and mining claims, the bill cuts off future revenues, jobs, and opportunities. It may also create new burdens for recreation-based businesses if access or use is restricted.
It violates the multiple-use mandate. Public lands are required by law to be managed for a balance of uses including recreation, grazing, forestry, energy development, and conservation. The GORP Act tilts management almost entirely toward preservation and removes flexibility for science-based, adaptive decisions.
It reduces local control. Once Congress imposes permanent restrictions, local communities lose the ability to adjust management if conditions or priorities change.
It sets a harmful precedent. If passed, the GORP Act could be used as a model to impose similar restrictions in other states, threatening access and multiple use across the West.

BlueRibbon Coalition supports responsible, balanced management of public lands that protects natural resources while allowing diverse uses including recreation, grazing, forestry, and energy development. The GORP Act fails this test. We urge members of Congress to oppose this legislation. Use the tool below to send a message to your representatives encouraging them to oppose this legislation.

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