Bennet and Hickenlooper support the protection of Dolores

MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – Colorado’s Dolores River Canyon regions need to be “permanently protected,” and there is a way to do that in the future, U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper said in a joint statement.

The two Democratic senators said the following principles must be followed to protect the Dolores: management, fees, grazing, motorized travel and off-road vehicles, mountain biking, hunting and fishing, mining and water.

They said their decision was based on discussions and visits to the Northern Dolores Basin – located in Mesa, Montrose and San Miguel counties – over the past few months.

“Based on these conversations, it is clear that Coloradans care deeply about this landscape and many want to see it protected permanently. We also recognize that there are legitimate questions and further discussion is needed,” Hickenlooper and Bennet said in their statement. “We are committed to continuing to work with local leaders, public land users, affected counties and tribes to determine the best path forward.”

The senators gave some advice on how to protect Dolores.

They pointed out that management of the landscape should be the responsibility of the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service so that they can continue to manage federal lands.

Access to the Dolores area should be free, and the animal pasture should continue to operate and be managed in accordance with current regulations and laws, Bennet and Hickenlooper said.

They added that the Rimrocker Trail should remain accessible to motorized vehicles and that mountain biking should continue with the possibility of creating new trail facilities.

With respect to mining, the designations should protect all currently existing appropriate rights, the senators said.

Hunting and fishing should continue in the Dolores area, and any designation should protect existing water rights and not create federally reserved water rights, Bennet and Hickenlooper said.

The Protect the Dolores Coalition expressed its gratitude in a press release for the support of Colorado senators and for the time they spent studying the project.

The coalition hopes that permanent protection of the Dolores Mountains can be achieved by declaring them a national monument. The senators did not comment on declaring them a national monument in their statement.

“Western Slope community leaders, local elected officials, business owners and conservationists agree that now is the time to take swift conservation action to protect these incredible public lands as a national monument,” the coalition said. “Local stakeholders have been working for five decades to preserve the diverse wildlife, rich cultural and historical resources and extraordinary canyons and mesas of the Dolores Canyons.”

The Protect the Dolores Coalition isn’t the only group hoping to win the award. Several community leaders are urging Hickenlooper and Bennet to act soon.

“2024 is the year for decisive action to secure Dolores Canyons as Colorado’s next national monument. Grand Junction loves our national monuments and the economic opportunities they provide to Colorado’s communities. Leaders in Grand Junction and across Western Colorado are ready to roll up their sleeves and complete Dolores Canyons National Monument,” Grand Junction City Councilwoman Anna Stout said in a press release.

“I am grateful to Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper for their leadership, but I am also concerned that misinformation from bad actors and conservation opponents will slow momentum. An overwhelming majority of Coloradans support protecting these public lands. If we wait any longer, the Dolores Canyons will remain unprotected and open to industrial development.”

Not everyone is in favor of declaring Dolores a national monument. The Halt the Dolores movement has been vocal on the issue, saying that the proposed designation could lead to severe economic hardship for surrounding communities.

The movement believes the designation could end mining, restrict hunting and cattle grazing, and limit motorized travel and outdoor activities. However, Bennet and Hickenlooper’s statement suggested that none of these would be negatively impacted.

Jay Chancellor, Colorado campaign director for Trout Unlimited, believes a statewide award will have a positive impact on Dolores.

“We support designation as a national monument as the best way to protect fish and wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities on these public lands,” Chancellor said in a press release.