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DENVER, CO – The House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee today passed legislation to strengthen local fence construction laws in the San Luis Valley. HB25-1023 passed committee by a vote of 11-2.
“To protect our environment and the Colorado Way of life in the San Luis Valley, we need to boost local control surrounding fence construction,” said Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista. “When I visited the newly constructed fence in my community, I was appalled by the negative impact on our environment. Many San Luis Valley residents have land rights beyond the fence dating back to before Colorado’s statehood. This bill will require individuals to submit an application before construction to prioritize local voices and environmental protections.”
“Communities in the San Luis Valley have long had the legal right to access lands they held before Colorado became a state, but a massive, private fence now encircles this property, preventing access and harming the environment,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “This bill would prevent further ecological damage and ensure access for animal grazing while making sure that Coloradans and their livestock can still traverse the land their families have called home for generations.”
HB25-1023 would require individuals to submit an application to local government officials before constructing or installing a contiguous fence of a certain size in the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant lands. The bill would make local governments responsible for determining if the benefits of a fencing project outweigh the harms. Additionally, local governments may pass an ordinance or resolution opting out of these requirements altogether.
Recent fence construction on one of the Sangre de Cristo land grant properties has caused environmental damage, including land erosion and limiting wildlife movement, and kept out local residents with legal access to the land grant. This bill takes aim at future, unauthorized fencing construction projects to protect the natural habitats in the San Luis Valley.