Bipartisan Bill Waives Colorado State Park Fees for Ute Tribe Members

A bipartisan bill waives Colorado State Park Entry fees for Ute Tribal members, a section of the Animas River Trail is closed for improvements, the annual Southwestern Water Conservation Seminar is coming up, and 4CORE and Shaw Solar will select recipients for Project Sun Share. You're watching the Local News Network, brought to you by San Juan Regional Medical Center and MNR Plumbing. I'm Sadie Smith. The Colorado House Agriculture Water and Natural Resources Committee passed bipartisan legislation to waive Colorado State Park entry fees for Ute tribal members. HB.25-1163 would waive entry fees to all Colorado State parks for enrolled tribal members of the Southern Ute Indian and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribes. Durango Democratic representative Katie Stewart says, "The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe were the original stewards of the land in our state parks long before Colorado was a state. This bill ensures Ute Tribal members can enter state parks for free." The bill is supported by Ute tribal leaders, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. The bill was introduced February 3rd and now awaits passage in the Colorado House and Senate. A section of the Animas River Trail will be closed from March 3rd through October for improvements. The closure spans from the DoubleTree Hotel to Santa Rita Park. A detour, identified with arrows and signs, takes trail users from West College Drive to Santa Rita Park for the eight month period. The project will replace deteriorating asphalt with a new concrete path and will install new railings and trail lights. The project will realign the blind corner underneath the US Highway 160 bridge to improve safety. A new portage trail will also be included above the Whitewater Park to allow rafters to exit before the Smelter Rapids. The improvements will enhance user safety, improve drainage, and provide a better design for trail users. Southwestern Water Conservation District's 41st annual seminar, Water Reimagined: Strategies for a Changing World, will be held March 28th at Sky Casino from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The seminar will address key water management issues, including the role of artificial intelligence and big data, and will feature panels on innovative drought management, the rising influence of women in water leadership, and groundbreaking partnerships in water conservation and infrastructure projects. Registration is $60. Breakfast and lunch are included. 4CORE and Shaw Solar will hold a lottery this month to select participants for Project Sun Share, a new initiative to make rooftop solar affordable for income qualified homeowners who work in southwest Colorado. Shaw Solar donated solar panels to provide power to 20 to 25 homes. Meanwhile, 4CORE will manage community donations to secure additional funding and will vet the application and income verification process. The enterprise is designed to lower energy bills, increase energy independence, and promote clean energy that's affordable for income qualified families. To learn more, visit 4CORE's website. Learn more about these and other stories online at durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Roundup, I'm Sadie Smith.