Three members of Colorado’s congressional delegation have introduced the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act, which is designed to protect over 400,000 acres of public land.

Rep. Joe Neguse, Sen. John Hickenlooper and Sen. Michael Bennet introduced the bill in both chambers of Congress at the end of January.

“From a first-of-its-kind National Historic Landscape designation for Camp Hale … to protections for our iconic San Juan Mountains, the CORE Act was crafted night after night by Coloradans who came together to do something special for the next generation,” Bennet said in a news release. “Our state has waited long enough. Congressman Neguse and I are excited to be joined by Senator Hickenlooper in this effort – and I’m looking forward to pushing the CORE Act across the finish line.”

The bill combines four previous pieces of legislation to add 73,000 acres to designated wilderness and another 80,000 new acres for recreation and conservation. The CORE Act previously passed the House of Representatives in 2019 with bipartisan support.