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Slideshow of Moffat County Claims

RS 2477 Timeline

1988. Interior Secretary Hodel developed a policy (never finalized) that allowed states to assert 2477 claims for cow paths, elk trails and even dogsled routes.

1994. Secretary Babbitt issued a moratorium on 2477 claims under the Hodel Policy and initiated a rulemaking process that would in a public forum determine standards for assessing claims (never finalized).

1996. Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) inserted language in the FY 1997 Omnibus Appropriations measure to thwart DOI's RS 2477 rulemaking process by putting a moratorium on any final regulation involving RS 2477 validity standards, unless specifically authorized by an Act of Congress.

According to Moffat County's map, a `constructed highway' goes straight up the cliff in this photo. Photo courtesy of Colorado Environmental Coalition

1996. DOI offered language to Congress setting appropriate standards for valid claims, federal decision-making authority, burden of proof for claims, and the appeal process. Congress declined to act.

January 2003. DOI finalizes a rule (known as the "disclaimer rule") facilitating disclaimers of interest, including 2477 claims. Conservationists claim that the rule violates the 1996 Stevens Rider prohibiting the passage of rules addressing 2477 claims without Congressional approval.

January 2003. Moffat County, CO asserts over 2,000 miles of RS 2477 claims which cross BLM Wilderness Study Areas (117 miles), Dinosaur National Monument (240 miles), Citizen Proposed Wilderness Areas (389 miles) and Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge (53 miles).

March 2003. DOI rescinds the BLM National Wilderness Handbook, and invalidates BLM Wilderness Study Areas created after 1993, resulting in the loss of interim protection to 600,000 acres of roadless BLM lands in Colorado.

April 2003. DOI and Utah craft a secret agreement that develops a process in Utah for the processing of 2477 claims using the disclaimer rule.

April 2003. Representative Udall (D-CO) introduces HR 1639 that offers a legislative fix to the RS 2477 debate.

April 20, 2003. The Denver Post publishes an editorial in favor of Udall's legislation.

May 15, 2003. Colorado Director of Natural Resources Greg Walcher writes DOI asking for a 2477 agreement for Colorado.

June/July 2003. Twenty-one environmental organizations, the National Wildlife Federation, Republicans for Environmental Protection, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Colorado Mountain Club, 28 west slope businesses, Rep. Diana DeGette and Rep. Mark Udallwrote Governor Owens in opposition to his 2477 proposal to DOI.

June 3, 2003. The Boulder Daily Camera editorializes.

June 4, 2003. The Denver Post Editorializes once again.

June 27, 2003. Grand Junction Sentinel editorialcalls for a public process, not a backroom deal, to address RS 2477 claims in Colorado.

July 2003. RS 2477 amendment passes House. Representative Udall introduces an amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill that proposes to bar funding for one year for the processing of RS 2477 claims using the newly revised disclaimer rule. The Republicans, fearing the amendment would pass, offered a second degree amendment that proposed to bar funds for the processing of RS 2477 claims using the newly revised disclaimer rule in National Parks, Monuments, Wildlife Refuges, Wilderness Areas, and Wilderness Study Areas. The amended amendment passed.

July 28, 2003. The Denver Post publishes a front page article on the issue. The Rocky Mountain News publishes a favorable editorial

Moffat County proposed highway G-70 consists of a hiking trail used by river rafters and other visitors to Dinosaur National Monument. Photo courtesy of Colorado Environmental Coalition

August 1, 2003. The Denver Post publishes a favorable editorial opposing the proposed CCI recommendation.

August 2003. Colorado Counties Incorporated (CCI) Public Lands Committee votes to send a letter to the Colorado Department of Natural Resources basically endorsing Moffat County's legal, policy, and inventory approach to RS 2477.

August 15, 2003. Costilla County writes a letter to Rep. Mark Udall endorsing his bill (H.R. 1639)

September 2003. Club 20 will consider a resolution similar to that passed in Moffat County in January 2003.

September 12, 2003. Grand Junction Daily Sentinel publishes an editorial saying that the Club 20 resolution goes too far in in allowing "counties to lay claim to "pedestrian trails, horse paths, livestock trails, wagon roads, jeep trails, logging roads" and virtually every other pathway humans once used to cross federal lands."

January 2004. Colorado Counties Inc. began a process to revisit their position on RS 2477. A sub-committee was created to discuss the issue and recommend a new policy.
February 6, 2004, The General Accounting Office released a report that finds the DOI acted illegally by entering into an agreement with the State of Utah in 2003 that prescribes a process for recognizing RS 2477 claims.

February 13, 2003. US District Court Jedge Tena Campbell of Utah reaffirmed a 2001 decision that the Bureau of Land Management had properly denied existence of RS 2477 rights-of-way where the route were little-used jeep tracks in the desert. Judge Campbell also clarified key terms in the law.

March 3, 2004. San Miguel County writes a letter to the CCI RS 2477 Sub-committee relating their concern that a fair and equitable resolution of the RS 2477 issue be found in a timely way.

March 4, 2004. The Colorado State Senate passed a resolution sponsored by conservative Senate President John Andrews. The resolution calls on Congress to pass legislation to resolve and address issues related to RS 2477. The resolution passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support.

April 18, 2004. The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel printed an opinion piece from Grand Junction resident Bill Grant. Mr. Grant highlighted the threat that RS 2477 has on both public and private lands.

April 26, 2004. The Rocky Mountain News published an opinion piece by AJ Chamberlin. Ms. Chamberlin has struggled with RS 2477 claims on her property. She lauds the Colorado State Senate and call upon Congress to act.

May 2, 2004. The Denver Post published an editorial entitled Ghost Roads Haunt Public Land.

May 27, 2004. Teller County passes a resolution that asserts RS 2477 claims in the NW section of the County. Four of the claimed routes are within citizen identified roadless areas.

June 9, 2004. The Board of Colorado Counties Inc. hears report from RS 2477 sub-committee on draft policy and decides to send the draft policy down to the public land committee which will decide in August.

June 14, 2004.Summit County Board of Commissioners adopted a The resolution that calls on Congress to solve the RS 2477 problem with legislation.

Aerial view of Vermillion Creek: There is no on-the-ground evidence of of a route, however Moffat County claims the route was built by "team and wagon." Photo courtesy of Colorado Environmental Coalition

June 23, 2004. The Pitkin County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution that calls on Congress to solve the RS 2477 problem with legislation and calls for heightend protection of special places such as national parks, monuments and wilderness.

July 27, 2004. The Routt County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution that calls on Congress to solve the RS 2477 problem with legislation and calls for heightend protection of special places such as national parks, monuments and wilderness.

August 6, 2004. The Public lands committee of Colorado Counties Inc. adopted new policy recommendations from the RS 2477 sub-committee on a unanimous vote.

August 15, 2004. The Denver Post publishes an editorial on CCI's new policy calling it a "common-sense" policy and calls on Colorado's Congressional leaders to act and support Representative Mark Udall's bill, H.R. 1639.

September 29, 2004 The San Miguel County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution on 9/29/04 that calls on Congress to solve the RS 2477 problem with legislation and calls for heightend protection of special places such as national parks, monuments and wilderness.

January 23, 2005 The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel wrote an editorial calling on Colorado's Congressional delegation to work together and solve the RS 2477 issue. All three major regional papers in Colorado have endorsed a congressional solution for RS 2477.

May 9, 2005 The 2005 Colorado State Legislature passed a joint resolution on with overwhelming bipartisan support. The resolution calls on Congress to enact legislation to address RS 2477 claims. The state legislature calls on legislation to provide heightened protection for conservation areas such as: national parks, wilderness and roadless areas.