State Land Board Names New Director and Rules on Key Land Decisions

Colorado State Land Board appoints new director

The Colorado State Land Board unanimously confirmed Nicole Rosmarino as its new director during its monthly Board Meeting on June 12. Rosmarino’s appointment finalizes a four month search process that included a national applicant pool and approval from Governor Polis. Rosmarino has spent more than 40 years working in environmental advocacy, natural resource management and policy, including serving as executive director for the Southern Plains Land Trust and senior policy advisor for Wildlife, Agriculture, and Rural Economic Development in the Office of the Governor.

“I am honored and excited to join the Colorado State Land Board and contribute to its vital mission,” Rosmarino said. “The opportunity to care for these lands for the benefit of Colorado’s students, while also upholding our commitment to sound stewardship, is a privilege.”

During the public comment period preceding Rosmarino’s confirmation, several members of the public expressed concern about preserving the interests of ranchers, farmers and hunters in Colorado, and regarding environmental activism she’d participated in in the 1980s. Several board commissioners, prior to voting, reassured the public that a new director would not lead to wholesale changes in the State Land Board, and that they had pressed Rosmarino on several of the aforementioned topics, earning commitments from her that she would balance the needs and perspectives of the community in her decision making.

Many commenters also voiced their support for Rosmarino, citing her expertise in environmental stewardship, collaborative nature and dedication to her work. One commenter specifically noted when Rosmarino moved from Centennial to live near the Heartland Ranch Nature Preserve in Southeastern Colorado to be embedded in the community she was working with. Those experiences and traits would make her an ideal candidate for a role like director of the Colorado State Land Board, they said, which requires an ability to create economic growth, effectively manage working lands and build positive relationships with Colorado communities.

“My experience has shown me that sustainable land management requires a comprehensive approach, one that embraces both traditional uses and evolving conservation practices,” Rosmarino added. “I look forward to working collaboratively with the Board, our dedicated staff, and diverse stakeholders to ensure the continued success and responsible management of these valuable state assets.”

Tier 1 land opened to pipeline access road in Arapahoe County

The Colorado State Land Board approved a request from Crestone Resources to build an access road and pipeline for the Sunlight/Long well pad in southeast Aurora on Tier 1 land, a restrictive designation that typically prohibits any surface occupancy.

Originally, Crestone planned to widen an existing access road and install pipeline infrastructure adjacent to the road to transport oil, gas and water near the Aurora Reservoir. Some areas of the road and pipeline would have come within 1,000 feet of the Aurora Reservoir, which raised concerns for Aurora Water and the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. Ultimately, the board, Aurora Water and CDPHE determined it would be more environmentally sound to remove and reclaim the portion of the existing road which falls within 1,000 feet of the Aurora Reservoir and create a new road and pipeline further away.

The new site for the access road and pipeline is designated Tier 1 because it is located slightly within the footprint of the proposed East Aurora Reservoir. However, In 2007, Water Division No. 1 found that Aurora was precluded from building the East Aurora Reservoir, a finding affirmed by the Colorado Supreme Court, and in 2018, Aurora Water notified the State Land Board that it was abandoning plans to develop the reservoir.

In 2020, Colorado State Land Board staff notified Aurora Water that the land reserved for the reservoir site would be made available for other uses, but the Tier Map was never adjusted to reflect this change. If the Tier Map were adjusted, the proposed Western Access Road and pipeline location would no longer fall in a Tier 1 designation, according to the Colorado State Land Board.

The Board approved the proposed access road and pipeline location with the understanding that the Tier Map will be amended to reflect reservoir changes at a later date.

Extension on Geothermal Exploration Lease in Chaffee County delayed

The board moved a decision to extend or deny the Geothermal Exploration Lease 113192 in Chaffee County from an action item to an information item during its meeting on June 12, postponing any final decision making. The extension, which would allow Mt. Princeton Geothermal the right to conduct exploration activities to determine whether a geothermal power facility is feasible on the property, could lead to the first geothermal power facility in Colorado.