A new report from the U.S. Department of the Interior says the agency’s work contributed more than $14 billion to Colorado’s economy last year.
Such activities also supported more than 74,000 Colorado jobs -- in fields ranging from recreation and tourism to energy and mineral development.
Colorado Democrat Mark Udall serves on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and heads its subcommittee on National Parks.
“This Interior report, Senator Udall believes, underlines how important these are to our economy here in Colorado,” says Udall spokesperson Mike Saccone. “It’s absolutely critical as we look to the future that we maintain these natural resources and develop them in a very responsible way.”
Saccone says the report underscores both the fiscal and the more intangible impacts of these resources.
“In many ways our parks and our open space, and the natural beauty Colorado is home to, is one of our very best renewable resources here in Colorado – driving tourism, creating jobs, and employing thousands of Coloradans in high-paying, skilled positions.”
Nationally activities on Interior Department-managed lands contributed roughly $385 billion to the economy last fiscal year, and supported more than 2 million jobs.
