Caroline Llanes, Rocky Mountain Community Radio

To limit damage Colorado Parks and Wildlife has been increasing its efforts to detect the bivalve since it was first discovered in the state in 2022.

Zebra mussels originally came to North America through shipping vessels traveling in the St. Lawrence Seaway from Eastern Europe. In the Great Lakes region, they've wreaked havoc on water infrastructure, and caused millions of dollars in damage.

The One Big Beautiful Bill changed the leasing process for the BLM. Now, land in Colorado will be cheaper for operators to lease, and the agency will have less discretion over the terms of the agreements.