State Land Board Approves La Jara Land Sale
November 14, 2025
DENVER, CO., – After what seemed like a rock-solid deal was thrown into a tailspin by some Commissioners, the Colorado State Land Board ultimately voted to sell the La Jara property, a deal that has unanimous stakeholder support that has been in the works for nearly a decade.
Ultimately, the SLB Commissioners, save for Commissioner Josie Heath, voted for the disposal of the property. The 46,000-acre La Jara property in the San Luis Valley will be sold to the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The USFS and the BLM will purchase 43,526 acres with $43.5 million appropriated through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. The remaining 2,427 acres, around La Jara Reservoir, will be sold to CPW for $6.1 million.
The $49.6 million deal is the result of over 100 stakeholder meetings and was called into question last month when commissioners asked staff for alternatives to selling the land. At the Nov. 13 meeting, State Land Board Commissioners voiced their dismay with the Trump administration’s management of federal lands. Commissioner Christine Scanlan said the Board was “all-in until the world went nuts.”
There has been widespread concern among ag stakeholders that the Board will end grazing leases on the trust lands during the tenure of director Nicole Rosmarino, a vocal rewilding advocate with a history of working to remove cattle grazing from southeastern Colorado lands.
The heavy hitters were all brought to the State Land Board meeting, including the San Luis Valley’s Ken Salazar, former U.S. Senator and Interior secretary. He compared the La Jara sale to the creation of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
The three Conejos County Commissioners drove to Denver for the meeting and shed light on the importance of the La Jara property to the community for gathering firewood, hunting, grazing, and the property’s cultural significance. Some ag leaseholders have grazed the property since the 1880s.
Conejos County Commissioner Garcia said if the La Jara property is pristine, it is because the ranchers in the room and multiple generations of their families that came before them took expert care of the land.
Sen. Michael Bennet’s representative Hillary Henry reiterated Bennet’s support of the sale of the property. He cited widespread support for the sale, the state’s potential loss of $40 million in conservation funding, the guidelines that limit the administration to resell the property or make negative decisions apart from the public’s interests, and the refusal to sell would also damage trust in the San Luis Valley of the SLB.
Sen. Hickenlooper’s office was also in attendance. Patrick Ortiz, SLV Regional Representative also spoke in support of the sale, the result of nearly a decade of work. He said the transfer would maintain hunting and fishing, grazing, conservation, and cultural uses. He said Hickenlooper is proud to have played a role in raising the $40 million for the sale and is committed to seeing the sale through.
Rep. Jeff Hurd’s office also provided public comments in support of the sale and Sen. Cleve Simpson also spoke in support.
The SLB initially began considering the disposal of the property in 2017 because it was historically underperforming when compared to the value of the property. In the staff compiled notes, low-income yield alone doesn’t justify disposal of a property. However the sale of the La Jara will generate significant proceeds the SLB may reinvest in another property. Additionally, the San Luis Valley stakeholders are unanimous in their support of the non-simultaneous exchange, which will allow public access and grazing to continue.
The main disadvantages as compiled by staff were the uncertainty of federal stewardship based on the downsizing of federal staff and the “significant actions under the current federal administration that reduce regulatory conservation measures for federal lands.” Secondly, staff outlined concerns about the permanence of federal ownership based on a “proposed amendment to the Budget Reconciliation Act of 2025 by Senator Mike Lee (Utah), later removed, contemplated sale of federal lands for development purposes. While this effort was heavily opposed across the political spectrum, there is increased uncertainty as to whether federal ownership will, in the future, continue to be the de facto conservation that it has historically proven.” Several Commissioners spoke to their distrust of the current administration.
Prior to the vote to approve the sale, Chair Deborah Froeb said she chose to vote with the community, many of whom traveled more than four hours to deliver hours of unanimous support. She said the threats to public lands from the current administration are real, but it is the San Luis Valley residents who ultimately shoulder the consequences.
“I’ve come to think of this decision now as one (where) our fear of outcomes should not be imposed on those who will face them,” she said.
Source: Rachel Gabel
