At its February meeting on Feb. 2, Keep It Colorado’s board of directors voted to approve the nonprofit’s policy priorities for 2023. Keep It Colorado will spend 2023 focusing on policy priorities that will build more bipartisan support for conservation and pave the way for reauthorizing the tax credit program in a future year. Keep It Colorado will remain active at the Colorado State Capitol and in Washington D.C., continuing to promote existing conservation tools and look for new opportunities to increase investments in conservation.

Policy priorities are developed with input from coalition members, a leadership advisory council and partners. During the legislative session we hold regular community policy calls, share policy briefings with our membership and have ongoing conversations with legislators. At our annual Fall Policy Summit, our members gather to set priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

STATE POLICY PRIORITIES

CONSERVATION INCENTIVES

Promote and defend the current tax credit while advocating for increased investments in conservation through future legislative action. This may include increasing the tax credit cap or finding new funding sources.

• Tax Credit: Ensure that the conservation easement program and the tax credit retain public and legislative support. Specific actions include but are not limited to:

  • Elevate the tax credit program and conservation in general, as successful economic drivers and tools for climate action among legislators, state agencies and local officials.

  • Ensure the appropriate implementation of HB21-1233.

  • Defend the tax credit and the conservation easement program from any harmful legislative action.

• Increased Investments: Advocate for more funding in the tax credit through future legislation and discuss options for additional conservation investments with legislators, state agencies and the Governor’s Office.

REAUTHORIZATION

Continue to implement the political strategy for reauthorization of the state’s tax credit program. Build on bipartisan political capital and support gained over the last year by developing relationships with new legislators and providing education about the positive impacts of the program, the conservation community, and the importance of reauthorizing the program in the near future. Continue developing strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations to establish a stronger coalition of support for conservation funding.

Additional action items include:

• Engage CSU to update ROI reports and statistics on the success of the tax credit program.

• Explore the equity impacts of the tax credit program.

CLIMATE ACTION

Continue to collaborate on and support sound policy. Monitor, track and, where appropriate, collaborate on and support climate action policy. Specific policy areas of focus include:

• Land conservation

• Water conservation

• Natural and working lands and soil health

• Forest health

• Renewable energy transmission

RECREATION ACCESS

Support landowner protection and incentives. Monitor legislative action that impacts landowner protection for voluntarily providing recreational access. Support increased protections and incentives to expand voluntary recreation access.

CONSERVATION EASEMENT LAW

Monitor differing applications and treatment of conservation easements across the state. Take positions on local issues when appropriate to defend state law and the conservation easement tool. Consider future opportunities to ensure consistent use of easements and consistent application of state and federal law.

CONSERVATION EASEMENT IMPACTS

Collaborate with state and federal agencies on policies and practices affecting consistent treatment of conservation easements, including drafting language and notice requirements.

POSITIONS ON LOCAL MATTERS

As applicable, monitor and take positions on local measures that have a close nexus with conservation or climate work and/or align with our established policy priorities.

FEDERAL POLICY PRIORITIES

FARM BILL

Engage the Colorado delegation and advocate for the coalition’s recommendations for improving the 2023 Farm Bill programs.

CONSERVATION INTEGRITY

Track implementation of the Charitable Conservation Easement Integrity Act. Explore additional opportunities and policy needs to fully stop syndicated conservation in Colorado and across the country.

FEDERAL CLIMATE ACTION

Monitor and support sound policy development that focuses on combatting climate change and advancing conservation.

FUNDING FOR PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION

Build more legislative support for federal funding that supports private land conservation, stewardship and restoration as critical elements for climate action and economic recovery.