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San Miguel County staff to nominate state trust parcels under HB25‑1332 for conservation, recreation and renewables review
Summary
Staff outlined a plan to submit prioritized state‑trust parcels (including Wilson Mesa, a parcel near Gurley Reservoir, and Wright Mesa) under House Bill 25‑1332 to flag recreation, conservation, agriculture, renewable energy and carbon‑sequestration opportunities; commissioners asked staff to prioritize a short list and consider existing leases and water easements.
San Miguel County staff told commissioners on Feb. 11 they intend to nominate a short, prioritized list of state trust parcels for consideration under House Bill 25‑1332, which directed counties to identify state land parcels with potential for conservation, recreation, agriculture, renewable energy, or carbon‑sequestration projects.
Staff described the nomination approach: use state land board mapping layers (surface and mineral estates), NREL solar‑irradiance and transmission proximity layers, and a new state program identifying lands with high biological carbon potential. Proposed priorities include stewardship trust parcels already on the state list (Wilson Mesa), a parcel near Gurley Reservoir that overlaps Gunnison sage‑grouse critical habitat and supplies water storage for Norwood, and a larger Wright Mesa parcel that has been discussed locally for renewable‑energy proposals.
Staff emphasized nomination does not change legal status or create immediate restrictions; rather, nominations flag parcels for further consideration by the state land board. Commissioners asked staff to note existing easements (water diversions and access) and lease compatibility when making nominations to avoid unforeseen conflicts. Staff said the online nomination form is an initial step; the stewardship trust application remains a separate, more detailed process.
Next steps: staff will prioritize parcel nominations (a short initial package of parcels for separate priority groups such as Norwood water/agriculture, transmission‑adjacent parcels for renewables, and high‑carbon‑sequestration parcels) and prepare the county submission by the cited deadline (staff identified the 27th in the meeting).
