Legislative Activity

The "Bolts Ditch Act" amends a previous act to expand the list of entities eligible to perform maintenance on Bolts Ditch and its headgate within Colorado's Holy Cross Wilderness. Specifically, it adds the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, a Colorado Special District, and the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority to the list of eligible maintainers. This aims to ensure the upkeep of this important water infrastructure.

The "Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act" amends Public Law 87-590, modifying the repayment terms for the Arkansas Valley Conduit in Colorado. It stipulates that repayments will be without interest and only cover construction funding from non-federal sources. The repayment period for project facilities is extended to 100 years.

The Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act aims to reform and enhance the pay, benefits, and overall support for Federal wildland firefighters. This includes establishing special base rates of pay, incident response premium pay, and rest and recuperation leave. The bill also addresses health concerns by creating a database for tracking chronic diseases, establishing a mental health program, and providing mental health leave. Additionally, it enhances retirement benefits, ensures pay parity with structural firefighters, and establishes a casualty assistance program to support firefighters and their families in times of need.

The Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025 authorizes the EPA to provide grants, up to $3,000,000 each, to air pollution control agencies for establishing cleaner air space programs in wildfire smoke-prone areas. These programs must partner with community organizations to establish clean air centers, distribute air filtration units to low-income households, and provide educational resources. The EPA will report to Congress on program implementation and effectiveness and authorizes $30,000,000 to be appropriated to carry out this section for fiscal years 2026 through 2028.