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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Colorado News

  • Top 6 Emergency Relief Program Checklist Items for Eligible Farmers

    Farmers.gov sent this bulletin at 07/01/2022 06:52 PM EDT
    Top 6 Emergency Relief Program Checklist Items for Eligible Farmers
    FSA recently began mailing 303,000 pre-filled applications for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP), a new program designed to help agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms, and other qualifying natural disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021.

    The past few years have been tough to say the least. As producers have dealt with the continued impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have also struggled to recover from more frequent, more intense natural disasters. I am grateful that Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 117-43), which includes $10 billion in critical emergency relief.

    After extensive stakeholder outreach, including with producers and groups that have not always been included in USDA programs, our team began work developing a responsive, easier-to-access program that could be rolled out in phases. We’re now rolling out the first phase of ERP, which uses existing Federal Crop Insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) data as the basis for calculating initial payments.

    By leveraging existing data, we will be able to deliver approximately $6 billion in assistance on a faster timeline; at the same time, my team and I are committed to ensuring that producers who do not have existing data on file with USDA are captured in the second phase of ERP, which will be explicitly focused on filling gaps in previously implemented emergency assistance.

    To apply for ERP Phase 1, here’s what you need to do:

    Check Your Mailbox
    The form being mailed to you includes eligibility requirements, outlines the application process, and provides estimated ERP payment calculations. Producers will receive a separate application form for each program year in which an eligible loss occurred. Receipt of a pre-filled application is not confirmation that a producer is eligible to receive an ERP phase one payment. This application takes about 0.176 hours (that’s less than 15 minutes) for producers to complete, compared to the former Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program – Plus application which took several hours for producers to complete and even longer for FSA staff.

    The deadline to return completed ERP applications to FSA is Friday, July 22, 2022. If you have NAP coverage, you will receive pre-filled ERP applications later this summer. Details on ERP Phase 2 will be forthcoming as well.

    Check Your Eligibility
    ERP covers losses to crops, trees, bushes, and vines due to a qualifying natural disaster event in calendar years 2020 and 2021. Eligible crops include all crops for which crop insurance or NAP coverage was available, except for crops intended for grazing. Qualifying natural disaster events include wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought*, and related conditions.

    *Lists of 2020 and 2021 drought counties eligible for ERP are available online.

    Check Required Forms on File with FSA
    Producers must have the following forms on file with FSA:

    Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet.
    Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity.
    Form CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities(if applicable).
    Form FSA-510, Request for an Exception to the $125,000 Payment Limitation for Certain Programs(if applicable).
    A highly erodible land conservation (sometimes referred to as HELC) and wetland conservation certification (Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification) for the ERP producer and applicable affiliates.
    If you have previously participated in FSA programs, you will likely have these required forms on file. However, if you’re uncertain or want to confirm the status of your forms, contact your local FSA county office.

    Check Historically Underserved Status with FSA, If Applicable
    The ERP payment percentage for historically underserved producers, including beginning, limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and veteran farmers, and ranchers will be increased by 15% of the calculated ERP payment.

    To qualify for the higher payment percentage, eligible producers must have the following form on file with FSA:

    Form CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification.
    Check Your Future Insurance Coverage
    All producers who receive ERP phase one payments are statutorily required to purchase crop insurance, or NAP coverage where crop insurance is not available, for the next two available crop years, as determined by the Secretary.

    Coverage requirements will be determined from the date a producer receives an ERP payment and may vary depending on the timing and availability of crop insurance or NAP for a producer’s particular crops. The final crop year to purchase crop insurance or NAP coverage to meet the second year of coverage for this requirement is the 2026 crop year.

    Check Your bank
    Once the completed ERP application for payment is submitted to and signed by FSA, producers who have direct deposit should look for payment within three business days.

    More Information

    We have additional resources, including:

    ERP May 16, 2022 New Release
    ERP Fact Sheet
    Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
    Emergency Relief Webpage
    ERP Notice of Funding Availability
    In addition to ERP, FSA is also implementing the first phase of the new Emergency Livestock Relief Program. At this time, FSA has made more than $588 million in payments to impacted livestock producers.

    Bottom line, we take your feedback seriously, and we wanted to deliver this relief as soon as possible. We learned from previous relief programs, and we’re excited to be getting this to you as swiftly as we can.

  • USDA To Hold Special Webinar For Farmers Union Members Tomorrow

    USDA has provided a link to join the special presentation on Thursday, July 7, from 11 am – 2:30 pm Mountain:
     
    https://www.zoomgov.com/j/16118762201
     
    There will be a reminder and a finalized agenda sent out tomorrow.

    Top staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be presenting a special webinar designed specifically for Farmers Union staff and leaders to learn more about the many grant and program opportunities. This “USDA 101 Workshop” will be held online on Thursday,  July 7th, from 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM (Mountain). Please plan to attend this event as Secretary Vilsack directed his staff to make sure that Farmers Union knows about all the opportunities that are available to the organization through USDA’s Food System Transformation framework.

    The event will be a wide-ranging look at USDA’s funding opportunities to access capital, markets, and technical assistance, and will provide specific examples of how funding has been used in the past and how you can access it within your state. USDA will also be available for Q&A. A tentative agenda, subject to change, is available below.

    TENTATIVE AGENDA

    NFU USDA 101 Workshop

    Thursday, July 7, 2022

    11:00pm to 2:30pm Mountain

    11:00 AM                Welcome

    1:10 AM                Panel 1: Access to Capital

    Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program

    Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP)

    Business and Industry Loan Guarantees (B&I)

    Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program

    Intermediary Relending Program (IRP)

    Rural Business Investment Program (RBIP)

    Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG)

    Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP)

    12:15PM                Break (15 minutes)

    12:30PM                Panel 2: Access to Markets

    Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP)

    Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP)

    Regional Food System Partnerships Program (RFSP)

    Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS)

    Value Added Producer Grants (VAPG)

    1:20PM                Break (10 min)

    1:30PM                Panel 3: Access to Technical Assistance

     Agriculture Innovation Center Program

    Rural Business Development Grants (RBDG)

    Rural Cooperative Development Grants (RCDG)

    Socially- Disadvantaged Group Grants (SDGG)

    USDA Service Centers

    Coming Soon: Regional Food Business Centers

    2:10PM                Final Q & A Session

     2:25PM                Closing Remarks

     2:30PM                Finish


    Reach out with any questions! Email or call 970 389 2041. 

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  • CPW renews warning to expect aggressive wildlife as mothers defend their young
    helpful information

    CPW renews warning to expect aggressive wildlife as mothers defend their young

    COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – An incident between a hiker with a dog off-lease and a defensive cow moose with a calf on a Teller County trail prompted Colorado Parks and Wildlife to renew its call for caution in the backcountry.

    On Thursday, a woman with her dog reported a confrontation with a cow moose and its calf about 45 minutes up the popular Crags Trail, which is off Colorado Highway 67 about 3 miles south of Divide.

    The hiker told CPW her dog was running off-leash when a cow moose charged from the brush, chasing the dog. The hiker said she yelled at the moose and it turned and charged her. In her effort to run, she fell and suffered a broken arm.

    The hiker told CPW the moose stood over her until it resumed chasing the dog. Eventually the moose and calf wandered off and the hiker and her dog retreated down the trail to her car.

    “This incident is a reminder of why we warn everyone to respect wildlife and give them their space,” said Tim Kroening, CPW’s Area Wildlife Manager for the Pikes Peak region. “We know Colorado residents love their dogs. But to keep them safe, we urge people not to take their dogs into wildlife habitat during fawning and calving season and never let them off-leash.

    “These confrontations can happen with bears, moose, elk, deer and other wildlife and especially when dogs are involved. They view the dogs as a predator and react in defense of their young.”

    CPW officers posted warning signs on the Crags Trail on Friday urging people to avoid the area and, if they proceed, to be especially alert to moose along the trail.

    The incident is another in a series of recent moose conflicts that have resulted in injuries to people in Colorado. At least two others also involved cows exhibiting defensive behavior of their nearby calves.

    One was on a woman running on a trail in Breckenridge on May 26. The second was on May 31 in Grand Lake when a woman encountered a moose five-feet away in some willows near her home. As she started running away, she fell down and then felt the moose stomp on her back and head. 

    “This cow moose was exhibiting classic protective behavior of its calf,” Kroening said. “If you are in the backcountry, give wildlife extra space. Especially this time of year when wildlife are raising their young. 

    “Also be sure to keep dogs on leashes. Better yet, keep them at home.”

    As a precaution against run-ins with moose, Kroening urged hikers to avoid thick willow habitat in riparian areas where they are likely to be found eating or resting. Their calves, born in a 3-4 week period from the end of May to mid-June, are often lying in the willows while their mother is off grazing. 

    Calves, which weigh 26-28 pounds at birth, typically gain about two pounds of weight per day, reaching weights of 385-400 pounds by October.

    CPW produced a video illustrating how people can be safe and responsible around moose. The video is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6Qj9K_eJJE&t=2s

    Video of a newborn calf with its mother during the May 31-June 1 snow that hit Colorado’s high country: https://youtu.be/B2wk2oHUdas

    Kroening said the best thing is to leave young wildlife alone, untouched in their natural habitat so they can grow and thrive in the wild.

    “Do not approach, touch or feed wild animals,” Kroening said. “Enjoy wildlife from a safe distance. Keep your dog on a leash and on trails.

    “Perhaps most important, if you find a wild animal that appears sick or injured, leave it alone. Call your local Colorado Parks and Wildlife office and talk to a trained wildlife official for guidance.”

    For more information, please visit our website with spring wildlife advice.

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  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife promotes sober boating ahead of Operation Dry Water and the holiday weekend

    Colorado Parks and Wildlife promotes sober boating ahead of Operation Dry Water and the holiday weekend

    DENVER – Boaters heading out onto the water this weekend will see additional Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers enforcing boating under the influence (BUI) laws as part of the national Operation Dry Water campaign. This enforcement operation is timed closely to the July 4th holiday each year to educate boaters on the dangers of boating under the influence and reduce the number of accidents on waterways. Dangers include:

    • Alcohol impairs judgment, balance, vision and reaction time on the water, which can increase fatigue and the dangers of cold-water immersion.
    • Sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion are added factors in a boating environment; all of these intensify the effects of alcohol, drugs, and some medications. A general rule to remember is that one drink on land is equivalent to three drinks on the water.
    • Alcohol can be dangerous for passengers, too. Intoxication on board can cause injuries from slips, falls overboard and other dangerous accidents.

    “Boating is a favorite pastime of Coloradans and visitors alike, but we want to make sure that everyone is enjoying their time on the water responsibly,” said Grant Brown, boating safety program manager with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. “Alcohol use is one of the leading contributing factors in recreational boating deaths in the country. We encourage boaters to boat smart, boat safe and boat sober.”

    Penalties for boating under the influence include receiving fines, having your boat impounded, potential jail time and the loss of boating privileges. Boaters with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level above the .08 state limit should expect to be arrested for BUI. In Colorado, Operation Dry Water operations will include increased patrols and checkpoints. 

    In Colorado, boaters must also take into account the risks that unpredictable weather can present while recreating on the water. Dangerous weather conditions include strong wind gusts that can knock a paddleboarder or kayaker into the water, and cold water temperatures that exist year-round.

    CPW advises the following boating safety tips before heading out onto the water:

    • Wear your life jacket
    • Check your boat and all required boating safety gear.
    • Avoid boating alone and tell someone where you are going and when you will return.
    • Stand-up paddleboards are considered vessels in Colorado and require a life jacket on board at all times. 
    • Protect your self from the dangers of cold water shock. Regardless of your age or experience level, cold water can quickly create a drowning emergency.

    For more information on boating safety, visit cpw.state.co.us.

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  • Gov. Polis Takes Action to Ensure More Swimming Pools Can Open this Summer

    DENVER — Today, Governor Polis and the Department of Local Affairs announced grants to 71 swimming pools across Colorado received much-needed grants to help ensure swimming pools are open and properly staffed in time for the July 4th holiday and for the remainder of the summer months. Last week, Governor Polis announced the Pools Special Initiative 2022, a plan of action to help swimming pools open and expand hours this summer, as pools around the country have faced workforce shortages. 
    “We are helping expand pool hours and get closed pools open so that this July 4th and throughout the summer, Coloradans across the state can safely have fun with family and friends, learn to swim, exercise and recreate at our amazing public pools. We are working with local communities to  get more pools open and expand hours with support for increased pay, more work flexibility, and helping train more lifeguards,” said Governor Polis. 
    The Pools Special Initiative 2022 provides incentives to attract and retain public pool employees through the summer and ensure adequate staffing levels to allow pools to open at maximum capacity. The awarded grants support more workforce flexibility, new training for lifeguards, and provide real relief to local communities working to make sure Coloradans can enjoy their summers at the pool. 
    These grants help communities find and keep qualified lifeguards, ensuring that pools can increase operating hours and to stay open longer in the summer after many lifeguards return to school in the fall, and expanding capacity to teach life-saving swim lessons. 
    Grant recipients include the Bennett Park and Recreation District (Adams County)

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  • Visitors to public lands for the 4th urged to be aware of fire bans
    Federal, state, and county agencies remind visitors and residents alike that fire danger is high in Colorado and recreating on public lands requires knowledge of area fire restrictions and bans.

    Visitors to public lands for the 4th urged to be aware of fire bans

    DENVER – While campfires often accompany camping, as do fireworks with the Fourth of July, extreme caution needs to be exercised this holiday and throughout the summer due to Colorado’s continued drought and the frequency of human-caused fires. Visitors enjoying public lands have a responsibility to know where campfires are allowed, how to properly extinguish them and that all fireworks are banned on Front Range public lands.

    Between 2017 and 2021, 89 percent of wildfires in the United States were caused by people, according to the U.S. Department of Interior and the Insurance Information Institute. Each year in Colorado, campfires that burn out of control are the leading human cause of wildfires.

    Public land agencies along northern Colorado’s Front Range emphasize that although parts of Colorado have received moisture in the last month, drought conditions are still present. According to the National Weather Service U.S. Drought Monitor, as of June 21, 99 percent of Colorado is still experiencing abnormally dry to exceptional drought conditions. Specifically, 38.5 percent of Colorado is classified as moderate drought, 30.3 percent as severe drought, and 12.5 percent as extreme drought.

    Tips for fire safety and prevention include:

    • Check regulations for campfire restrictions and/or bans. Many areas do not allow campfires, and some areas that normally allow them are in a full fire ban instituted by local authorities and public land managers.
    • The smallest spark can start a big fire. Avoid parking or driving on dry grass, and don’t let trailer chains drag.
    • Know smoking restrictions. Many agencies do not allow smoking in natural areas.
    • Use designated campfire areas when allowed and available. Never leave a campfire unattended for any reason, and report campfires that have been left burning.
    • Make sure your campfire is dead out. Drown the campfire ashes with water. Stir, add more water, and stir again. Even if you don’t see embers, winds can easily re-ignite and spread an unattended campfire. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave.
    • Know exit routes in the area you visit. Download a trail map and carry a print map. Create a plan for an emergency such as fire. Access public land websites, including Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX), to view critical advisories and trail maps.
    • Fireworks are not permitted on Front Range public lands.

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  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission approves $6.23 million in motorized trail grants

    Grand Lake Trail Crew & Rocky Mountain Youth Corps

    DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s 2022 – 2023 OHV Trail Grant funding award recommendations have been approved for $6.23 million to fund 60 trail projects across Colorado. The grant funding represents over 90,000 trail crew hours and comes from Colorado OHV registrations and the federal Recreational Trails Program.  

    “This is literally OHV dollars going right back into the trails,” said CPW State Trails Program Manager Fletcher Jacobs. “This year we funded 33 maintenance trail crews across the state, 27 of which are Good Management crews, which allow our federal partners at the United State Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to get much needed consistent funding for trail crews. We were also excited to fund 19 weeks of youth corps crews that helps us to not only protect resources, but also allow young adult corps members to be exposed to careers in natural resources.” 

    Some of the highlights from this year’s grant award winners include:

    OHV Statewide Trail Crew 2023
    Funds will be used for the operations of a four-person Good Management crew who perform land stewardship work on multiple-use motorized trails on U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and state-owned land throughout Colorado. The crew will perform multiple trail maintenance and travel management tasks including constructing trail and drainage structures; installation of signs to inform and educate; building gates and buck-n-rail fences to regulate users and prevent resource damage; and performing visitor contacts to provide education, assistance, and enforcement of rules and regulations. 

    Stay The Trail Education & Stewardship Alliance
    Funding to continue and enhance the Stay The Trail Campaign throughout the state to promote responsible OHV recreation through educational programs, stewardship projects, direct user contacts, and resource protection/mitigation. The campaign will also work in bordering states in an effort to target and educate the many out-of-state trail users who visit Colorado. 

    Donner Pass/Lookout Mountain Rehabilitation
    Volunteers with Northern Colorado Trail Riders will perform restoration and maintenance of the Donner Pass Trail System of the Arapaho Roosevelt National in response to the Cameron Peak Fire. Work will include removing dead and downed trees, installing drainage structures to mitigate run-off/erosion issues, replacing trail kiosks and carsonite markers destroyed by fire, and repairing fire damaged bridges. 

    North Zone OHV Crew 
    A motorized OHV crew will patrol, maintain, restore, and improve motorized routes on the North Zone, which includes all National Forest motorized routes within the Canyon Lakes Ranger District and Pawnee National Grassland. The two-person North Zone OHV Ranger Crew will coordinate work with the Larimer County Four Wheel Drive Club, Big Thompson 4-Wheelers, the Northern Colorado Trail Riders (NCTR), and Colorado 4×4 Rescue and Recovery to schedule volunteer work days. 

    BLM Statewide (OHV) Law Enforcement 
    The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will conduct law enforcement details and/or saturation patrols in key areas and times of the year where OHV management is a priority. BLM law enforcement officers will patrol areas, contacting public land users and OHV operators, focusing efforts on public education, monitoring, public safety, reporting and enforcement of OHV regulations and registration requirements. 

    A complete list of the 2022 – 2023 OHV Trail Grants is available here.

    About the grant process
    The Colorado State Trails Committee is responsible for the review process for the trail grant applications and makes recommendations to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission regarding funding for grants.

    The OHV/motorized trail grant selection process follows a four-tiered review and approval protocol. All grant applications are first reviewed by CPW wildlife field biologists and regional CPW staff. This process allows CPW to flag potential wildlife issues prior to the review by the subcommittees. While concerns may be flagged during this review, CPW’s field staff attempts to resolve these concerns prior to the subcommittee’s review. Next, applications are evaluated by the OHV Grant Review and Ranking Subcommittee to score and rank the OHV competitive grant applications in order of their recommended funding priority. The ranked applications are then passed to the Committee to evaluate the applications in ranked order and recommend funding strategies to the Commission. The Commission provides the final approval to the funded projects. This process invites public review and comment at four separate stages: upon submission, before the subcommittees, before the State Trails Committee and before the Commission.

    Click here for more information about CPW’s Recreational Trails Program.

  • On National HIV Testing Day, Coloradans encouraged to use free testing services, know their status

    DENVER, June 27, 2022 – In honor of National HIV Testing Day, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment encourages Coloradans to use the array of free testing services available to know their status and get linked to care and treatment.

    First observed on June 27, 1995, the theme of today’s National HIV Testing Day — “HIV Testing Is Self-Care” — serves as a reminder for sexually active Coloradans that knowledge of status is a critical step toward protecting their sexual health and engaging in prevention or treatment services.

    “We want to encourage Coloradans, especially those who have delayed care due to the pandemic, to take advantage of the many free HIV testing services available statewide,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of CDPHE. “Getting tested has never been easier and is one of the most important things you can do to protect your sexual health.”

    CDPHE offers a number of resources for individuals seeking testing services, including free at-home testing kits for HIV and STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. For more information about HIV and STI prevention, visit our website at cdphe.colorado.gov/sti-hiv.

     

    In addition to these resources, Walgreens and Greater Than AIDS, a public information initiative of the Kaiser Family Foundation, have partnered with health departments across the country to offer free testing services today. Check out the list of participating Walgreens stores near you. Additional clinics and testing sites can be found by visiting Locator.HIV.gov.

  • State of Colorado Virtual Career Open House Highlights Openings at Nearly 20 State Agencies

    State of Colorado Virtual Career Open House Highlights Openings at Nearly 20 State Agencies

    DENVER – The Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA), in partnership with the Department of Labor & Employment (CDLE), is hosting a statewide virtual career open house and hiring event on Thursday, June 23, 2022 to fill open positions in 19 State agencies.

    “There are over 600 job classifications within the State of Colorado,” said Statewide Chief Human Resources Officer Lynne Steketee. “This event is a wonderful opportunity for job seekers across our wonderful state. We are looking forward to hosting this event with our partners at CDLE to support State agencies and bring more great talent to State government. We believe equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to attend.”

    Governor Jared Polis encourages job seekers to join Team Colorado!

    WHAT: Attendees will meet virtually face-to-face with representatives from the participating agencies in one online space. State of Colorado recruiters will be on hand to explain the various roles in their agency, explain minimum qualifications, provide valuable tips on how to apply, and more.

    Participating Agencies:

    • Colorado Community College System
    • Community College of Aurora
    • Department of Agriculture
    • Department of Corrections
    • Department of Education
    • Department of Health Care Policy & Financing
    • Department of Human Services
    • Department of Labor and Employment
    • Department of Law
    • Department of Local Affairs
    • Department of Natural Resources
    • Department of Personnel & Administration
    • Department of Public Health & Environment
    • Department of Public Safety
    • Department of Transportation
    • Department of Revenue
    • Governor’s Office of Information
    • Office of Economic Development & International Trade
    • Office of the Governor

    WHEN:     Thursday, June 23, 2022, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    WHERE:    Register Here

  • Governor Polis Commemorates World Refugee Day

    More than 3,000 refugees have arrived in Colorado in the past year


    DENVER — Ahead of World Refugee Day on Monday June 22, the Polis-Primavera administration celebrated Colorado’s shared efforts to provide both safety and opportunity to thousands of refugees who have been welcomed to the state.  Since the advent of the U.S. resettlement program in 1980, Colorado has welcomed more than 62,000 refugees.  


    “These individuals and families contribute to our thriving economy, support jobs and businesses and are part of the fabric of our communities,” said Governor Jared Polis. “Refugees bring their skills, strengths, ideas and innovative spirit and Colorado is proud to welcome refugees who have fled oppression and love our country as we continue to build a Colorado for all.” 


    This year under the Polis-Primavera administration, Colorado has welcomed 3,127 refugees from 44 countries, including 70 Ukrainians and over 2,000 Afghans who supported the U.S. government and military overseas.  


    Colorado refugees fuel the state’s economic growth. The economic activity of refugees in our state generated over $611 million in new salaries and wages for Colorado workers, according to the most recent Economic and Fiscal Impact of Refugees in Colorado Report. For every dollar spent on refugees, $1.68 is generated in industry activity throughout Colorado’s economy.


    Governor Polis signed new legislation this year to support New Americans through:
    • SB22-140 sponsored by Senators James Coleman and Bob Gardner and Representatives Judy Amabile and Barbara McLachlan which expands use of funds to support English Language Learners in equitable economic recovery through English language learning, who are often left out of career training and credentialing, and/or are not equipped with English skills to support their success
    • HB22-1050 sponsored by Rep. Naqueta Hicks and Senator Janet Buckner which cuts red tape and outlines a path forward to utilize Colorado healthcare workers who are internationally trained to become licensed in the U.S. and Colorado. 


    Colorado was the first state in the nation to quickly provide transitional housing and wrap-around assistance to help Afghans evacuated under Operation Allies Refuge resettle into their permanent communities in the U.S.  World Refugee Day is a day to recognize not only the plight of refugees, but their courage, strength and tenacity.