Tuesday, May 28, 2013 11:02 PMUpdated Wednesday, May. 29, 2013 12:33 AM
Hickenlooper signs fire-prevention bills
Gov. John Hickenlooper congratulates Mesa Verde National Park Superintendent Cliff Spencer after a ribbon-cutting ceremony dedicating the park's new Visitor and Research Center on Thursday morning. The governor attended the center's grand opening before embarking on a tour of Southwest Colorado, where he signed seven bills into law. To Spencer's left is Rep. Don Coram, R-Montrose, and Louise Hurlbut, who sits on the board of directors of the Mesa Verde Foundation.
SHAUN STANLEY/Durango Herald
Gov. John Hickenlooper is joined by state Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, after signing two bills related to wildfire prevention and response after the grand opening of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center. Also with the governor, from left, is Paul Cooke, director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, and state representatives Mike McLachlan, D-Durango, Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen, and Don Coram, R-Montrose.
SHAUN STANLEY/Durango Herald
Gov. John Hickenlooper pauses Thursday to speak with former U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, left, and Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Chairman Gary Hayes before the dedication ceremony of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center.
SHAUN STANLEY/Durango Herald
Crowds gather Thursday morning in front of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center awaiting the arrival of Gov. John Hickenlooper and others for the new center's dedication.
SHAUN STANLEY/Durango Herald
An overflow crowd heard Gov. John Hickenlooper speak during the dedication of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center on Thursday morning.
SHAUN STANLEY/Durango Herald
Tribal Administrator of Pueblo Zia, Peter Pino adresses the crowd on hand Thursday for the dedication of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Centerat the Park entrance east of Cortez. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald.
Crowds gather Thursday morning in front of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center awaiting the arrival of Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and others for the dedication of the center. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
An overflow crowd was on hand to witness Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper speak during the dedication of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center Thursday morning from within a tent set up for the event in front of the center. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Dignitaries cut the ribbon completing the dedication of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center Thursday Morning. From the left is John Wessels, Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service, Louise Hurlbut, Board of Directors, Mesa Verde Foundation, Colorado House Representative District 58's Don Coram, Mesa Verde National Park Superintendent Cliff Spencer, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Former Superintendent of the park Larry Wiese, 11 year old Juan Pablo Pino and Pueblo Zia Tribal Administrator Peter Pino. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper congratulates Mesa Verde National Park Superintendent Cliff Spencer after a ribbon cutting ceremony dedicating the new Visitor and Research Center at the park Thursday morning. To Spencer's left is Don Coram, Colorado House of Representatives. District 58 and Louise Hurlbut, Board of Directors of the Mesa Verde Foundation. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Cliff Spencer, Superintendent of Mesa Verde National Park introduces speakers at the dedication ceremony for the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center Thursday. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald.
John Wessels, Director, Intermountain Region for the National Park Service, left, takes the podium after being introduced by Mesa Verde National Park Superintendent Cliff Spencer during the dedication of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center Thursday morning. Photo, Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper addresses the crowd on hand for the dedication of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center Thursday morning from within a tent set up for the event in front of the center. Behind Hickenlooper is Louise Hurlbut, Board of Directors , Mesa Verde Foundation and Tribal Administrator of Pueblo Zia, Peter Pino. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
John Wessels, Director, Intermountain Region for the National Park Service, center, is congratulated by former Mesa Verde National Park Superintendent Larry Wiese during the dedication of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center Thursday morning. Joining Wessel is Louise Hurlbut, Board of Directors, Mesa Verde Foundation and Mesa Verde National Park Superintendent Cliff Spencer. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald
Andrew Hudgins, Clean Cities Project Manager for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory speaks during the dedication of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper pauses to speak with former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, left and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Chairman Gary Hays as Don Coram, Colorado House Representative District 58, looks on prior to the dedication ceremony of the Mesa Verde National Park Visitor and Research Center Thursday morning. Photo by Shaun Stanley/Durango Herald.
Sweeping views of the La Plata Mountains and Mesa Verde National Park served as a dramatic backdrop Thursday as Gov. John Hickenlooper signed two bills related to wildfire prevention and response.
They were the first of seven bills the governor signed into law throughout a daylong tour of Southwest Colorado.
But before he took up a pen, Hickenlooper attended an event that was surely longer in the making than any legislation awaiting his signature.
Thursday marked the grand opening of the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center, a $16.5 million project that was the product of decades of work. Hundreds of people attended, including officials representing federal, state and local government as well as several Native American tribes.
"(Mesa Verde) is one of the most remarkable places that I've ever been anywhere," Hickenlooper told the crowd. "Mesa Verde is one of the great treasures of Colorado, and I think this new visitors center is going to allow us to enhance that experience and make it more accessible to more people."
After a ribbon cutting, several state legislators accompanied Hickenlooper to a historic table and chair pulled from the Mesa Verde museum's collection. The chair belonged to Jesse Nusbaum, who was the park's superintendent in the 1920s and '30s, and was the first to see the need for a visitors center, said Cliff Spencer, Mesa Verde's current superintendent.
After making sure the chair was steady, Hickenlooper took a seat to sign Senate Bill 270 which calls for $500,000 to be appropriated to the state's Wildfire Preparedness & Emergency Response Fund, which expands uses of that money and gives the governor authority to transfer resources into the fund during an emergency. The second bill he signed, Senate Bill 83, establishes a prescribed-burn program under the state's Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
Sen. Ellen Roberts was a sponsor of both bills. Southwest Colorado and Mesa Verde have a long history dealing with wildfires, which is what motivated her to get involved with the issue of wildfire preparedness, Roberts said.
The bills support the state's commitment to address the problem of wildfires and mitigate their impact, she said.
Hickenlooper's next stop was a private ranch north of Dolores where he signed two bills related to conservation easements that offer tax breaks to landowners who dedicate land to conservation.
Senate Bill 221 aims to make it easier for landowners to know if the state will approve their conservation easements by offering a precertification option. House Bill 1183 limits conservation-easement tax credits allowed to $45 million a year statewide.
After a bridge dedication ceremony in Placerville, the governor was off to Ouray where he signed Senate Bill 138, a bill sponsored by Rep. Mike McLachlan that concerns the responsibilities of school resource officers.
The governor finished the day at Chinook Medical Center, an emergency medical supply company in Durango, where he signed two bills, one related to investing opportunities for colleges and the other establishing an export-development program for small businesses. McLachlan and Roberts are sponsors on both bills.
House Bill 1297 gives Fort Lewis College and the Colorado School of Mines authority to control their own investments. Currently, the schools' funds are held and invested by the state treasurer, who operates under more restrictions, McLachlan said.
HB 1193 establishes the Advanced Industries Export Acceleration program to provide companies with grants of up to $15,000 as well as other training and consulting resources to help them increase international exports.
"Obviously, if Colorado is going to compete in the global economy, we need to have these advanced industries fostering exports and doing business with other countries," McLachlan said.
