CO environmental quality protection- bureau wide

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) awarded a five-year Cooperative Agreement totaling $648,000 to the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (CDNR), effective September 22, 2025 through September 21, 2030, under the Environmental Quality and Protection program (CFDA 15.236). Under this agreement, CDNR will conduct inventory and mitigation activities on abandoned mine lands and hazardous sites located on BLM-administered lands in Colorado, addressing physical safety hazards and environmental contamination. The cooperative partnership leverages CDNR's statutory authority and expertise to perform mitigation work such as backfilling, gating, fencing, plugging, and remediation of contaminated water and soil at approximately 10 to 15 sites annually across Colorado watersheds.

The BLM's Environmental Quality and Protection program prioritizes returning degraded public lands to productive uses while protecting public health and safety. CDNR's work aligns with program objectives to mitigate hazards, restore watersheds, and reduce ecological and human health risks posed by the estimated 148,000 abandoned mine features on BLM-administered lands nationwide. Awards under this program are evaluated on merit, past performance, and financial stability, with funding distributed on a year-by-year basis with no commitment beyond the initial award period.