§ 23-31-311 — Watershed protection projects and forest health projects

(1)
The Colorado state forest service, representing the state of Colorado, shall, in
consultation with the governmental agencies participating in such projects, identify
watershed protection projects and forest health projects that will use moneys
received pursuant to section 37-95-112.5, C.R.S., including, but not limited to, the
harvesting of trees infested with beetles.

(2) The Colorado state forest service shall collaborate with water providers;
federal, state, and local governments; educational institutions; landowners; and
other interested public and private entities to recommend the use of moneys made
available pursuant to section 37-95-112.5, C.R.S. This process shall consider:

(a) Areas that have the highest priority for ecological or wildfire hazard
reduction restoration;

(b) Areas that have been prioritized for treatment by a local or regional
forest collaborative process or through a comparable stakeholder process; or

(c) (I) Watershed protection projects and forest health projects on private,
state, and federal lands, including national forest and other federal lands that serve
as the primary source of water to communities and municipalities and for
agricultural purposes.

(II) In identifying such watershed protection projects and forest health
projects, consideration shall be made to effectively use available resources by:

(A) Applying the principles of the state of Colorado good neighbor authority
programs entered into between the Colorado state forest service and the United
States forest service and between the Colorado state forest service and the United
States bureau of land management;

(B) Combining available resources with federal grant money, if any, and
other complementary funding resources that are available for such projects or
similar projects; and

(C) Partnering on such projects being planned or conducted by
governmental agencies with land management jurisdiction in community and
municipal watersheds.

(3) In carrying out such watershed protection projects and forest health
projects, the Colorado state forest service shall, whenever feasible, contract with
the Colorado youth corps association or an accredited Colorado youth corps to
provide labor. For purposes of this section:

(a) Accredited Colorado youth corps means a youth corps organization that
is accredited by the Colorado youth corps association.

(b) Forest health project has the meaning set forth in section 37-95-103,
C.R.S.

(c) Governmental agencies has the meaning set forth in section 37-95-112.5 (4), C.R.S.

(d) Watershed protection project has the meaning set forth in section 37-95-103, C.R.S.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2008: Entire section added, p. 1542, � 6, effective July 1. L. 2009: (3)(c) amended, (SB 09-292), ch. 369, p. 1966, � 72, effective August 5.