Press Release

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) would like to congratulate the Colorado River Drought Task Force, who voted today to recommend a number of drought mitigation concepts for consideration by the Colorado General Assembly for potential legislation.

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources announced the addition of Michael Elizabeth Sakas to the Department as a Colorado River Communications Specialist as the DNR builds out its Colorado River team

The Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission released its report outlining a comprehensive, consensus-based set of recommendations to Congress to address the nation’s wildfire crisis.

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources announced today the retirement of long serving Director of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS), Ginny Brannon, the installation of an Interim Director and posting to hire a full time DRMS Director.

The Colorado Produced Water Consortium (Consortium) announced the unanimous election of the first Chair of the Consortium, Commissioner John Messner of the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission. The Consortium was created by the Colorado Legislature and signed by Governor Polis to help reduce oil and gas operation’s consumption of freshwater and access options to reuse and recycle produced water from those operations.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced the appointment of Rebecca Mitchell, the State of Colorado’s Commissioner to the Upper Colorado River Commission, as Director of Compact Negotiations of the Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC). 

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the addition of new staff members joining its Department to assist with its mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources. New staff members include Tim Brass, Assistant Director for Parks, Wildlife and Lands, Stacy Coleman, Tribal Liaison and Aaron Ray, Assistant Director for Energy Innovation.

Governor Polis and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the 2023 release of the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Program’s Workforce Development Grant. This grant will provide funding to send forestry and mitigation crews from Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) and State Wildland Inmate Fire Teams (SWIFT) within the Department of Corrections (DOC) to complete wildfire mitigation projects around the state.

The Colorado Department of Natural Resources and the Colorado Water Conservation Board announced that Lauren Ris has been selected as the next Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board. 

The Governing Body of the Colorado Produced Water Consortium (Consortium) and leadership from the Colorado Legislature announced appointments of additional members . The Consortium was created by the Colorado General Assembly to help reduce the consumption of freshwater within oil and gas operations.