COLORADO SPRINGS/DENVER - The State of Colorado hosted a ‘handing over’ ceremony of Patent 8583 to senior military leaders from Schriever Space Force Base. The Patent transfers title of 640 acres of land located at Schriever Space Force Base — a critical military installation in El Paso County — from the State of Colorado to the United States Department of Defense (DOD).
The State has leased this parcel of trust land to the DOD since 1982 when the military began plans to build the base. Officials from the Air Force and Governor Polis determined it was in the best interest of national security to transfer ownership.
“Colorado is proud of our strong military heritage and the role we play in critical national security missions,” said Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera and co-chair of the Colorado Space Coalition. “Given the critically important nature of the mission at Schriever Space Force Base, it’s imperative that the Department of Defense has full control over lands that house mission-critical military infrastructure. This land transfer is another example of how the State of Colorado is working to be the best home to our military members and key missions.”
Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera serves as co-chair of the Colorado Space Coalition and National Chair of the Aerospace States Association and has advocated for Colorado’s role as the epicenter of national security space and worked to support our military families as well as further develop the aerospace industry across the State of Colorado.
Colorado has a strong military presence with seven installations statewide. With the nation’s 2nd-largest aerospace economy, Colorado has served as America’s hub for aerospace for over 60 years, and the state’s thriving aerospace industry employs over 274,000 people either directly or indirectly statewide working at the forefront of aerospace innovation and collaboration across the commercial, national security, and civil space sectors.
Lt. Governor Chief of Staff Mark Honnen ceremoniously presented the Patent to Colonel David Hanson, Commander of Schriever Space Force Base, at the Colorado State Land Board’s public board meeting in Denver, CO, today.
*** High res photos available upon request to Kristin Kemp, Outreach and Communications Officer, State Land Board, kristin.kemp@state.co.us, 720-666-0437 ***
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Photo 1: pictured left to right: Colonel & Commander of Schriever Space Force Base David Hanson, Lt. Governor Chief of Staff Mark Honnen, and Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners President Christine Scanlan
Photo 2: pictured left to right: Colonel & Commander of Schriever Space Force Base David Hanson, Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners President Christine Scanlan, and Lt. Governor Chief of Staff Mark Honnen
Photo 3: pictured left to right: Chairman of Defense Mission Task Force Keith Klaehn, Colonel & Commander of Schriever Space Force Base David Hanson, Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners President Christine Scanlan, Lt. Governor Chief of Staff Mark Honnen, and Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners Staff Director Bill Ryan
Photo 4: pictured left to right: Chairman of Defense Mission Task Force Keith Klaehn, Colonel & Commander of Schriever Space Force Base David Hanson, Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners President Christine Scanlan, Lt. Governor Chief of Staff Mark Honnen, and Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners Staff Director Bill Ryan (with Lt. General Stephen Whiting appearing virtually)
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The State Land Board has existed since statehood as a fiduciary of a trust that benefits Colorado public schools. The agency owns nearly 3 million acres of trust land and leases the land for assorted purposes -- such as agriculture, mineral extraction and renewable energy -- to earn income for Colorado public schools. The State Land Board has earned $2 billion for schools in the past decade and is the primary funding source of Colorado Department of Education’s Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program that provides competitive capital construction grants to schools.