Sens. Sonnenberg and Donovan asked to reduce cost of SB135

The long-awaited solution to the State’s troubled conservation easement program is itself in trouble, after concerns over its cost nearly derailed the bill on Feb. 27.

Senate Bill 135, sponsored by Senators Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling and Kerry Donovan, D-Vail, got a tough reception from the Senate Finance Committee, which decided to postpone action on the bill to give its sponsors a little more time to find a path forward.

The bill has been the subject of hard negotiations over how the State will compensate landowners who donated land to the easement program only to see the Department of Rev...