Colorado: Governor Polis Releases Special Envoy Salazar’s Recommendations and Accompanying Report Outlining Possible Resolutions to Decades Long Dispute Over Historic Costilla County Property

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Promising path includes new recreational opportunities for the community without changing access rights of the historic heirs

DENVER — On September 2, 2026, Governor Polis took Executive Action, to find a path forward to help resolve a decades-long dispute over the historic Costilla County Cielo Vista Ranch, traditionally known as La Sierra. That Executive Order named Former Secretary of the Interior and Ambassador Ken Salazar as a Special Envoy and directed him to facilitate conversations and form a recommendation. Berrick Abramson of Confluence PSG was also retained as Executive Facilitator. Today, Governor Polis released the letter from Special Envoy Salazar and the adjoining report and recommendation outlining possible paths forward following a month of deep, on-the-ground engagement, including community meetings, conversations with the landowner and community members, phone calls, and independent investigation of the parcel and its rich history.

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"I thank Special Envoy Ken Salazar and Berrick Abramson as Executive Facilitator, who brought the community together, listened, talked through differences, and found paths forward to improve the status quo. This report lays out opportunities for the community who have no legal recreational opportunities today to gain recreational access on state-acquired land with no change to the heirs' rights. After hearing from the community, the heirs, and the landowner, having the state step up to acquire and provide publicly managed lands, facilitate better forest management, and build consensus on a code of conduct for exercising rights can reduce the potential for conflicts on La Sierra. The state can not compel anyone involved to act to resolve this conflict; resolution can only be done through good faith engagement and cooperation, which is what we have seen from all parties during this process. I am grateful for all who are working for a better outcome than the conflicts of yesterday. These recommendations present a way forward for the community and the landowner to enjoy a better quality of life and cooperation.  I am committed to seeing what we can get done before the end of my term," said Governor Polis.

"Based on many meetings in person in the San Luis Valley, it is clear that the heirs and local community, just like the landowner, have deeply held concerns. But I am optimistic there is a new way forward that protects the historic use rights of the heirs to the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant and respects the private property rights of Mr. Harrison. I appreciate the good faith engagement of everyone involved, and I look forward to the next steps," said Special Envoy Ken Salazar.

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In his letter, Special Envoy Salazar commended Executive Facilitator Abramson for his work and adopted and incorporated the recommendations of that report into his letter, which outlines multiple different paths forward. Abramson's report makes clear that there is room for improvement on the dispute to expand recreational access to portions of the property and create clearer rules on how the community will access the land, all without anyone relinquishing any rights.

The recommendations call for the state to acquire at least 10,000 acres of the nearly 80,000 acre property that would become publicly accessible for recreation by the entire community and public. Rights-holders would not surrender any rights, but the report suggests prioritizing using rights on the publicly available acreage first. The recommendation proposes the creation of a Forest Management Plan to ensure the health of the forest for use and recreation, and together the community and landowner would agree on a dispute-resolution framework to help sustain more productive future interactions and prevent litigation.

The property has a complex, rich, historical and legal history dating back to the 1844 Sangre de Cristo Land Grant brought about by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo between the United States and Mexico.

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