Colorado's congressional delegation is divided about whether the Land and Water Conservation Fund should be permanently reauthorized.
The Durango Herald reports that many politicians are pushing for the reauthorization after the fund was allowed to expire at the end of September.
It was created in 1964 to protect outdoor recreation lands and expand parks and protected forests.
Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, a Democrat, says the fund is a "crucial tool" used to conserve landscapes across Colorado and should be renewed to protect public land for future generations.
Cortez Republican Rep. Scott Tipton believes the fund is effective but needs some reforms. He says the federal government is the largest landowner in most Western states and wants the funding to also be available for land exchanges among private owners.
