Attorney General Phil Weiser backs legislation to protect community land rights in Costilla County from out-of-town billionaire’s fence

Feb. 3, 2025 (DENVER) — Attorney General Phil Weiser testified today before the House Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources in support of House Bill 25-1023, legislation addressing the construction of a 20-mile-long, high-security fence in Costilla County that has obstructed community access to historically shared lands.

The fence, built at Cielo Vista Ranch, known locally as La Sierra, prevents residents from exercising their rights under the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant of 1844, which allows them to graze livestock, gather firewood, and practice religious traditions on the land. Additionally, the fence poses significant environmental risks, restricting wildlife migration and damaging the community’s water sources.

“These citizens are exasperated by the construction of a massive fence—one more like a barrier surrounding a prison than a simple fence between neighbors—in their community, harming their water, the wildlife, their longstanding cultural and religious traditions, and their rights. And yet despite their calls for help to government agencies, they were told that little to nothing could be done,” said Weiser in his testimony. “I’m very grateful to Representatives Bacon and Martinez for bringing this bill and for responding to the needs of rural Colorado communities.”

The Attorney General’s Office became involved in the issue after hearing from dozens of community members who raised concerns about the fence’s impact. Weiser personally visited Costilla County last summer to assess the situation firsthand and met with over 100 affected residents. He emphasized that the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling in Lobato v. Taylor upheld community access to these lands, making the fence’s construction a direct violation of established legal rights.

House Bill 25-1023 seeks to prevent the construction of extreme fencing structures that block legal access to communal lands, protect wildlife migration by setting standards on fence height and grid size, and empower local governments with tools to regulate excessive fencing that harms surrounding communities.

Read Weiser’s full testimony (opens new tab).

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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
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lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov