DENVER -
About 40 people who work at two rafting companies on the Taylor River brought their big, blue rafts to the Capitol Monday morning to push lawmakers to pass a bill that will let them to put them back in the water.
Since last spring, the two companies have been butting heads with Lewis Shaw, a Dallas-based land developer who bought a parcel of land near Gunnison that includes a stretch of the Taylor River, where they've been operating commercial rafting trips for more than 20 years.
Shaw believes that his deed applies to the river as well as the riverbanks. So, any further commercial rafting on his portion of the river would be seen as trespassing.
"All we're asking is to be able to float like we always have," said Duke Bradford, of Arkansas Valley Adventures. "This is how we make our living, so it's important to us personally, so we can continue doing business in the state of Colorado."
State Rep. Kathleen Curry, I-Gunnison, is sponsoring House Bill 1188, which would make it impossible to cite commercial rafting and boating operations for trespassing. Unlike laws in other states, this proposal would not protect private individual boaters.
"The bill seems to be favoring one private party over another private party," Shaw said. "I don't think it's very fair. I bought the property with the belief that this is private property."
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Since last spring, the two companies have been butting heads with Lewis Shaw, a Dallas-based land developer who bought a parcel of land near Gunnison that includes a stretch of the Taylor River, where they've been operating commercial rafting trips for more than 20 years.
Shaw believes that his deed applies to the river as well as the riverbanks. So, any further commercial rafting on his portion of the river would be seen as trespassing.
"All we're asking is to be able to float like we always have," said Duke Bradford, of Arkansas Valley Adventures. "This is how we make our living, so it's important to us personally, so we can continue doing business in the state of Colorado."
State Rep. Kathleen Curry, I-Gunnison, is sponsoring House Bill 1188, which would make it impossible to cite commercial rafting and boating operations for trespassing. Unlike laws in other states, this proposal would not protect private individual boaters.
"The bill seems to be favoring one private party over another private party," Shaw said. "I don't think it's very fair. I bought the property with the belief that this is private property."
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