FOX21 News Colorado

President Biden to visit Colorado for possible national monument designation

President Joe Biden speaks during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, at the Ronald Reagan Building, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

LEADVILLE, Colo. (KDVR) – FOX31 has confirmed that Pres. Joseph Biden will be in Colorado for a visit next week.

According to the LA Times, the purpose of this trip is to designate a historic military site as a national monument.

Despite pushback from the state’s republican representatives, Colorado’s democratic lawmakers have made it to the finish line now that the protective status of Camp Hale is set to be elevated to national monument status.

For more than a decade, Colorado lawmakers have been trying to get the site protected as a national monument in the CORE Act.

Courtesy: Chris Muff

Camp Hale is the historic military site in Leadville that served as a World War II training site. The 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army trained on the grounds.

On Wednesday, Biden is expected to take part in a ceremony that will be the first monument designation of his presidency.

Sen. Michael Bennet, who has been one of the officials leading the push for this designation, retweeted the granddaughter of one of those who trained at Camp Hale when it was still an active military site.

“My grandfather trained at Camp Hale and was inspired by the surrounding landscapes to fight for wilderness after his army career. It would be wonderful for @POTUS to designate this land to inspire others. Thanks @SenatorBennet for your ongoing efforts,” Kerry Donovan said in the tweet.

That request to the president has been heard, and now, the memory of those who sacrificed so much after training at the site will be federally protected thanks to this national designation.

This is the second time President Biden has visited Colorado this year and the third of his presidency. In January, he toured the area destroyed by the Marshall Fire with the First Lady and last September he toured the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Arvada and spoke about the importance of clean energy.