Rep. DeGette Honors Former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder at Arsenal Wildlife Refuge

Denver, CO – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01) was joined yesterday by Reps. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) and Jared Polis (CO-02) as well as leaders of Adams County, Commerce City, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in unveiling the newly named Pat Schroeder Visitor Center of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The naming ceremony took place in honor of former Colorado Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 24 years from 1973 to 1997.

During her time in Congress, Rep. Schroeder was a strong advocate for the environment. At the time, her district included the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, and she was instrumental in getting its clean-up started. She then introduced legislation to establish it as a wildlife refuge in 1991, which passed in 1992. It is considered a key accomplishment for the area during her time in office.

Said Rep. DeGette, "It all started with a bald eagle. Bald eagles persisted even when the area was inhospitable to wildlife, and so people's perspective of the area began to change. Pat saw the potential in this special place and worked hard to permanently protect it. Now, this refuge provides sanctuary for wildlife and for people. It provides recreation; it provides inspiration."

In 2010, the Arsenal's cleanup program reached the point where it could be handed over to the Department of Interior, and today the Refuge is home to more than 300 species of wildlife including bison, mule deer, and burrowing owls. It totals 15,000 acres, making it one of the largest urban refuges in the country.

The Refuge also provides environmental education and interpretive programs, catch-and-release recreational fee fishing, 10 miles of hiking trails, wildlife viewing opportunities, site tours for the public and a self-guided wildlife drive auto tour.

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