Colorado saw federal contract spending on public lands drop $189 million last year, impacting small businesses and rural communities

Colorado saw federal contract spending on public lands drop $189 million last year, impacting small businesses and rural communities

Federal contract work on public lands in Colorado dried up last year after President Donald Trump slashed thousands of staff across land management agencies like the U.S. Forest Service. A new report found that Colorado-based businesses saw $189 million less in federal contracts — a decline of nearly one-third from the previous year — with the U.S. Forest Service and land management agencies in the U.S. Department of Interior in 2025. Hawk Eye S…