[CPEO-MEF] EXPANSION: Colorado legislation on Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

Piñon Canyon fans court Ritter's veto

DEAN TODA
Colorado Springs Gazette (CO)
May 5, 2009

DENVER - Supporters of the Army's efforts to expand the Piñon Canyon 
Maneuver Site launched a campaign Tuesday to persuade Gov. Bill Ritter 
to veto a measure intended to make expansion impractical.

And they have found a new ally: former Congressman Scott McInnis, who 
used to represent many of the ranchers who oppose the expansion. The 
bill, HB1317, was approved by the Legislature last Wednesday. Ritter has 
not indicated whether he will sign it, veto it or allow it to become law 
without his signature.

Piñon Canyon, a 235,000-acre tract northeast of Trinidad, is a training 
ground for Fort Carson. The Army wants to expand the site by at least 
85,000 acres, saying it needs more room to simulate the modern 
battlefield. Local ranchers don't want to sell, and are afraid that 
despite the Army's assurances it will attempt to seize their land by 
eminent domain.

Army Secretary Pete Geren, who was at Fort Carson on Tuesday, said he 
didn't view the state's opposition to selling the Army land as a 
"show-stopper."

...

For the entire article, see
http://www.gazette.com/news/colorado-53010-army-mcinnis.html

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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