Denver – The Army does not expect to force anyone to sell land for an expansion of the Pinon Canyon training site in southeastern Colorado because enough property owners are willing to sell voluntarily, Sen. Wayne Allard said Thursday.
Allard said he was briefed on the Army’s plans in advance of a public meeting later Thursday.
Many ranchers are worried the Army will use its eminent domain powers to force them to sell their land to nearly triple the size of the Pinon Canyon site. Ranchers are also concerned that removing 653 more square miles of ranchland from agricultural production for the expansion will hurt the region’s economy.
“I hope this news alleviates some of the concerns of the residents of the area,” Allard said in a written statement.
“I will continue to pay close attention to the economic impacts the expansion may have on our local communities and will address them throughout the appropriations process next year,” he said.
Allard said Keith Eastin, assistant secretary of the Army for installations and environment, told him the training site would be expanded to the south and west but would not cut off Colorado 350, which connects La Junta and Trinidad.
He said the expansion would not include the town of Kim or the Comanche National Grasslands.
Allard said the Army would acquire the land over the next seven to 10 years, beginning in fiscal 2009.
