A group of southeastern Colorado ranchers sued the U.S. Army on Wednesday in federal court in Denver, claiming the Army is playing games with its plans to expand its training grounds outside Trinidad.
In 2006, the Army proposed expanding the 368-square-mile site to nearly 1,000 square miles. In December, Congress passed a bill prohibiting any money from being spent on expanding the site in fiscal year 2008.
The lawsuit claims the Army is trying to circumvent that hurdle by enlarging the existing infrastructure without mentioning any acquisition of land.
The lawsuit claims the Army drafted an environmental-impact statement for new support buildings it plans to erect on the existing Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site without mentioning any plans of expanding the acreage of the site. The buildings include barracks, dining halls, motor pools, medical facilities, shooting and grenade ranges, according to attorney Stephen Harris, who represents the ranchers’ group, Not 1 More Acre.
For relief, the ranchers’ lawsuit seeks to have the Army disclose its complete plans for the area, including land acquisition.
The Army has 60 days to respond.
