The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a $118.7 billion 2009 Military Construction and House Appropriations bill which includes a prohibition against expansion of the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site.
Mack Louden, a board member of “Not 1 More Acre,” an expansion opposition group, said the vote was an “important victory” for the opponents of the expansion.
“We recognize the efforts of our legislative heroes Rep. (Marilyn) Musgrave and Rep. John Salazar in working to ensure there will be no expansion and no funding at Piñon Canyon,” said Louden.
Both Rep. Musgrave, R-Fort Morgan, and Rep. Salazar, D-Manassa, have voiced adamant opposition to expansion of the 235,000-acre site.
The Army at one time wanted to expand by about 418,000 acres. It has now reduced the amount of land it wants, saying it would like to buy 100,000 acres on the south end of the existing maneuver site from “willing sellers.”
Musgrave successfully fought to include language in the bill which prohibits the Army from using any federal money for the proposed expansion of the site.
Salazar, in a bipartisan effort, supported the ban.
Salazar noted that the language in the 2009 bill is identical to a provision in the 2008 appropriations bill.
It states that none of funds made available under the act may be used for any “action that is related to or promotes” the expansion of the boundaries or size of the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site.
Joe Brettell, spokesman for Musgrave, said today that the vote on the appropriations bill was “overwhelming,” with 409 for and 4 against.
He noted that Musgrave was the first legislator to come out against the expansion and feels the prohibition is necessary to protect ranchers and farmers in Southeast Colorado.
Kennie Gyurman, who lives next to the maneuver site and whose family lost 5,000 acres through condemnation to the military when the site was created in the early 1980s, said Colorado congressional delegation must now work to end the expansion permanently.
“The people of southeastern Colorado have suffered for years as the Army has switched from one study to the next, one plan to the next and one map to the next,” said Gyurman.
Two weeks ago, Keith Eastin, assistant secretary of the Army for installations and environment, said if the Army can acquire 100,000 acres on the south end of the site, it probably would not ask for more land in the near future.
He said it is “very, very unlikely” that condemnation would be used for those purchases.
Opponents of the expansion are afraid the Army will attempt to pursue expansion regardless of the Congressional funding ban, perhaps an amendment in the Senate which would allow the Army to purchase land 60 days after the receipt of a report on the expansion plan.
The Army this month submitted a report on the expansion, as requested in separate legislation authored by Sen. Ken Salazar Sen. Wayne Allard.
Overall, the appropriations bill passed today totals $118.7 billion and provides $72.7 billion in discretionary spending, $47.7 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, $24.8 billion for military construction and family housing, and $241 million for related agencies.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
