The hope for a compromise over the Army’s proposed expansion of the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site in southern Colorado has grown dimmer as all sides seem to have fallen into intractable positions.
How unfortunate.
Gov. Bill Ritter has indicated he will sign a bill that prohibits the sale or lease of State Land Board properties for the project. His signature will not only widen the divide but, we think, all but preclude a compromise.
Colorado leaders must take a step back and craft a broader position about the Army’s future presence in the state. While one decision does not a policy make, foreclosing the possibility of a Piñon Canyon expansion very well may be the first step down the road of pushing the Army out of Colorado.
Is that what we really want?
The Army wants to expand its 238,000-acre training site northeast of Trinidad by adding another 100,000 acres. The military says modern training needs necessitate more space for maneuvers.
Those opposing the expansion, some of whom have ranched or lived in the area for generations, appropriately raised questions about the Army’s intentions.
After originally proposing a 418,000-acre expansion, the Army has been less than forthcoming about what its plans are for the region. Residents and landowners have a right to know what they’re getting into.
The Army must assuage fears that the latest plan, a 100,000-acre expansion, isn’t merely step one in a grander scheme to acquire large chunks of land and irreversibly change the nature of the region.
Army officials also must do an environmental impact assessment, explain in reasonable detail the type of training it will do on the land, and address any potential alternatives to expanding the training site.
The dearth of information has fueled suspicion of Army motives and opposition to its plans.
On the other hand, taking state lands out of the equation — about 20,000 acres, potentially — essentially hamstrings the proposed expansion. That clearly was the intention of state lawmakers who supported the measure.
Are they prepared to take responsibility if the Army pulls up stakes and moves significant parts of its operations to other parts of the country?
We think the Army owes Coloradans some honest and detailed answers, but area residents and statewide policy makers also must consider the value of the future presence of the military in Colorado.
The governor’s office says there remains a chance for compromise. “We’re not saying never,” said Evan Dreyer, the governor’s spokesman.
We had long thought there was room for compromise too, but blocking the sale or use of state lands for the maneuver site has, regrettably, dimmed those hopes.
This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to an editing error, the editorial said Gov. Ritter had signed the bill. In fact, Ritter has only indicated he will sign the bill.
