The Army wants to put new combat aviation brigades in Colorado and Washington state, but both sites would have some significant environmental or social impacts, according to a draft report released Friday.
The report said the Army’s preferred alternative is to place one combat aviation brigade each at Fort Carson and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Each brigade would have up to 2,700 soldiers, up to 120 helicopters and as many as 700 wheeled vehicles.
One brigade would be entirely new. The other would be formed by consolidating existing aviation units that aren’t currently assigned to a combat aviation brigade.
Helicopter training from a new brigade could have significant impact on the soil at Fort Carson and the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site, the report said. It said effects could be mitigated with dust-control measures.
