The senators' chance

Allard, Salazar should just say no to Piñon Canyon expansion

Published July 13, 2007 at midnight

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In the next few weeks, the Army's plans to nearly triple the size of its training facility at Piñon Canyon in southeastern Colorado will face a key legislative test. And we hope that by then, Sens. Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar will reject the proposal.

The test will come in the form of a military construction bill that will be before the Senate. In the House version, an amendment was added by 3rd District Rep. John Salazar and 4th District Rep. Marilyn Musgrave that would deny the Army any funding to proceed on the project in the next fiscal year. That includes money to conduct scheduled environmental reviews on the targeted area.

If the final version of the construction bill does not include the Salazar- Musgrave amendment, the Army will be able to move forward. Yet so far, neither Colorado senator has shown any interest in championing the House amendment.

To this point, Allard and Ken Salazar have not come out for or against the plan. They've mainly said that they a) oppose the use of eminent domain to acquire land for the 414,000-acre addition and b) insist that the expansion be a "winner" for the region's economy.

Salazar has also asked for some assurances that ranchers could continue to graze in areas of the expansion plan, though we're not sure how that would work in a range that will allow live fire.

For his part, Allard says environmental studies could conclude that the project is not acceptable, which could convince the Army to abandon it. We don't put much stock in that possibility; environmental concerns didn't derail the original maneuver site, and Army officials have been quite clear that the expansion is a priority.

Local opponents of the expansion worry that the senators' conditions may amount to a tacit endorsement of the Army's plans, and that the senators are looking for excuses that will allow the project to advance.

We hope that's not true. If the senators mean what they say about eminent domain, for example, it's difficult to imagine how the Army could comply. How could it occupy an area more than four times the size of the city of Denver without condemning private property, when many farmers and ranchers in the affected region have already vowed they'll never willingly sell?

Allard notes that the expansion will occur in stages, which would allow willing sellers (if there are any) to come forward. That's still no bargain for those who don't want to sell. Once the Army gets the green light to actively acquire land, the entire project will become inevitable. Owners would then be foolish to invest in maintaining or improving their property and might feel obliged to dump their land for whatever the market would bear - which might not be much.

The Army told Allard this week that the project would deliver nearly half a billion dollars in construction spending and then about 8,000 new jobs after it's completed. That may be right. But residents have made clear they would rather forgo those economic benefits to maintain their way of life and the character of the region.

Gov. Bill Ritter has signed a bill stating that Colorado opposes any such project that seizes private land. The senators should follow his lead, and the wishes of the local constituents, by formally announcing their opposition to the expansion.

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