Pueblo County rejects Army site expansion
By Hector Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Friday, March 28, 2008
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Pueblo County commissioners passed a resolution Thursday opposing Army plans to expand the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site in southern Colorado.
Commissioners Anthony Nunez, John Cordova and Jeff Chostner said they would urge Colorado's congressional lawmakers to block any money that would be used for the Army's proposed expansion.
The commission passed the resolution after listening to opponents of the expansion plans.
The Army has proposed expanding the Pinon Canyon site from 368 square miles to about 1,000 square miles to accommodate training and military exercises for 10,000 more troops being transferred to Fort Carson.
Comments
Posted by Radar on March 28, 2008 at 6:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hell there isn't anything out there but prarie and rocks. I can't see Pueblo using any of it anytime in the near or distant future. it has been there for years before i was born, and they have not made any sort of plans to develope that area.
Posted by polyglot on March 28, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Leave it to Pueblo to once again show the world why you don't want to live in Pueblo (aside from the great landscape...). Any city council willing to make a decision based on the views and emotions of one side are not leaders and should not be re-elected. Pinon Canyon is not an easy issue. After all we Coloradoans love our property rights. Instead of making the issue about eminent domain we should be helping the land owners get fair market or more for their land. With fair market prices being paid I am sure these rock farmers and cactus ranchers could relocate to somewhere that you can actually grow produce.
Often times eminent domain is merely negotiation. Wouldn't it be a shame if we chased off the Army and all of this land remained as is - dry, rocky and not good for much.
Posted by Big_D on March 28, 2008 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why is the army expanding in Colorado? They keep closing bases but Carson is expanding? I bet there is some mineral wealth they want in that area or they are trying to mitigate downwind damage from the Depot south of Pueblo. The ranchers and families in that area have been on their land in many cases for longer than it has been in the US. What is the benefit and why do they need half of Colorado while they have half of Nevada and Arizona already? How about putting some bases down on the border and kill a couple birds with one stone?
Posted by Retread on March 28, 2008 at 10:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Heck the battles the Army presently face are in the city, move it all to Denver and Colorado Springs!
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