Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, U.S. Senators for Colorado, and Representatives John Salazar and Betsy Markey today urged appropriators in the House and Senate to support and maintain the moratorium on expansion at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS) in southern Colorado.
In their letter, the lawmakers cited continuing questions surrounding the Army’s need for expansion and the need to protect southern Colorado’s farming and ranching economy as reasons to extend the moratorium as part of the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Conference Report.
“In the three years since the Army first proposed expansion of the PCMS, there has been continual concern about whether or not there is a need for more land beyond the 244,000 acres it already has,” wrote the lawmakers. “Therefore, this moratorium, which the Subcommittee has supported before, must continue to remain in place.”
The full text of the letter is included below:
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The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriations S-131 Capitol Washington, DC 20515 |
The Honorable David R. Obey Chairman House Committee on Appropriations H-218 Capitol Washington, DC 20515 |
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The Honorable Tim Johnson Chairman Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies SD-125 Washington, DC 20510 |
The Honorable Chet Edwards Chairman House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies H-143 Capitol Washington, DC 20510 |
Dear Conferees:
For the past two fiscal years, Congress has banned the Army from spending any funds for expansion of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS) in Southern Colorado. We write to urge you to support and maintain this funding moratorium for a third year in the final FY 2010 Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs conference report. Maintaining this moratorium is important to us and to the residents of southern Colorado.
In the three years since the Army first proposed expansion of the PCMS, there has been continual concern about whether or not there is a need for more land beyond the 244,000 acres the Army already has. Therefore this moratorium, which the Subcommittee has supported before, must continue to remain in place.
The farmers and ranchers of southern Colorado are entitled to assurance that their way of life will not be unnecessarily or unjustly put at risk. Congress can provide that assurance by including the following language, which is in the House-passed bill, in the final FY 2010 Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs appropriations bill:
“None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this title may be used for any action that is related to or promotes the expansion of the boundaries or size of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, Colorado.”
Thank you for your leadership and dedication to our men and women in uniform.