Army announces Grow the Army Draft EIS
as PCEOC completes comments on Army's August report
 
For immediate release
Contact:            Lon Robertson 719-980-5114
                        Steve Wooten 719-384-5813
 
KIM, Colorado (October 21, 2008)- Last week the Army announced the required public comment meetings for the Grow the Army Draft EIS that was just released.  The Army says that the document has nothing to do with the proposed expansion of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS), despite the fact that the PCMS is mentioned on over 200 pages of the 900 page document.
 
The Army also claimed their 2007 Transformation Draft EIS was not related to PCMS expansion.  However, when pressed by Senators Salazar and Allard to justify the expansion of PCMS, the Army responded that Transformation and Grow the Army doctrines are driving increased land needs.  A quote from the Army's August response to Senators Salazar and Allard says: "The reality of the proposed purchase of land at Fort Carson's Piņon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS) is that the increased number of Soldiers resulting from Army Growth and changes to training doctrine resulting from Army Transformation are significantly increasing the Army's training land requirement". 
 
Pinon Canyon Expansion Opposition Coalition (PCEOC) president, Lon Robertson said "How can these Draft EIS documents be unrelated to expansion during the public hearing process and become the driver for expansion afterward?"
 
Senators Salazar and Allard requested an Army report to answer specific questions about PCMS expansion, in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2008.  The Army issued their report in August and that public comment period is open until November 15, 2008.  The PCEOC comment to the Army's August report is available for downloading and viewing at http://www.pinoncanyon.com/comment.html or a hard copy can be requested by writing PCEOC, P.O. Box 137, Kim, CO 81049 or by calling 719-980-5114. 
 
"The Army knows that a majority of Coloradans, a majority of state lawmakers and a majority of federal lawmakers oppose the expansion, yet they continue to press forward with additional Draft EIS documents that drive expansion" said Grady Grissom, a director on the PCEOC Board. 
 
PCEOC members plan on attending and commenting at the DEIS public meetings this coming week.  The meetings are going to be 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm each night.  The 27th will be in Trinidad at Trinidad State Junior College, the 28th will be in La Junta at Otero Junior College, and the 29th will be in Colorado Springs at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Circle Drive.
 
The Pinon Canyon Expansion Opposition Coalition is a broad-based coalition representing communities across Southern Colorado in their opposition to the proposed expansion. PCEOC is a diverse group of patriotic people that includes teachers, business people, lawyers, consultants, college administrators, county commissioners, independents, democrats, republicans, and many others.

The coalition is united in its opposition to any expansion of PCMS.  No funding, no expansion.

For more information, please see www.pinoncanyon.com.
 
 
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