PCEOC encouraged following House
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform meeting
Representatives
Salazar and Markey continue to make progress on permanency of ban
For
immediate release
Contact: Lon Robertson 719-980-5114
Steve
Wooten 719-384-5813
KIM, Colorado (April 22,
2009)-
Yesterday, the
staff of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform met with
Representatives John Salazar and Betsy Markey
along with the staff of the Armed Services Committee to hear an Army briefing
concerning Pinon Canyon.
The briefing was made by Assistant Secretary to the Army, Keith Eastin
and related to questions that the Oversight Committee had directed at the Army
following a request by Representatives Salazar and Markey in March of this
year.
Mr. Eastin
reported that the Army still wants to acquire land to expand Pinon Canyon
but there are no offers to buy or lease land and none are being
pursued. The meeting yesterday was also a place for an announcement
by Mr. Eastin. He advised the committees and representatives he would be
retiring next week. It is expected that Mr. Eastin's replacement will
likely also be assigned the task of expanding Pinon Canyon.
"We are encouraged that the Army finally acknowledged there are no real offers
to sell or lease land," said Lon Robertson, head of the Pinon Canyon
Coalition. "We have held the expansion off by staying together as a
community but the struggle is far from over," added Robertson.
There is
significant reason for celebrating as well as being reasonably cautious too
though as the tremendous and enduring support of Representative Salazar cannot
be overlooked.
Congressman Salazar has been at the forefront
of the opposition and sponsor of the bans on spending for any expansion effort
for more than three years now. "The
tenacity, spirit and integrity that Mr. Salazar has shown throughout this fight
has been a great boost to the opposition effort," said PCEOC Vice President
Steve Wooten. "It cannot be overstated
what Representative Salazar has done for this region, this state and this
country," Wooten said.
There was
another great expansion opposition legislator: Representative Marilyn Musgrave
and until her unsuccessful bid for re-election last November she was an
outstanding champion for private property rights and agriculture and the Pinon
Canyon opposition. Her support was very
important to the long term success of opposition efforts by PCEOC and others.
A new
energetic and unarguably tenacious champion arrived on scene in January of this
year. She has provided a great deal of
excitement and encouragement for the opposition effort that the expansion will
not be tolerated. Since taking office in
January Representative Betsy Markey
has demonstrated an unrivaled intensity, success rate for bills passage and a strength
of character usually only seen after many years in office and the associated
experiences. "Congresswoman Markey has
jumped on this issue and is doing a fantastic job of helping rein it in,"
remarked Aguilar rancher Stan White.
Now we have
even more reason to be upbeat and excited for the future of agriculture and our
livelihoods as we are being protected intensely by those we have elected to
represent us. Yesterday's statements of
Congressman Salazar indicate he and Representative Markey, along with other
legislators will 'do something greater now'.
Mr. Salazar has said he will join with Markey in asking the House Armed
Service Committee for legislation this year that would permanently block any
expansion at Pinon
Canyon.
We think
that all of these happenings are reason to call for a rousing round of applause
for our legislators! We also know that
such an undertaking will not have guaranteed approval or support and we will
have to help our legislators help us. We
hope everyone stays on board with this effort as it's not over yet. There is light at the end of the tunnel
however.
The Pinon
Canyon Expansion Opposition Coalition is a broad-based coalition representing
communities across Southern Colorado in their
opposition to the proposed military expansion. PCEOC members include business
owners, teachers, students, elected officials, ranchers, environmentalists 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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