Army's Pinon Canyon point man to retire

Keith Eastin

Two Coloradans in Congress want the matter off the table before he is replaced.

By PETER ROPER
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

April 22, 2009 12:06 am

Keith Eastin, the Army assistant secretary whose top priority has been expanding the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, is retiring next week, leaving the Army no closer to adding more land to the 238,000-acre training site than it was three years ago.

Colorado Reps. John Salazar and Betsy Markey, both Democrats, reported Eastin's retirement Tuesday afternoon after Eastin briefed them and staff from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about the Army's stalled campaign to add another 100,000 acres to Pinon Canyon.

Army officials said they will deliver a full report on their expansion plans to the House oversight committee, but Salazar said that Eastin made it clear the Army has no offers from landowners to sell or lease property and is not pursuing any at this time.

"I'm sure the next person appointed (to Eastin's job) will try and start all over, but we intend to get this issue off the table," Salazar said. Along with Markey, Salazar said he will ask the House Armed Services Committee for legislation this year banning any expansion of Pinon Canyon in the future. Salazar said that staff from that committee took part in Tuesday's meeting with Eastin.

"The staff is fully on board with what we want to do," he said.

"This is great news today," Markey said in a telephone press conference after the meeting. Her 4th Congressional District includes the plains east of Pinon Canyon and she requested the House oversight panel intervene in the dispute in March after The Chieftain reported the Army was planning to announce a lease agreement with Denver businessman Craig Walker for his 70,000 acres south of the training area.

In particular, Markey wanted the oversight committee to grill the Army on why

it was attempting to lease land when Congress had approved a funding ban for

2008-09 prohibiting the Army from spending money on the effort. Salazar was

co-author of that ban.

Markey said that in Tuesday's meeting, Army officials agreed to submit a complete report to the oversight panel, but that Eastin had acknowledged the Army has failed to justify its need to expand Pinon Canyon thus far, and failed to gain community support. Markey said Eastin repeated his pledge that the Army is only interested in dealing with willing sellers.

"He also said the Army is looking at other alternatives, such as expanding Fort Polk (La.) and Fort Benning (Ga.)," she said.

As a political appointee, Eastin expected to leave his job with the election of President Barack Obama. In testimony to Congress, Eastin has said expanding Pinon Canyon is the Army's top land acquisition priority. The Army has assigned four full combat brigades to Fort Carson, as well as a helicopter aviation brigade. The total troop strength at the Mountain Post will be close to 28,000 if all soldiers are back from deployments.

Salazar has opposed the expansion of Pinon Canyon for several years, arguing it would ruin the ranching economy of Las Animas County and the surrounding region.

Asked if Eastin's departure was a signal the Army was giving up the fight, Salazar said he was reluctant to go that far.

"But we intend to do something stronger now," Salazar said, referring to the decision to push for an outright ban on expan- sion.

The Army still wants to acquire 100,000 acres directly south of Pinon Canyon, but Eastin told the committee staff Tuesday they have no offers to buy or lease land and are pursuing none at this time. Ranchers and other opponents have fought the Army's expansion plans since early 2006, both in Congress and the General Assembly in Denver.

Salazar, whose 3rd Congressional District includes Pinon Canyon, said he will join with Markey in asking the House Armed Services Committee for legislation this year that would permanently block any expansion at Pinon Canyon in the future. Salazar has been the co-author of budget amendments that have barred the Army from spending any money on expansion in 2008-09.

"We expect to do something greater now," Salazar said, noting that armed services staff took part in Tuesday's briefing.

Salazar and Markey said Eastin's retirement and the lack of any progress in finding a willing seller essentially puts the Army back at the starting line. Salazar has opposed expanding the training area for several years, saying it would ruin the ranch economy of Las Animas County and the surrounding area.

proper@chieftain.com

______________________________________________________________
Please give our Reps a call and let them know they have our gratitude and deep and abiding respect:

Representative John Salazar
202-225-4761 (WashingtonDC)
719-543-8200 (Pueblo, CO)

Representative Betsy Markey
202-225-4676 (WashingtonDC)
970-221-7110 (Ft. Collins, CO)

PCEOC

www.pinoncanyon.com

PCEOC

www.pinoncanyon.com

Army's Pinon Canyon point man to retire

Two Coloradans in Congress want the matter off the table before he is replaced.

By PETER ROPER THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

By PETER ROPER
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN