[CPEO-MEF] EXPANSION: Pinon Canyon (CO) eminent domain

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Senate drops ban on Pinon Canyon condemnations
On a 88-8 vote, the Senate approved the $612 billion Defense 
Authorization Act.

By PETER ROPER
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN (CO)
September 19, 2008

Feeling the pressure of the November election, the Senate approved the 
2009 Defense Authorization Act late Wednesday, but not before tossing 
aside a long list of proposed amendments, including one to prevent the 
Army from using eminent domain in expanding the Pinon Canyon Maneuver 
Site northeast of Trinidad.

On an 88-8 vote, the Senate approved the $612 billion package which 
authorizes nearly all Defense Department programs for the coming year - 
while not actually appropriating money. That will be done in a massive 
"continuing resolution" that lawmakers are likely to approve after the 
Nov. 4 election. That budget bill is expected to continue all federal 
funding programs at current levels until a new administration takes office.

...

But Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., had offered an amendment to the bill, 
with the support of Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar, that would have 
prohibited the Army from using eminent domain in expanding the Pinon 
Canyon training area by an additional 100,000 acres.

Allard said the language would have reassured ranchers and other 
opponents of the expansion that Pentagon officials would not be able to 
condemn any land from unwilling sellers.


...

For the entire article, see
http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2008/09/19/news/local/doc48d3509389063371876052.txt

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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