Handout from last night and for tonight's public comment meetings.....

Army Still Seeks Expansion of the

Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS)

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In 2007 the Department of Defense (DOD) gave the Army permission in the form of a special waiver to expand PCMS. Because that waiver is still in effect, the only thing keeping the Army from acquiring more land at PCMS is the continuation of the year to year funding ban enacted by Congress.

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Two Critical Priorities to assure Continued Blocking of

the Expansion of PCMS:

1.     Our legislators maintain the annual funding ban that prevents the Army from spending any  money related to PCMS expansion

2.     Our legislators push the DOD to remove the waiver or declare it null and void

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What is “The Waiver”?

(see HERE for document requesting the waiver and HERE for approval document)

In the late 1980’s the Department of Defense (DOD) approved a policy that banned any DOD agency (such as the Army) from buying large amounts of land.

However, in 2006 the Army requested an exception to this policy (a waiver), specifically to purchase more land to expand the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site, stating that the proposed expansion area was a good opportunity because it was “relatively inexpensive and sparsely populated”.

This waiver was granted by the DOD in 2007, giving the Army the green light to pursue expansion.  The waiver is still in effect even now.

After a congressionally ordered investigation, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined that many omissions were evident in the waiver request. According to the Army’s own procedures, local public approval should have been given prior to any DOD approval of the waiver—this public approval was never sought or approved.

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What You Can do to Help

Please contact your local, state, and federal legislators. Let them know that we MUST CONTINUE THE FUNDING BAN AND TO ASK THE DOD TO REMOVE THE WAIVER.

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For more information on the waiver, the funding ban, and for legislative contacts please look for other handouts, call us at (719) 643-5600 or visit our website at www.pinoncanyon.com