Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Press Release - A New Year and a New Era



A New Year and a New Era 

For immediate release

Contact:          
Lon Robertson - lonr@ghvalley.net 719-980-5114
Steve Wooten - wootensj@hotmail.com 719-384-5813

The passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this past week signaled the end of an era and heralded the beginning of another.  The era of concerted resistance to expansion of the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site is morphing into an era of vigilance, watchfulness, and accountability.  Ongoing efforts will continue relative to the current Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS) to verify compliance and hold our Federal Government accountable to protect private property rights and assure historical and environmental oversight.  The watchdog efforts of groups like the Piñon Canyon Expansion Opposition Coalition (PCEOC) will obviously continue.

Considering the passage of the NDAA as well as the recent removal of the DoD waiver (the internal permission that had been given by the DoD to allow expansion of PCMS), the PCEOC is breathing a collective sigh of relief.  PCEOC President, Lon Robertson expressed the feelings of the broad, bipartisan coalition of opponents to expansion in expressing his appreciation of the efforts of Senator Mark Udall and Representative Cory Gardner, "We are most grateful to our congressional delegation for doing what we've been asking them to do. With the removal of the waiver which authorized the acquisition of more 405,000 acres, and the amendment to the NDAA which nullifies any and all existing authorizations, the Army must start over from square one if they ever attempt to expand PCMS again." 

Robertson characterized these recent actions as, "huge." According to Army Assistant Secretary, Katherine Hammack, the removal of the waiver is "unprecedented." The waiver process is a mechanism first put in place in 1990 by the Department of Defense. It grants exemptions to a moratorium on major land acquisitions by the military and the Army was thus given a waiver in 2007 to expand PCMS.

"We are thankful, not only to our national elected representatives, but also to the elected officials, past and present at the state and local levels who have fought on our behalf over the past seven years," Robertson said. "We are also so very appreciative of the scores of organizations and thousands of individuals who've attended countless meetings, signed petitions, passed resolutions and written letters," he said.

But Robertson also sounded a note of caution; "While this definitely gives us some much needed breathing room, we understand that we will need to remain vigilant. The Army would have to start the whole process all over again if they ever want to try to expand Piñon Canyon in the future and that's good. We fully intend to monitor things and will be ready if that should ever happen."

In the meantime the PCEOC also intends to do all that it can to continue to protect the agricultural and heritage-tourism assets in the region surrounding Piñon Canyon. "This region has become much more visible to the outside world as a result of the expansion battle," Robertson said. "We want to both promote and preserve the region."

Robertson also stressed the importance of working to ensure that the current site is utilized in ways that respect private property, are environmentally responsible and which are respectful of Native American sacred sites. Over 5,000 archaeological sites and 761 National Register eligible pre-historic and historic sites are located there.

"This land is not only a treasure trove of our regional heritage but also the cradle of Colorado's early History. The Santa Fe Trail passed through here and the cattle industry was born here," he said. "This is our land and our life. Just as our parents and grandparents and great grandparents did, we intend to care for and protect it for future generations."   

The Pinon Canyon Expansion Opposition Coalition is a broad-based coalition that represents communities across Southern Colorado in their opposition to the proposed military expansion of PCMS. PCEOC members include business owners, teachers, students, elected officials, ranchers, environmentalists and many others.   

The coalition has been, and continues to be 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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