Colo. GOP congressman asks Dems to back Army site

DENVER - Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn is asking Colorado's two Democratic senators to help save the Army's plan to expand a training site in the southeast corner of the state.

Lamborn said Friday Colorado could lose the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site expansion project because of opposition from ranchers and some elected officials.

Lamborn said the Army would spend $140 million to expand the site, and the annual operating budget would be $9 million, including payroll for 100 new, full-time workers.

"This is a very attractive prospect for any state, particularly when the economy is still so fragile," he said in a written statement.

Lamborn asked Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet to support the expansion. Spokeswomen for both senators said they would have a response later Friday.

The Army says it needs to enlarge the 370-square-mile site to about 525 square miles to accommodate new weapons, tactics and troops at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs.

Some people who live near the site say the expansion would take too much land out of agricultural production. They also say the Army hasn't shown it needs more space.

Reps. John Salazar and Betsy Markey, both Colorado Democrats, have said they want to introduce legislation to bar the expansion.

The Colorado Legislature this year passed a bill barring the sale of state land for the site. Gov. Bill Ritter plans to sign it sometime next week, said his spokesman, Evan Dreyer.

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, a Republican, said this week the Army should give up on expanding Pinon Canyon and conduct more exercises at Fort Bliss, Texas, and other posts that have more space.

Hutchison is the ranking Republican on a Senate subcommittee on military construction.

"The Army remains committed to (Pinon Canyon), but Sen. Hutchison