Army drops appeal over Piñon Canyon study
PUEBLO • The Army is dropping its appeal of a court ruling related to plans to step up training at Piñon Canyon.
The Army appealed a Sept. 8 federal court ruling that said it didn't adequately assess the environmental effects of increasing training at the southeast Colorado site. It filed a motion to dismiss the appeal on Tuesday.
Justice Department lawyers representing the Army refused to comment on the move.
Ranchers have been fighting to stop the Army from expanding the training area, but Judge Richard Matsch's ruling only dealt with plans to send more soldiers to the existing site.
He threw out the environmental study on increasing training there up to 365 days a year, saying the Army's own reports show that more modest training had caused damage at the site.
Last week, Sen. Michael Bennet called on Attorney General Eric Holder and Army Secretary John McHugh to drop the appeal, saying it sent a "hostile message" to ranchers fighting a proposal to enlarge the site.
"As I said before, further litigation would have only served to engender more anger, frustration and misunderstanding between the Army and local landowners," Bennet said Wednesday.
