Congressman urges defense secretary to put promise in writing.

Rep. Mark Udall, D-Colo., is asking Defense Secretary Robert Gates for official assurances that the Army will not use condemnation in trying to acquire another 100,000 acres for the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site northeast of Trinidad.

Udall sent the letter Friday, just two days after an emotional confrontation between ranchers opposed to the expansion and Army Assistant Secretary Keith Eastin in Trinidad. Eastin hosted the meeting to tell ranchers the Army wanted to deal with "willing sellers only" and would not condemn land in trying to add another 100,000 acres directly south of the current training area.

The ranchers, who have fought the Army's expansion plan for more than two years, walked out of the meeting. They told Eastin that Congress had specifically approved a ban prohibiting the Army from any work on the Pinon Canyon expansion in 2008. A week ago, the House approved legislation that would extend the ban through 2009 as well.

Udall had taken part in an earlier meeting between Eastin and the Las Animas County commissioners and afterward said it was encouraging that the Army was promising to abandon the expansion if they could not find a willing seller to provide another 100,000 acres.

Ranchers fighting the expansion are concerned that if the Army can find a willing seller for some acreage, it could isolate other private land - giving the Army even more reason to use eminent domain to consolidate its holdings. While Eastin repeatedly told the ranchers the Army is not interested in condemning any property, those assurances were met with deep skepticism. One of the long-festering issues in the bitter dispute is the Army's past assurances that it would not seek additional land around Pinon Canyon, some of which was acquired by condemnation in the 1980s.

Udall's letter on Friday specifically asks Gates to provide official assurances that the Army will not use condemnation in acquiring land around Pinon Canyon.

"A majority of the Colorado congressional delegation are opposed to the use of eminent domain for this purpose," Udall's letter said. "I believe that an official statement from your office on this point would be reassuring to the communities concerned about the Army's proposed expansion. It would also be helpful to Congress to have an official policy declaration from this highest office in the Pentagon on this question."

Opponents of the expansion are less interested in the condemnation issue than they are in getting the Army to obey the funding moratorium that was put in the 2008 federal budget. Eastin acknowledged at Wednesday's meeting with county commissioners that he will leave his job early next year, as a new administration takes office. Gates is likely to be replaced by any new president as well. For the full story, please visit http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2008/08/09/news/local/doc489d49679e5a4954...