But he’ll fight a measure blocking willing sellers

U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard plans to propose a law barring the Army from seizing land to expand Fort Carson's Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site, but it would clear the way for land purchases, a spokesman said.

Allard, a lame-duck Republican who is leaving office after the election, is working with Army bosses on the measure to erase fears that the Army will use federal land seizure laws to displace ranchers from the 100,000 acres it wants to add to its training area east of Trinidad. He'll push the measure when the Senate reconvenes next month.

Spokesman Steve Wymer said Allard will also fight a funding ban that could prevent the Army from buying land from landholders who want to sell.

"Property rights go both ways. A landowner should have the right to either keep or sell their land if they so choose," Allard said in a statement. "If there are willing sellers in the area of the proposed expansion, the win-win situation we have all sought can be realized."

The Army revised its proposal for expansion last month, cutting back the land it's seeking to add to the 235,000-acre training area to 100,000 acres.

The Army also ginned up an economic incentive package for the region that includes 100 civilian jobs at the training area, with an economic impact of about $9 million per year for Las Animas County.

Ranchers in much of southeast Colorado have locked arms in an effort to stop the expansion. The Army, though, says it is getting nibbles from people who are interested in selling parcels near the training area, which is used to prepare armored and infantry units for war.

The Army says it needs the land because new combat tactics require larger areas and additions at Fort Carson mean more troops will rely on the facility in coming years.

The Army faces a powerful array of political opponents to expansion, including Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo.

The two House members inserted a ban on Army spending for expansion in the House version of the 2009 Pentagon budget, a continuation of a ban that made it into law last year.

Wymer said Allard will fight the 2009 spending ban in the Senate. For the full story, please visit http://www.gazette.com/articles/army_39500___article.html/land_says.html