PUEBLO, COLO. (AP) -- Colorado Republican congressman Scott Tipton is planning to tour the Army's Pinon Canyon training site in southeast Colorado and then hold a town hall meeting in Trinidad to discuss the future of the facility.
The Pueblo Chieftain reports the tour and meeting are scheduled for Tuesday.
The Army had proposed expanding the 370-square-mile site to about 525 square miles, saying additional troops and new weapons and tactics required more space.
Neighboring ranchers and farmers objected, saying that would take too much land out of agricultural use.
The Army now says it's backing off the expansion plan, citing budget restrictions and a decision to conduct large-scale maneuvers only at sites in Louisiana and California. Army officials say they won't ask Congress for money for expansion for at least five years.
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Information from: The Pueblo Chieftain
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