Army Appeals Judge's Ruling On Colo. Training Site

Army Appeals Judge's Ruling That Blocked Proposed Expansion At Colorado Training Site

(AP)  DENVER (AP) - The Army is appealing a federal judge's ruling that rejected its plans to increase operations at a disputed training site in southeastern Colorado.

A two-sentence document filed Monday in U.S. District Court said the Army is appealing Judge Richard Matsch's Sept. 8 ruling. Matsch said the Army's environmental review didn't adequately asses the effects of increasing training to 365 days a year at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver site.

The Army uses the 238,000-acre site about four months a year, and has proposed expanding it by 100,000 acres to accommodate an increase in soldiers at Fort Carson. Ranchers opposed to expansion plans sued over the environmental study.