S.Amdt. 4258

SA 4258. Mr. ALLARD (for himself and Mr. Salazar) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2766, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2007 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed Forces, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 546, after line 22, add the following:

SEC. 2828. REPORTS ON ARMY TRAINING RANGES.

(a) Limitation.--The Secretary of the Army may not carry out any acquisition of real property to expand the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site at Fort Carson, Colorado until 30 days after the Secretary submits the report required under subsection (b).

(b) Report on Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site.--

(1) In general.--Not later than November 30, 2006, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing an analysis of any potential expansion of the military training range at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site at Fort Carson, Colorado.

(2) Content.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall include the following information:

(A) A description of the Army's current and projected military requirements for training at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site.

(B) An analysis of the reasons for any changes in those requirements, including the extent to which they are a result of the increase of military personnel due to the 2005 round of defense base closure and realignment, the conversion of Army brigades to a modular format, or the Integrated Global Presence and Basing Strategy.

(C) A proposed plan for addressing those requirements, including a description of any proposed expansion of the existing training range by acquiring privately held land surrounding the site and an analysis of alternative approaches that do not require expansion of the training range.

(D) If an expansion of the training range is recommended pursuant to subparagraph (C), the following information:

(i) An assessment of the economic impact on local communities of such acquisition.

(ii) An assessment of the environmental impact of expanding the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site.

(iii) An estimate of the costs associated with the potential expansion, including land acquisition, range improvements, installation of utilities, environmental restoration, and other environmental activities in connection with the acquisition.

(iv) An assessment of options for compensating local communities for the loss of property tax revenue as a result of the expansion of Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site.

(v) An assessment of whether the acquisition of additional land at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site can be carried out by the Secretary solely through transactions, including land exchanges and the lease or purchase of easements, with willing sellers of the privately held land.

(c) Report on Expansion of Army Training Ranges.--

(1) In general.--Not later than February 1, 2007, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing an assessment of the training ranges operated by the Army to support major Army units.

(2) Content.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall include the following information:

(A) The size, description, and mission essential training tasks supported by each such Army training range during fiscal year 2003.

(B) A description of the projected changes in training range requirements, including the size, characteristics, and attributes for mission essential training of each range and the extent to which any changes in requirements are a result of the 2005 round of defense base closure and realignment, the conversion of Army brigades to a modular format, or the Integrated Global Presence and Basing Strategy.

(C) The projected deficit or surplus of training land at each such range, and a description of the Army's plan to address that projected deficit or surplus of land as well as the upgrade of range attributes at each existing training range.

(D) A description of the Army's prioritization process and investment strategy to address the potential expansion or upgrade of training ranges.

(E) An analysis of alternatives to the expansion of Army ranges to include an assessment of the joint use of ranges operated by other services.