Governor signs bill benefiting military installations

  • Published
  • By Maj. Kristin Haley
  • 140th Wing Public Affairs
On May 21, Gov. Bill Ritter signed into law a bill that increases cooperation between military installations and local government officials on land use, zoning and development issues.

House Bill 1205, sponsored by Rep. Su Ryden and Sen. Nancy Spence, whose districts include Buckley Air Force Base, is the first of its kind in 37 years.

"We are extremely thankful for the support of our state legislature," said Brig Gen. Trulan Eyre, 140th Wing Commander, Colorado Air National Guard. "This bill goes a long way to protect military missions from the unintended consequences of growth. We have a voice now to make sure it's smart growth," he added.

Representative Nancy Todd, Colorado House of Representatives State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee Chair spoke about the huge economic boost that military installations provide as well as the investment our cities and counties have in these installations. Military installations provide in excess of $4.6 billion annually across the state of Colorado. "House Bill 1205 will become an example and model for other states. Protecting our military installations is critical in the name of national defense and is about our shared security" she said.

House Bill 1205 reinforces the message that the military is very important to Colorado," Gov. Ritter said. "We have numerous military installations throughout the state, and this new law will help ensure that these installations can continue their mission even as our state's communities continue to grow."

"I am proud that Buckley is in my district. Military bases are extremely important to Colorado, and we want to ensure their continued well-being. At the same time, we want to be perfectly transparent about their impacts on local communities," said Rep. Su Ryden.