Leaders optimistic about Dugway

Published: Wednesday, July 6, 2005 9:32 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
The future of Dugway Proving Ground is closely guarded, as are many of the base's top-secret missions.

But one secret is out — big things are in the works for the isolated Army facility in Utah's western desert.

"If this were the business world, I'd buy stock in Dugway if I could," said Jim Hansen, the former Utah congressman who sits on the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

Dugway's wide open spaces enticed the Army to develop a plan to re-station troops returning from closed military bases overseas. However, Army officials shelved the plan due to costs. A recent report issued by the Government Accountability Office said facilities like Dugway lack the infrastructure to immediately house 3,000 to 5,000 troops. Nearly 70,000 troops will return to the states in the next decade to make it easier for U.S. forces to deploy anywhere in the world.

Although that mission fell through, Utah leaders are optimistic about Dugway's future, believing its mission will gain funding through the Department of Homeland Security.

Although Dugway's primary purpose is to test chemical and biological defense systems, the secretive base is in expansion mode. The Army wants to annex the nearby Dugway mountains to the south, in part to block the "prying eye" of UFO hunters, said Steve Petersen, counsel to Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah.

Story continues below

E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

previousnext

Latest comments

It feels like I'm living in the twilight zone. Global warming when the...

When will Obama stop his sensless war?

But its not about saving the planet... The alarmists, most of them, just want...

Mall owner seeks to retain zoning

No time soon will this Mall be rebuilt and it will be years before consumers...

Deroy is a columnist. When I start hearing consensus from scientists on...

Obama controls all

The American People "rose up" back in November when we elected our GREAT...

Kill hate-crimes bill

"The law must deal only with action – not what motivated the person to...

we pray for you john ray...rest in peace...and be strong aunti...

Loyalties have changed

The immigrants of which you speak came to the country LEGALLY.

I'm curious how Utah is going to be doing so well with an inexperienced QB...

Advertisements