Though it had been previously announced that the base would become home to a special operations wing of the Air Force Special Operations Command, an environmental impact statement was holding up final approval. The Pentagon signed off on the statement today, finalizing the mission.
Gov. Bill Richardson said today’s signing was “great news for the people of
Cannon is now on track to begin its new mission on Oct. 1. It will be equipped with about 100 manned and unmanned aircraft and the three-year buildup will eventually include 4,400 to 5,600 active-duty personnel.
“While not unexpected, it is certainly a welcome announcement that the environmental impact statement has been completed. Any time you’re dealing with environmental issues, you can’t quite be sure until it’s a done deal,” U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici said. “With this important part of the process behind us, we can now focus on moving forward to expand the mission at Cannon Air Force Base and ensure its long-term viability.”
U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman said the state “can now be assured that Cannon will continue playing a key national-security role for our nation, and that the base will remain a vital part of eastern
U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson said the new mission “is a great fit for
“On behalf of the hard-working and committed residents of Clovis, Portales and surrounding communities, I’d like to recognize the Department of Defense for taking into account all of the great things that Cannon has to offer a new mission,” he said.
Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, who chaired the state’s commission on military base realignment, said today is “a great day for celebration, knowing that all requirements and assessments are satisfied and the National Environmental Policy Act process has been completed. The