Governor announces proposed plan for Camp Atterbury land expansion

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class David Bruce | Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels announced a proposed land exchange between the Indiana National Guard, Indiana Department of Natural Resouces and the Indiana Department of Corrections at the Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area in Edinburg, Ind. The proposed deal would grant DNR land north of Camp Atterbury to the Indiana National Guard in exchange the Indiana DNR would receive land from the Indiana Department of Corrections around Putnamville.  

CAMP ATTERBURY, IN, UNITED STATES

04.15.2010

Story by Sgt. David Bruce 

Indiana National Guard Headquarters

CAMP ATTERBURY JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Ind.-Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels announced the proposed expansion of Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center in a ceremony today held at the Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area.

The expansion is part of a land exchange deal with the Indiana National Guard, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Department of Corrections.

The proposed deal releases approximately 1,200 acres of DNR land north of Camp Atterbury in exchange for over 2,000 acres of Department of Corrections land near Putnamville. The area transferred to the National Guard was once part of the original cantonment area of Camp Atterbury established in 1942. The land in question was acquired by the DNR in 1969 and utilized as a fish and wildlife area to provide fishing, hunting and other outdoor recreational opportunities to the public.

"Today is the culmination of a remarkable process," said Daniels. "Camp Atterbury, or as we think of it, Atterbury Muscatatuck, will be expanded dramatically in its capacity to train our military units. They will be able to train here, triple the number of brigade combat teams that it can presently."

The Indiana National Guard will use the land to build a logistics center, administration buildings and housing for Soldiers training at Camp Atterbury. Additionally, there are plans to expand the railroad capacity of Camp Atterbury to meet its mission requirements. This would also allow for relocation of facilities bordering the Camp Atterbury airfield. Those structures are presently located in areas designated aircraft safety zones.

This expansion of Camp Atterbury is expected to generate $105 million in funded construction. Initial construction will expand existing railroad capabilities, create two training complexes, a child development center and two training support brigade headquarters. Furthermore, it is anticipated that 750 military and 50 civilian jobs will be created for these training brigade headquarters. The construction and Soldier support services will create much needed job opportunities in the local communities.

"We will be serving the national defense in a larger way than before and we will be boosting the Indiana economy simultaneously in a very direct fashion" said Daniels.

The remaining DNR facilities, consisting of 5,000 acres, will remain unaffected. This land includes ten lakes and a public shooting range opened in 2006, Johnson County Park, including Whispering Pines Golf Course, and the Atterbury Job Corps.

"In order to make room for this expansion, it was necessary to swap land here for land somewhere else", said Daniels. After exploring several opportunities, land that was part of the Indiana Department of Corrections was identified for the exchange.

The DNR will receive over 2,000 acres around the Putnamville Correctional Facility. The land is a split of woodland and fields and includes Deer Creek and two lakes. White-tailed deer and wild turkey are the primary game species for hunters in the area.

"The acres we are gaining, by any measure, are dramatically better than the ones being swapped here," added Daniels.

The exchange itself is more complex than simply transferring a deed.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Parks Service have yet to approve the deal since they were involved with the original transfer of land in 1969.

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has an important oversight role for this proposed land exchange since the Atterbury Wildlife Management Area was partially purchased with federal funds," said Tom Melius, Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "The multi-agency process involving the Indiana National Guard, National Parks Service, Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been cooperative to date based on mutual respect for each parties interests.

The proposed replacement property at Putnamville has many outstanding wildlife and recreational features that will be reviewed as part of the process to ensure that the interests of the sportsmen and women of Indiana are well served by this exchange," added Melius.

The next step in the process is to conduct scoping meetings to determine the impact of the proposed land exchange on the environment and to seek input from the affected communities. The first meeting is scheduled for April 26 at the Department of Natural Resources headquarters at the Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area. The second is scheduled at the Putnamville State Police post April 28.

"It is a marvelous outcome for Hoosiers and, we know and believe, for the national security of America," said Daniels. "We're excited about playing a larger role in our national defense. We're really excited about growing the Indiana economy and the flow of money that will come here too. We're gratified to know that future generations of Hoosiers have yet another beautiful expanse of our natural environment to enjoy."

• Date Taken: 04.15.2010
• Date Posted: 04.15.2010 17:57
• Story ID: 48199
• Location: CAMP ATTERBURY, IN, US