Army expands partnership with University of Montana
The U.S. Army and the University of Montana have expanded a Regional Intergovernmental Support Agreement (RIGSA) meant to streamline enhanced, cost-effective environmental compliance and resource management to include Fort Carson and the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS).
Published in 2023, the initial RIGSA between the university and the Army’s Installation Management Command ensured nine installations across the U.S. would receive a variety of environmental compliance services from the university. Recently, the list of benefiting installations grew to every IMCOM installation, to include Fort Carson and PCMS.
Through leveraging University of Montana’s Center for Integrated Research on the Environment and the university’s specialized academic expertise, Fort Carson can now seamlessly manage complex National Environmental Policy Act reviews, conduct critical natural resource planning and perform National Register of Historic Places evaluations for cultural sites.
“Through our partnership with the University of Montana, Fort Carson ensures millions of dollars worth of land assets remain viable and legally compliant,” said David Tookmanian, Fort Carson Plans, Analysis and Integration Office. “This effort ensures our military training and readiness remain uninterrupted while providing the installation with a streamlined, flexible procurement vehicle compared to traditional federal contracting hurdles.”
An additional benefit associated with the RIGSA is the installation’s ability to rapidly deploy university personnel and field researchers to tackle emergent environmental challenges, including surveying for federally protected species or mitigating wildfire risks.
“Ultimately, this partnership reduces administrative overhead, lowers overall operational costs and delivers high-quality, scientifically backed data to base leadership, allowing military personnel to focus on core warfighting capabilities,” said Tookmanian.
In addition to the RIGSA, Fort Carson maintains eight IGSAs with local organizations for on-demand transportation services, construction, and energy maintenance and operations. IGSAs like these allow for military installations such as the Mountain Post to leverage local and state governments to share or provide support services, streamlining efficiency while reducing costs.
“When we say we’re committed to remaining good stewards of the land, this is exactly what we mean,” said Tookmanian. “We look forward to our partnership with the University of Montana and to the ways in which we remain a premier training location for military units across the globe.”
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