FORT CARSON, Colo. -- The Army says it is scaling back on plans for a major expansion of its Piñon Canyon maneuver area, a plan hotly contested by farmers and ranchers and questioned by members of the state's congressional delegation.

Assistant Army Secretary Keith Eastin today said the Army believes it can find willing sellers of 100,000 acres.

An Army report to be released tomorrow said that 100,000 acres is not enough to give the soldiers the training they need, but it doesn't have the money to buy more land. It also conceded the opponents of locals ranchers and farmers is a factor.

The Army had already reduced its plan from nearly 1 million acres to 418,000 to 100,000.

For now it is looking at Fort Polk, La.

Some environmentalists have criticized the viability of agriculture in the arid area. Drought is common and it requires irrigation in a state whose booming population is putting pressure on available water supplies.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer said the Army didn't make a convincing case for expanding the site and his likely Democratic opponent, Rep. Mark Udall, has voted to block funds for expanding the site.