Buoyed by clearing their final hurdle, Fort Carson officials expect to move construction for its newest combat aviation brigade into high gear in the coming weeks.

Construction contracts totaling $224.2 million will be awarded by the end of August, according to Fort Carson records — a down payment for the brigade as much of the rest of the Defense Department prepares to pare its budget.

The movement comes after an environmental assessment concluded that potential environmental and noise issues at Fort Carson and the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site in southern Colorado are either insignificant or can be mitigated by the Army post.

The assessment marked the final administrative holdup for the brigade, which will boast 2,700 soldiers, 113 helicopters and 600 to 700 vehicles, the report found. Some financial questions remain: Hundreds of millions of dollars needed to complete a bevy of other projects — such as a central energy plant — must still get Congressional approval.

Already, the brigade has shown signs of life at Fort Carson.

In June, crews broke ground on the brigade headquarters, a $9.9-million facility located near Butts Army Airfield west of Fountain.

A small number of new soldiers have also arrived to oversee the brigade’s construction, said Col. David Grosso, garrison commander.

A 2009 environmental impact statement examining the feasibility of bringing a combat aviation brigade to Fort Carson cleared the way for the headquarters’ construction.

The latest environmental assessment’s findings mean construction should accelerate. Post officials received contract proposals for five of the remaining projects — a $63 million aircraft maintenance hangar, a $14.2 million control tower, a $5 million fueling station and two barracks totaling $113 million. The barracks will house about 1,000 soldiers, Grosso said.

Another $29 million for three airfield infrastructure projects, such as an intersection realignment, have been advertised and are expected to be awarded by Aug. 3, according to Fort Carson documents.

Grosso’s conclusion of “no significant impact” on the environment was met with skepticism by some.

Bill Sulzman, who headed the Stop the Whop Whop Campaign, said the decision was expected.

Though first concerned about the helicopters’ noise, Sulzman said the brigade isn’t needed at a time when the Defense Department is beginning to shrink.

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