 Oppenheimer was impressed by and expressed a strong preference for the site, citing its natural beauty and views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which, he hoped, would inspire those who would work on the project.The engineers were concerned about the poor access road, and whether the water supply would be adequate, but otherwise felt that it was ideal.The United States Under Secretary of War, Robert P. Patterson, approved the acquisition of the site on 25 November 1942, authorizing $440,000 for the purchase of the site of , all but of which were already owned by the Federal Government.