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aquifer that supports a warm-water resort, a large dairy farm, an 

 Indian reservation and several communities. Aerojet's long and 

 sordid history of toxic waste mismanagement at its Sacramento 

 plant is well documented. 



(4) No effort was made to identify and consider alternative 

 sites, of which there are several in southern Nevada, that are 

 not particularly environmentally sensitive or significant. 



(5) No mitigation or compensation for Nevada's loss of 

 these multiple-use lands has been considered or proposed except 

 to pay for a few wildlife watering devices known as guzzlers. 

 Indeed, an Aerojet official said "Nevada will get nothing out of 

 it." We strongly urge Congress to stipulate that all or a major 

 portion of the money received by the DOI from the sale of any 

 public land in Nevada for this project be earmarked to purchase 

 environmentally sensitive or significant private land available 

 in the state. This then would become a part of the public domain 

 enhancing wildlife and outdoor recreation areas open for the 

 enjoyment of all. 



(6) The details available on the evolution of the proposed 

 exchange strongly suggest that there was collusion between the 

 DOI and Aerojet to facilitate the exchange to assure the 

 Environmental Report would meet the requirements for the disposal 

 of public lands and to avoid an Environmental Impact Statement 

 and local input through public hearings. We are puzzled and 

 believe an explanation is due Congress and the public why the 

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was made the lead agency and the 

 BLM, except for the appraisal, was removed from all the 

 procedures related to the exchange. 



(7) Nevadans are losing their public lands at an alarming 

 rate. Total military withdrawals now exceed 4 million acres and 

 the Navy wants an additional 202,899 acres to expand bombing 

 ranges in Churchill County. Gold mining is expanding rapidly, 

 taking over thousands of acres. Usages based on renewing 

 resources are being eliminated. Compounding the problem is the 

 failure of the military to return to multiple use lands no longer 

 used or needed, such as the 142,650 acres in the Wassuk Range 

 above Hawthorne, a prime area for deer and upland game bird 

 hunting, camping and fishing. There is no assurance Aerojet 

 would ever use the land. Indeed, Aerojet has said that if they 

 do not use the land, "We will sell it. We are not in the land 

 business." If the acreage were resold. Aerojet could reap an 

 enormous profit and the buyer would be free to undertake 

 development that would eliminate hunting and other outdoor 

 recreations, as well as having a severe impact on wildlife and 

 its habitat. We suggest that whatever site is chosen that it be 

 on a lease or buy-back basis with the DOI . 



