7585721-20060527F-001-016-2023.pdf

U.S. National Archives UAP Records

Page 1

FOIA MARKER

This is not a textual record. This is used as an administrative marker by the Clinton Presidential Library Staff.

Original OA/ID Number: 1600
Document ID: 9700698
Stack: VRow: 45Section: 2Shelf: 5Position: 1

Page 2

UNCLASSIFIED NSC/RMO PROFILE

RECORD ID: 9700698

RECEIVED: 03 FEB 97 18

TO: PRESIDENT

FROM: WHITE, J

DOC DATE: 30 JAN 97

SOURCE REF:

KEYWORDS: DEFENSE POLICY ENVIRONMENT

AIR FORCE

CONGRESSIONAL

PERSONS:

SUBJECT: CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION OF PRES EXEMPTION CONCERNING AIR FORCE OPERATING LOCATION NEAR GROOM LAKE NEVADA

ACTION: SEE 9700471 FOR FINAL ACTION DUE DATE: 06 FEB 97 STATUS: C

STAFF OFFICER: KRECZKO

LOGREF:9700471

FILES: WH

CODES:

D O C U M E N T D I S T R I B U T I O N

FOR ACTION

FOR CONCURRENCE

FOR INFO

KRECZKO

NSC CHRON

COMMENTS:

DISPATCHED BY

DATE

OPENED BY: NSRDS

BY HAND W/ATTCH

CLOSED BY: NSGP

DOC 1 OF 1

UNCLASSIFIED


Page 3

DOC ACTION OFFICER

001 SESTAK

001

001 KRECZKO

CAO ASSIGNED ACTION REQUIRED

001

Z 97020318 PREPARE MEMO FOR BERGER

Z 97020408 ACTION TRANSFERRED

Z 97020408 PREPARE MEMO FOR BERGER

X 97020410 SEE 9700471 FOR FINAL ACTION


Page 4

MEMORANDUM FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON THROUGH MR. BERGER

SUBJECT: Congressional Notification of Presidential Exemption Concerning the Air Force's Operating Location Near Groom Lake, Nevada

I recommend you provide the enclosed report to Congress pursuant to section 6001(a) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 6961(a).

Section 6001(a) requires that you “report each January to the Congress all exemptions from the requirements of this section granted during the preceding calendar year, together with [your] reason for granting each such exemption.” You granted such an exemption on September 28, 1996, in Presidential Determination 96-54, which protects classified information concerning the Air Force’s operating location near Groom Lake, Nevada, from public disclosure. The enclosed report provides notice to Congress of the exemption.

The EPA Office of General Counsel and the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division have reviewed the report and concur with the Department of Defense that this report should be provided.

Jessica

Attachment: A/S


Page 5

Dear Mr. Speaker:

Consistent with section 6001(a) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (the "Act"), as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 6961(a), notification is hereby given that on September 28, 1996, I issued Presidential Determination 96-54 (copy attached) and thereby exercised the authority to grant certain exemptions under section 6001(a) of the Act.

Presidential Determination No. 96-54 exempted the United States Air Force's operating location near Groom Lake, Nevada, from any Federal, State, interstate, or local hazardous or solid waste laws that might require the disclosure of classified information concerning that operating location to unauthorized persons. Information concerning activities at the operating location near Groom Lake has been properly determined to be classified, and its disclosure would be harmful to national security. Continued protection of this information is, therefore, in the paramount interest of the United States.

The Determination was not intended to imply that in the absence of a Presidential exemption RCRA or any other provision of law permits or requires the disclosure of classified information to unauthorized persons, but rather to eliminate any potential uncertainty arising from a decision in pending litigation, $ \underline{\text{Kasza v. Browner}} $ (D. Nev. CV-S-94-795- PMP), appeal pending (9th Cir. Nos. 96-15535 and 96-15537). The Determination also was not intended to limit the applicability or enforcement of any requirement of law applicable to the Air Force's operating location near Groom Lake except those provisions, if any, that would require the disclosure of classified information.

Sincerely,

The Honorable Newt Gingrich Speaker of the House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515


Page 6

Dear Mr. President:

Consistent with section 6001(a) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (the "Act"), as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 6961(a), notification is hereby given that on September 28, 1996, I issued Presidential Determination 96-54 (copy attached) and thereby exercised the authority to grant certain exemptions under section 6001(a) of the Act.

Presidential Determination No. 96-54 exempted the United States Air Force's operating location near Groom Lake, Nevada, from any Federal, State, interstate, or local hazardous or solid waste laws that might require the disclosure of classified information concerning that operating location to unauthorized persons. Information concerning activities at the operating location near Groom Lake has been properly determined to be classified, and its disclosure would be harmful to national security. Continued protection of this information is, therefore, in the paramount interest of the United States.

The Determination was not intended to imply that in the absence of a Presidential exemption RCRA or any other provision of law permits or requires the disclosure of classified information to unauthorized persons, but rather to eliminate any potential uncertainty arising from a decision in pending litigation, $ \underline{\text{Kasza v. Browner}} $ (D. Nev. CV-S-94-795- PMP), appeal pending (9th Cir. Nos. 96-15535 and 96-15537). The Determination also was not intended to limit the applicability or enforcement of any requirement of law applicable to the Air Force's operating location near Groom Lake except those provisions, if any, that would require the disclosure of classified information.

Sincerely,

The Honorable Albert Gore, Jr.

President

U. S. Senate

Washington, D. C. 20510


Page 7

Federal RegisterPresidential Documents
Vol. 61, No. 196
Tuesday, October 8, 1996
Title 3-Presidential Determination No. 96-54 of September 28, 1996
The PresidentPresidential Determination on Classified Information Concerning the Air Force's Operating Location Near Groom Lake, Nevada
Memorandum for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency [and] the Secretary of the Air Force
I find that it is in the paramount interest of the United States to exempt the United States Air Force's operating location near Groom Lake, Nevada (the subject of litigation in Kasza v. Browner (D. Nev. CV-S-94-795-PMP) and Frost v. Perry (D. Nev. CV-S-94-714-PMP) from any applicable requirement for the disclosure to unauthorized persons of classified information concerning that operating location. Therefore, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6961(a), I hereby exempt the Air Force's operating location near Groom Lake, Nevada, from any Federal, State, interstate or local provision respecting control and abatement of solid waste or hazardous waste disposal that would require the disclosure of classified information concerning that operating location to any unauthorized person. This exemption shall be effective for the full one-year statutory period. Nothing herein is intended to: (a) imply that in the absence of such a Presidential exemption, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) or any other provision of law permits or requires disclosure of classified information to unauthorized persons; or (b) limit the applicability or enforcement of any requirement of law applicable to the Air Force's operating location near Groom Lake, Nevada, except those provisions, if any, that would require the disclosure of classified information. The Secretary of the Air Force is authorized and directed to publish this determination in the Federal Register.

William Clinton

THE WHITE HOUSE.

Filed 10-7-96; 8:45 am

Washington, September 23, 1996

Billing code 3910-01-M


Page 8

UNCLASSIFIED NSC/RMO PROFILE

RECORD ID: 9700698

RECEIVED: 03 FEB 97 18

TO: PRESIDENT

FROM: WHITE, J

DOC DATE: 30 JAN 97

SOURCE REF:

KEYWORDS: DEFENSE POLICY ENVIRONMENT

AIR FORCE

CONGRESSIONAL

PERSONS:

SUBJECT: CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION OF PRES EXEMPTION CONCERNING AIR FORCE OPERATING LOCATION NEAR GROOM LAKE NEVADA

ACTION: PREPARE MEMO FOR BERGER

DUE DATE: 06 FEB 97 STATUS: S

STAFF OFFICER: SESTAK

LOGREF

FILES: WH

NSCP:

CODES:

DO CUMEN T DISTRI BUT TION

FOR ACTION SESTAK

Kreuzko

FOR CONCURRENCE

BELL

DANVERS

SANDALOW

SEATON

FOR INFO

KRECZKO

RAGAN

SCHWARTZ

COMMENTS: ___

DISPATCHED BY

DATE ___

BY HAND W/ATTCH

OPENED BY: NSDRS

CLOSED BY:

DOC 1 OF 1

UNCLASSIFIED


Page 9

UNCLASSIFIED NSC/RMO PROFILE

RECORD ID: 9700698

RECEIVED: 03 FEB 97 18

TO: PRESIDENT

FROM: WHITE, J

DOC DATE: 30 JAN 97

SOURCE REF:

KEYWORDS: DEFENSE POLICY ENVIRONMENT

AIR FORCE

CONGRESSIONAL

PERSONS

SUBJECT: CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION OF PRES EXEMPTION CONCERNING AIR FORCE OPERATING LOCATION NEAR GROOM LAKE NEVADA

ACTION: PREPARE MEMO FOR BERGER

DUE DATE: 06 FEB 97 STATUS: S

STAFF OFFICER: SESTAK

LOGREF:

FILES: WH

NSCP:

CODES:

D O C U M E N T D I S T R I B U T I O N

FOR ACTION SESTAK

FOR CONCURRENCE

BELL

DANVERS

SANDALOW

SEATON

FOR INFO

KRECZKO

RAGAN

SCHWARTZ

records most. This has

Teen Completed under 0471

COMMENTS: ___

DISPATCHED BY ___ DATE ___ BY HAND W/ATTCH

OPENED BY: NSDRS

CLOSED BY:

DOC 1 OF 1

UNCLASSIFIED

Images

Document image

Document image