Groom Lake to keep its secrets:

To: Public-Distribution@clinton.ai.mit.edu
From: The White House
Subject: 1996-01-31 Determination Exempting USAF from Conservation Laws
Date: Thu, 1 Feb 1996 04:14-0500

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

Consistent with section 6001(a) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)(THE "ACT"), as amended 6961(a), notification is hereby given that on September 29,1995, I issued Presidential Determination 95-45 (copy thereby exercised the authority to grant certain exemptions under section 6001(a) of the Act.

Presidential Determination No. 95-45 exempted the United States Air Force's operating location near Groom Lake from any federal, State, interstate, or local hazardous or solid wastes 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 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 law that permits or requires the disclosure of classified information to unauthorized persons, but rather to eliminate any uncertainty arising from a decision in pending litigation, Kasza V. Browner (D. Nev. CV-S-94-795-PMP). The location near Groom Lake except those provisions, if any, that would require the Disclosure of classified information.

Sincerely,
William J. Clinton

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.