Steven Holt: “H.R. 1695 directs the conveyance of a substantial tract of public lands located near the Mojave National Preserve for…”

“H.R. 1695 directs the conveyance of a substantial tract of public lands located near the Mojave National Preserve for development of a large commercial airport and related facilities for the Las Vegas area. As the gentleman from Nevada has presented, this is a rapidly growing area, and adjustments do need to be made for air traffic. The bill originally passed the House on March 9 of this year. The Senate passed the bill on October 5, and has returned the measure to the House with amendments. Prior to House consideration in March, H.R. 1695 was a very controversial measure. The bill was opposed by the administration, the environmental community, and many Members because the legislation failed to address adequately the potential environmental impacts, land use conflicts, and administrative problems associated with this large-scale land conveyance. Fortunately, changes were made by the House to address most of these concerns. A significant improvement was made to the bill by providing joint lead agency status for the Department of the Interior on the environmental impact statement necessary for the planning and construction of the airport facility on the conveyed lands.”