Bruce F. Vento: “the modifications in the amendment, and incidentally, I appreciate the cooperation of the minority members of the…”

“the modifications in the amendment, and incidentally, I appreciate the cooperation of the minority members of the Committee on Natural Resources and other members, the modifications merely correct the page and line references. They have already been discussed with the minority and they had no objections. These amendments respond to a number of concerns raised by the Department of Defense. The first of the en bloc amendments would make clear that the authority for a right-of-way between Fort Irwin and the Twenty-Nine Palms area could also be used for utilities. Mr. Chairman, there is already language about a road there, but there was some question from the Department of Defense whether or not utilities could also be placed based on the language in the bill, so we have clarified that in the first en bloc amendment. The other three en bloc amendments would change the wilderness designation to leave a number of areas immediately adjacent to Fort Irwin in wilderness study status. The effect of this is to defer decisions about the designation of these areas until Congress acts on the proposals for the expansion of Fort Irwin.”