Harry Reid: “As the chairman knows, we worked together on these two issues and developed a compromise solution that he, Senator…”

“As the chairman knows, we worked together on these two issues and developed a compromise solution that he, Senator Murkowski, Senator Ensign, Congressman Gibbons, Congresswoman Berkley, Clark County and I could all support. The compromise included conveying the full 2800 acres to Clark County but requiring that only the core of the area, 640 acres, be developed for facilities and that the remainder of the area remain as open space to serve as a valuable buffer around the range. This compromise if completely consistent with Clark County's intended use of the land because the county realizes the absolute necessity of having a substantial buffer around a shooting range. In fact, the county provided their plans for the facility, which embody the compromise. As I have noted many times on the floor of the Senate, Clark County has nearly doubled in population from 770,000 to more than 1.4 million people since 1990. This growth has placed greater demands on public lands throughout Clark County for recreational activities such as hunting, fishing and target shooting. There are literally dozens, if not hundreds, of makeshift shooting ranges across Las Vegas Valley that pose extreme danger to nearby homes and our increasingly busy roads. This facility will provide a great public benefit by creating a safe centralized location for this important purpose. It will enhance public safety by reducing indiscriminate shooting.”