DOE Statement on Area 51

The statement below was received by fax 5/28/96 from DOE Public Affairs in response to a request for the Memorandum of Understanding transferring control of P.L. 1662 lands (Area 51) from DOE to Air Force. -- Glenn Campbell

U.S. Department of Energy
Nevada Operations Office
P.O. Box 98518
Las Vegas, Nevada 89193-8518

From:

      Nancy Harkess
      Public Affairs and Information Office
      PH 702-295-XXXX
      FAX: 702-295-XXXX

    To: Glenn Campbell
    Fax: 795-XXXX

The following is DOE Nevada Operations Office statement on "Area 51" land withdrawals (as of 5/8/96):

The 38,400 acre land area once know as "Area 51 " was withdrawn from public use by the U S. Atomic Energy Commission, a predecessor to the U.S Department of Energy (DOE), more than 35 years ago under Public Land Order 1662 (filed June 25, 1958).

Since that time, the parcel has been used and administered as a national asset. Because DOE is not now active there, Area 51 no longer appears on maps of DOE's Nevada Test Site (NTS).

Today that land area is used by the Department of Defense as part of its 4,120 square mile Nellis Air Force Range. For safety and national security reasons, air space above both the Nellis Range and the NTS is closed to commercial aviation and the general public.

For more information, you may wish to contact HQ-USAF/Secretary of the Air Force, Legislative Liaison Office, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20330-5054.

Official Business

U n c l a s s i f i e d

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Html by Area 51 Research Center, 6/3/96