Statement of

Henri Bisson, Deputy Director

Bureau of Land Management

Before the

Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee

Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests

H.R. 3651, the Utah National Guard Readiness Act

July 16, 2008

Thank you for inviting me to testify on H.R. 3651, the Utah National Guard Readiness Act.  The Department supports the conveyance of the lands identified in H.R. 3651 to the State of Utah for homeland security or national defense purposes.  However, we would like the opportunity to work with the Committee on some modifications to the reversionary clause.   

Background

Camp W. G. Williams is located approximately 25 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah, in an area of expanding residential development.  The 24,000 acre base is a National Guard training site administered by the Utah Army National Guard and includes training facilities for a variety of military purposes.  Approximately 18,000 acres of the base are comprised of public land that has been withdrawn to the United States Army as a training facility for the Utah Army National Guard under the provisions of Executive Order 1922 and Title IX of Public Law 101-628, the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of 1990.   

H.R. 3651

H.R. 3651 directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey to the State of Utah at no cost approximately 431 acres of the 18,000 acres currently withdrawn for the purpose of permitting the Utah Army National Guard to use the conveyed land.  The legislation includes a reversionary clause to return the land to the ownership of the United States if attempt is made by the State of Utah to sell the land or use the land for non-National Guard or  non-national defense purposes. 

Because the public lands proposed for conveyance are currently withdrawn for the benefit of the United States Army, a portion of the overall withdrawal to the Army is revoked by this legislation in order that the lands may be appropriately conveyed.  We defer to the Department of Defense on their position on the partial revocation of the underlying withdrawal.

As we have expressed in prior statements, the Department generally supports a conveyance at no cost if the conveyed land is used for important national security and defense purposes.  We would note that these lands are already withdrawn for military uses to the U.S. Army for use by the Utah National Guard.  We would like clarification why it is necessary to convey land directly to the State of Utah for use by the National Guard. 

We would like to work with the sponsor of the legislation on some technical considerations regarding the reversionary clause.  Specifically, the reversionary clause language is broad and would be difficult for the Department of the Interior to oversee.  Additionally, the Department would like any reversionary clause to be exercised at the discretion of the Secretary. 

Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony.