[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[January 31, 2000]
[Page 163]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 163]]


Message to the Congress on the United States Air Force Operating 
Location Near Groom Lake, Nevada
January 31, 2000

To the Congress of the United States:
    Consistent with section 6001(a) of the Resource Conservation and 
Recovery Act (RCRA) (the ``Act''), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6961(a), 
notification is hereby given that on September 20, 1999, I issued 
Presidential Determination 99-37 (copy enclosed) and thereby exercised 
the authority to grant certain exemptions under section 6001(a) of the 
Act.
    Presidential Determination 99-37 exempted the United States Air 
Force's operating location near Groom Lake, Nevada, from any Federal, 
State, interstate, or local hazardous or solid waste laws that might 
require the disclosure of classified information concerning that 
operating location to unauthorized persons. Information concerning 
activities at the operating location near Groom Lake has been properly 
determined to be classified, and its disclosure would be harmful to 
national security. Continued protection of this information is, 
therefore, in the paramount interest of the United States.
    The determination was not intended to imply that in the absence of a 
Presidential exemption, RCRA or any other provision of law permits or 
requires the disclosure of classified information to unauthorized 
persons. The determination also was not intended to limit the 
applicability or enforcement of any requirement of law applicable to the 
Air Force's operating location near Groom Lake except those provisions, 
if any, that would require the disclosure of classified information.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,

January 31, 2000.

Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
February 1.