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Clinton's Area 51 Exemption

The subject of "Area 51" has been denied by the United States Government for years. Though the conspiracy community was rocked by an admittance of a classified area, and an exempt order by a Presidential Determination signed by President Clinton in 1995. This "determination" by the President, said that the area near Groom Lake, Nevada, or known to most people as "Area 51", was exempt from all Federal, State, Interstate, or Local Hazardous laws that might require the disclosure of classified information. Below is the full text of the order signed by President Clinton exempting Area 51 (Groom Lake) from releasing its environmental reports to the public.
Facsimile of actual document (44k)

Presidential Determination
No. 95-45

MEMORANDUM FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY
THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE

SUBJECT: Presidential Determination on Classified
Information Concerning the Air Force's Operating
Location Near Groom Lake, Nevada


I find that it is in the paramount interest of the
United States to exempt the United States Air Force's
operating location nearGroom Lake, Nevada (the subject
of litigation in Kasza v. Browner (D. Nev. CV-S-94-795-PMP)
and Frost v. Perry (D. Nev. CV-S-94- 714-PMP) from any
applicable requirement for the disclosure to unauthorized
persons of classified information concerning that operating
location. Therefore, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 6961(a),
I hereby exempt the Air Force's operating location near
Groom Lake, Nevada from any Federal, State, interstate or
local provision respecting control and abatement of solid
waste or hazardous waste disposal that would require the
disclosure of classified information concerning that
operating location to any unauthorized person.
This exemption shall be effective for the full one-year
statutory period.

Nothing herein is intended to: (a) imply that in the
absence of such a Presidential exemption, the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) or any other
provision of law permits or requires disclosure of
classified information to unauthorized persons; or
(b) limit the applicability or enforcement of any
requirement of law applicable to the Air Force's operating
location near Groom Lake, Nevada, except those
provisions, if any, that would require the disclosure
of classified information.

The Secretary of the Air Force is authorized
and directed to publish this Determination in
the Federal Register.

[Signed]
William J. ClintonNote: this order must be renewed annually and was superceded
by #96-54 in 1996. (Also see 97-35.) -- GC[Federal Register: October 10, 1995 (Volume 60, Number 195)] [Presidential Documents]
[Page 52823] From the Federal Register
Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10oc95-127]

Bush Continues Area 51 Cover-Up By John Greenewald, Jr. Essentially, "Area 51" became a subject that was now not only classified, but exempt from any laws it may come subject to. It appeared that 'anything goes' at "Area 51". However, there was some slim chance of hope, as near the bottom of the Presidential Determination, dated September 29th of 1995, said the "...exemption shall be effective for the full one-year statutory period." After a year, it appeared the order had to be renewed, until it was no longer needed or wanted. In 1996, Presidential Determination #96-54 renewed the exempt status of "Area 51". In 1997, Presidential Determination #97-35 was the renewal. The exemptions went all the way until the new millennium, where in 2000, Clinton again signed Presidential Determination #2000-30, which made "Area 51" exempt from all laws currently on the books. Though in 2001, the United States acquired a new President into the White House. Would this new leader still enact the 'determination' that this classified research area outside of Groom Lake, Nevada would be classified? With new national security advisors, new staff members and a different political party, it was hopeful we could see a chance in policy. All hope failed on January 31, 2001, when President George W. Bush signed a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate. This was deemed Presidential Determination #2001-27. In it, referencing Determination 2000-30, President Bush re-enacted the exempt status on "Area 51" and decided it should remain highly classified and hidden from any prying eyes. Right into 2002, just 9 days ago, President Bush yet again signed a letter to the same individuals, with almost exactly the same wording, keeping the same exempt status on "Area 51". Not televised on the news, and being well over-shadowed by the current conflict in Afghanistan, conspiracy theorists worldwide would have to remain "exempt" from any information on the infamous base called "Area 51" Theories have made their way across the Internet, from message forums to public petitions, asking for any information on such a controversial, highly secretive, subject. Were we dealing with a cover-up of nuclear waste dumping, or something more down the lines of a "alien stockpile". With the current trend of Presidential Determinations, it appears that the curious minds out there would never be satisfied. Click on next page for the text of the Presidential Determination. For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 30, 2003

Message 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 13, 2002, I issued Presidential Determination 2002-30 (copy enclosed) and thereby exercised the authority to grant certain exemptions under section 6001(a) of the Act.

Presidential Determination 2002-30 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 might require the disclosure of classified information.

GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
January 29, 2003.

# # # This is the Letter to Congress: Presidential Letter to Congress Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate January 30, 2002 Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:) 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 18, 2001, I issued Presidential Determination 2001-27 (copy attached) and thereby exercised the authority to grant certain exemptions under section 6001(a) of the Act. Presidential Determination 2001-27 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 might require the disclosure of classified information.

Sincerely, GEORGE W. BUSH # # #

Related:

Secrecy, Consipiracy, and Coverups