Army's McGregor Range
Lease Gains 25 Years

WASHINGTON — President Clinton has signed a bill extending the Army's lease of the 608,000-acre McGregor Range in southern New Mexico for another 25 years.

The lease was part of the year 2000 Defense Authorization Act which Clinton signed last week. It extends a 15-year federal government lease that was set to expire in 2001.

The McGregor Range is primarily used for military operations conducted by Fort Bliss, Texas, but also includes activities by the nearby White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base, including use by German Air Force personnel based at Holloman.

Sections also are used for cattle grazing, hunting and recreation.

Although the extension is not as long as the 50-year lease that Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., had sought, it is the longest extension ever approved by Congress.

``McGregor, as part of a triad with Holloman and White Sands Missile Range, represents the Defense Department's largest overland range, making it critical to our training needs as well as the development and integration of missile defense systems,'' Domenici said.

Overall, the Defense Authorization Bill provides $288.8 billion in funding for military programs and construction projects. Of that, $910 million is earmarked for defense related projects in New Mexico.

``This extension preserves vital military operations for our national security and preserves the public's access to public lands for recreation, grazing, hunting and other purposes,'' said Rep. Joe Skeen, R-N.M.

Environmental activists have opposed permanent or long-term removal of the range from public use without considering the results of an Army environmental study.