Fort Irwin
National Training Center
Southwestern Expansion

Below is the text of the Feinstein/Lewis compromise on California desert land acquisition (Catellus). In this conference committee deal made 10/13/99, the politicians tie funding for The Wildlands Conservancy/Catellus desert land purchase to the expansion of Fort Irwin into the Superior Valley. The Wildlands Conservancy and Catellus have both rejected this deal.

Feinstein/Lewis compromise on California desert land acquisition (Catellus)

The conferees agree to provide $5 million dollars to the National Park Service (NPS) and $5 million to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for land acquisition within the California desert. This funding is based on the understanding that the Wildlands Conservancy will acquire 8,000 additional acres, in consultation with the NPS and BLM, from willing seller and small private inholdings within Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave National Preserve within the next year.

The conferees agree that no additional funds will be provided for Catellus land acquisition in future years unless and until the Department of Interior and the Department of Defense resolve remaining issues relating to desert tortoise mitigation and land acquisition and expansion at the National Training Center for the Army at Fort Irwin in California.

Furthermore, the conferees will, before 2002, provide an additional $20 million for California desert land acquisition of Catellus lands up to a total of $30 million. Future funding decisions will be based on progress made by DOI and DOD on desert tortoise mitigation and land acquisition and expansion at the National Training Center for the Army at Fort Irwin.