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Amodei reintroduces bill to update, expand U.S. Navy complex in Nevada

September 16, 2021

The Fallon Range Training Complex located in the high desert of northern Nevada would be expanded and modernized under legislation sponsored on Sept. 14 by U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV).

The complex, located about 65 miles east of Reno, Nev., is used primarily for military training operations, with some capability to support research and development, and test and evaluation of military hardware, personnel, tactics, munitions, explosives, and electronic combat, according to the U.S. Navy.

“This bill addresses the United States Navy’s warfighter training capability so that it continues to rival that of our adversaries, like China and Russia, while also addressing the needs of surrounding counties, Walker River Paiute Tribe, Washoe Tribe, conservation groups, and sportsmen communities,” Rep. Amodei said. “These needs have been expressed for the past several years, and through dialogue with the affected local governments, I am proud to continue to pursue a solution that gives our servicemembers expanded and modernized training capacity while also looking out for the best interests of Nevadans.”

The congressman on Tuesday reintroduced the Northern Nevada Economic Development, Conservation, and Military Modernization Act, H.R. 5243, which seeks to modernize the complex by addressing the gaps between current training capabilities and current and future training requirements, while also paying respect to environmental, tribal, and military concerns, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Amodei’s office.

Specifically, H.R. 5243 would expand several ranges at the complex by roughly 475,291 acres to be used by the Navy for testing and training for aerial bombing, missile firing, and tactical maneuvering; create nearly one million acres of wilderness and conservation area designations, conservation areas and prohibitions on oil and gas leasing; rectify legitimate tribal claims against previous actions of the Navy; and create a comprehensive tribal and cultural resource program operated within the U.S. Department of Defense, the summary says.

Rep. Amodei in May 2020 originally introduced the same-named H.R. 6889, which stalled in several subcommittees. The newly reintroduced H.R. 5243 is under consideration in the U.S. House Natural Resources; Armed Services; and Agriculture committees.