The U.S. Air Force is giving an ultimatum to owners of a remote Nevada property that over time has been surrounded by a vast bombing range including the super-secret Area 51.
They’re being told to take a $5.2 million “last best offer” for their property by Thursday — or the government will seize it through condemnation.
The owners include descendants of a couple who lost their hardscrabble mining enterprise after the Air Force moved in in the 1940s. Nuclear tests then began in 1951, their mine mill mysteriously exploded in 1954 and they ran out of money to seek reparations from the government in 1959.
Family representatives say they’ll reject the deal — at least for now.
Air Force officials are calling it a matter of national security.
Family members say the site is a symbol of their grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ blood, sweat and tears.
(AP)
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4 Responses
When push comes to shove there is no such thing as Private Property in the USA.
A comparison may be compared to the Keystone XL Pipeline matter.
Generations of American citizens and taxpayers (including indigenous American Indians) owned, nurtured and succeeded in the areas that the Government is now condemning or taking over using eminent domain.
But the Nevada issue is based on national security and affects one family.
Keystone upends thousands of families for the benefit of a foreign (alien) corporation.
$5,200,000.00 would be a great symbol of their grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ blood, sweat and tears.
My only regret is because of our inept government negotiators, the taxpayers are on the hook for that much money for that much worthless sand.
If they don’t accept the offer from the Air Force, then the government has to go to court to seize the property, and there will be a trial. Since the government already admitted the property is worth at least $5.2 million, I’m sure some lawyer will think this to be a good case to take as a contingency.
That the federal government can seize property for a clear military purpose (they also can seize it to help politically connected developers, but that isn’t the issue).. However the courts determine the price if they parties don’t settle it themselves.
Big government.