“We are hopeful the family will accept our final offer to purchase roughly 100 acres of owned property and about 300 acres of unpatented mine claims for $5.2 million,” said Jennifer Miller, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations said when the offer was put on the table. “We understand the landowners’ connection to the land, but we must also consider the demands of national security.
”Unfortunately, the offer was nonnegotiable (as so many things are when dealing with bureaucracy) and the federal government changed its tune after the Sheahans’ rejection.
In retaliation, federal officials condemned the Groom Mine property and ordered the family off the land. To add insult to injury, the government proclamation that the land was unsafe knocked the amount its rightful owners would be compensated (under duress) to just $1.5 million.
Source: Nevada family’s land stolen after refusing government buyout – Personal Liberty®
