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 Topic: Land Use AlertsThe new items published under this topic are as follows.
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HOLLISTER, CA (Aug. 22) - Off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation continues without the cloud of litigation over the popular Clear Creek Management Area (CCMA) for the first time in over eighteen months following the recent dismissal of a lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and California Native Plant Society. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the CCMA has been under attack for several years by anti-access groups seeking to close the popular off-road riding area, home of the AMA-sanctioned Quicksilver Enduro and known by enthusiasts throughout the country.
The BlueRibbon Coalition, a national non-profit recreation group (BRC), spearheaded an effort by motorized recreation interests to intervene in this case in order to help to protect public access to the CCMA. The suit, filed in Federal District Court in San Jose in November 2004, threatened to eliminate most motorized use of the entire area. The Plaintiffs filed numerous motions seeking immediate judicial imposition of travel restrictions, none of which were granted.
"We are pleased at this result. The recreation community is proud of its strong legal defense of the agency's planning process and continued support for active management of the CCMA," noted Paul Turcke, a Boise, Idaho, attorney representing the Salinas Ramblers Motorcycle Club, the American Motorcyclist Association District 36, the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, the California Off Road Vehicle Association, the Off Road Business Association and the BlueRibbon Coalition in the lawsuit. "However, this success should not trigger complacency. A number of CCMA issues remain pending, including our Interior Board of Land Appeals challenge to the 'dry season' closure, and future litigation at the CCMA and other California riding areas is, unfortunately, more likely than not," Turcke cautioned.
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The Forest Service is underestimating the impact of proposed closure. They are saying we are loosing only 43 miles of single track out of 700 miles of trails, but that total includes mostly jeep roads. After reviewing Forest documents we calculate they are proposing closing about 68 miles out of about 250 miles of single track for a loss of about 27% of single track.
Visit Stewards of the Sequoia to see how you can help!
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Our partners in Colorado are fighting a skirmish in an ongoing battle that essentially extends from Canada to Mexico. The legislation authorizing the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail did not specifically exclude this trail being open to motorized vehicles. Unfortunately, agenda driven bureaucrats have once again twisted the intent of Congress and are attempting to make the CDNST totally non-motorized. BRC is working this issue in Montana, Colorado and New Mexico where anti-access groups are all too eager to assist.
BRC applauds the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO: see http:www.cohvco.org ) for their diligent effort to keep motorized portions of the CDNST open. So far, their efforts have been successful.
Strong public support must be shown for alternatives that leave motorized sections of the CDNST open. Please help us by responding to the action alert below.
Thanks,
Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008
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I've been asked to have folks send this letter off to the Superintendent of the Mojave National Preserve. Please share with your friends...
To: Superintendent Mojave National Preserve 2701 Barstow Road Barstow, CA 92311
Superintendent of the Mojave National Preserve:
Please consider this letter an official response to the National Park Service's request for public comment in answer to the Environmental Assessment for a proposal to convert twelve ranching wells into wildlife guzzlers/drinkers distributed 11/22/05.
I feel very strongly that Alternative B is the correct action for the NPS to pursue. This action will have no negative impact on the environment and needs to be undertaken as soon as possible. I see no reason for further analysis regarding soil, water resources, wildlife, vegetation, endangered species, cultural landscape resources, visitor experience, public health and safety, park operations, or wilderness. Wildlife and visitor experience would have a positive impact whereas the other topics listed above would be insignificant or cause no impact to the MNP. If no action is taken, there will continue to be a negative impact on wildlife, visitor experience and preserve resources.
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The West Mojave Plan, the largest habitat conservation plan (HCP) ever developed in the United States, encompassing 9.3 million acres in San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles, and Inyo counties, has been jointly released, along with the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR), by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the County of San Bernardino, and the City of Barstow.
The HCP and proposed BLM plan amendment provides a comprehensive strategy to conserve and protect more than 100 listed or sensitive wildlife species and their habitats, including the desert tortoise and Mohave ground squirrel. The plan also provides a streamlined program for public agencies and private parties to comply with requirements of the State and Federal Endangered Species Acts. In addition to being a multi-agency HCP, it is also an amendment to the 1980 California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan and includes a final EIS/EIR analyzing the impacts of the plan's provisions.
In addition to BLM, San Bernardino County, and Barstow, many other entities cooperated or participated in the plan's development, including three other counties, 10 other cities, the California Department of Fish and Game, the California Department of Transportation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, four U.S. military bases, and numerous non-governmental organizations and businesses.
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The Imperial Sand Dunes, one of the most popular recreation sites in the country with more than 1.2 million visitors annually, has a new land use plan balancing off-highway vehicle (OHV) use with protection of wilderness and threatened plant and wildlife species, and emphasizing a family-oriented safety and law enforcement program.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) State Director Mike Pool said he today signed a record of decision (ROD) approving a new Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) that will guide management of the 160,000-acre Dunes for the next 15 years. "I am very pleased to be able to finalize this five-year cooperative planning effort and move management of the Dunes forward into a new, progressive era." The ROD is available online at www.ca.blm.gov.
Pool said the key feature of the RAMP is "zoning" the entire Dunes into eight distinct management areas, each designed to emphasize varying levels of OHV use or environmental protection. These areas range from no vehicle use in the 26,202-acre North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area to intensive OHV use in the 21,225-acre Gecko Management Area.
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"If not there, where?" is a slogan that we hope will soon be heard in Olympia from hundreds of motorized off road users on March 25, 2005--if the Northwest Outdoor Coalition (NOC), a coalition of dedicated off road vehicle users of every type, has its way.
That is the date that was picked for a Rally in Olympia by this dedicated core group representing motorized users of ATV, 4WD, Rally Car, Motorcycle, Sports Car, Motocross, Enduro, Poker Run, Play Riders, Trail Riders, Off Road Racers.
These people are fed up with what is happening in Olympia and want to draw attention to it in the mainstream press!
Some of the current things that are going on in Olympia:
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Who: El Dorado County Rubicon Trail planning team and all interested individuals and organizations
What: A public session to discuss revisions to the Preliminary Draft Rubicon Trail Master Plan released December 4, 2004. This session will present revisions to the Preliminary Draft Rubicon Trail Master Plan based on comments received on the Master Plan presented at the January 22, 2004 public workshop.
When: Saturday, March 19 beginning at 10:00 AM and to conclude no later than 2:00 PM.
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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a plan would close more than 90,000 acres to off-road vehicle users in central Oregon, including a desert area known as the Badlands that has been identified as suitable for wilderness designation. The closure would prohibit trucks, off-highway vehicles (OHVs), motorcycles and cars from being driven on any of the roughly 50 miles of roads and trails that run through the 32,000-acre area.
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