CALIFORNIA – BLM to Host Public Scoping Meetings to Consider Changes to Desert Renewa

Todd Ockert

Moderator
https://sharetrails.org/alert/california-blm-to-host-public-scoping-meetings-to-consider-changes-to-desert-renewable-energy-conservation-plan/

The Bureau of Land Management will host eight public scoping meetings in the process to consider amending three land use plans that underlie the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP). The BLM invites members of the public to attend meetings at the following dates and locations:

Monday, February 26, 2018
5pm – 7pm
Lone Pine Film History Museum
701 S Main St, Lone Pine, CA 93545

Tuesday, February 27, 2018
5pm – 7pm
Kerr-McGee Community Center
100 W. California Ave, Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Wednesday, February 28, 2018
5pm – 7pm
Courtyard Marriott
9619 Mariposa Rd. Hesperia, CA 92345

Thursday, March 1, 2018
6pm – 8pm
Joshua Tree Community Center
6171 Sunburst Ave, Joshua Tree, CA 92252

Friday, March 2, 2018
3pm – 5pm
Fairfield Inn & Suites
503 E Danenberg Dr, El Centro, CA 92243

Monday, March 5, 2018
1pm – 3pm
DoubleTree Hotel
2001 Point West Way, Sacramento, CA 95815

Tuesday, March 6, 2018
5pm – 7pm
Bakersfield Field Office
3801 Pegasus Drive, Bakersfield, CA 93308

Wednesday, March 7, 2018
5pm – 7pm
UC Riverside, Palm Desert Center, Auditorium
75080 Frank Sinatra Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92211

On Feb. 2, the BLM issued a Notice of Intent initiating a 45-day public scoping period on the DRECP, which covers about 10.8 million acres of BLM-managed public land. On September 14, 2016, the BLM issued the Record of Decision for the DRECP land use plan amendment. Additional information about the public comment period is located at: www.blm.gov/california/DRECP.

The public is encouraged to provide input on how land designations identified as part of the DRECP process might affect development of solar, wind or other renewable energy resources. The comments will be used to help set the parameters, or scope, of the review of the land use plans.

The public scoping meetings provide the public an opportunity to talk to resource specialists and submit written comments in person. Comments may also be submitted until March 22, 2018, to the BLM-California State Director, 2800 Cottage Way, Rm W-1623, Sacramento, CA 95825, or electronically to [email protected].

The planning area covers approximately 22.6 million acres of both federal and non-federal land in seven counties: Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego. The BLM will consider amendments to the California Desert Conservation Area, the Bakersfield Resource Management Plan, and the Bishop Resource Management Plan.

Thanks in advance and, as always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact BRC.

Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
Sharetrails.org/BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext. 2
 

Pthorpe84

Moderator
Staff member
It amazes me how much scrutiny the West Coast has to put up with in regards to land use. It’s almost unheard of here out east. Worst thing we have to deal with is some dumbass redneck shooting up someone’s combine or grain bin. What is the driving force behind this? Is it just hippies? Government? Or someone that is greedy and doesn’t want to share the land?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Todd Ockert

Moderator
This is about the possibility of installing renewable energy sources in these desert areas. In some areas, this could be thermal or the more common is solar panels. In a couple of places, they also have the windmills.

The problem with some of these solar fields, is they take up huge tracts of land, and we in OHV will loose access to the trails in the area.

Usually, it is scrutiny by the government so they don't get sued later on. We in OHV have typically not filed a lawsuit if we did not get our way. The environmental groups do even before the ink is dry on the Record of Decision (ROD).
The Ochoco forest is one that this happened on when the forest agreed to open 140 miles of new, yes new trails in the area. Environmental, anti OHV groups filed lawsuit to close the trails or not let them be opened.
Sharetrails and other user groups in the area have filed as interveners and working with the Forest Service and the federal lawyers to keep these trails open. This is one of our most active lawsuits recently.
Out west here, the hippies are the Anti-OHV and they run the government!

Todd
 
Top