YellowSub1962
11-08-2001, 08:36 AM
I mentioned this a few weeks ago when Geiger posted the BLM letter the X-Toys got....This is from Jeri Ferguson, CA4WDC Natural Resources Consultant...Her comments are in Red.
LETTERS NEED TO BE WRITTEN IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND THE CONGRESSMEN ON THE RESOURSES COMITTEE.
The following is the Congressmen you need to write to besides your own.
House Armed Services Committee - Full Committee Membership List http://www.house.gov/hasc/about/members.html
THIS IS WHAT WAS ON THE CBD'S WEB PAGE my comments are in red
We do not oppose the expansion. But we do oppose the Wilderness, Stoddard and Johnson being designated to Limited Use, and the Rands being made into a Desert Tortoise Preserve.
Subject: Please support Sen. Boxer's efforts to add conservation measures to Ft. Irwin legislation
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
As an American conservationist, I want our military to be prepared to defend our beautiful country. Meeting the need for national security, however, need not come at the expense of endangered species and environmental protections.
The proposed legislation for the expansion of Ft. Irwin in HR 2586, the House Defense Authorization bill will imperil the survival and recovery of endangered species, including the desert tortoise and Lane Mountain milkvetch (LMMV). It would end the conservation of 110,000 acres of spectacular and biologically diverse public wildlands in the California Desert, including lands Congress has identified as meriting wilderness protection.
This is not a true statement. The biologists have come out with new data that there are not as many tortoises in those areas and the milkvetch in that area is like what is in the Dunes very plentiful and there are other plentiful populations outside the expansion
I am concerned that expansion of the Army's already huge Ft. Irwin will not increase our ability to stop terrorism, but it would destroy some of the top reasons for defending America: our unique natural heritage, wildlife and public lands.
I do not support the expansion of Ft. Irwin. But if Congress feels it must move forward, I urge the conferees to incorporate these changes to the current version of the Ft. Irwin legislation, to better protect natural values and help ensure mitigation for these losses while supporting military readiness:
* Establish a reserve for the tortoise in the west Mojave by expanding the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area to include the adjacent Western Rand Mountains Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). Routes in the Western Rand Mountains ACEC will be closed and the area managed for tortoise recovery.
There is already the Desert Tortoise Natural Preserve next to the Rands and it has done nothing to help the populations of the Desert Tortoise. Until it proves that is working no more land should be locked up on this misguided way.
* Conserve the LMMV by establishing a LMMV ACEC on lands both within and outside the proposed Fort Irwin expansion area to capture populations throughout the range of the species. The ACEC will be managed for LMMV conservation and recovery, and provide access for research across the species' range.
We do not have the right to tell the military what they can and cannot do on their land.
* The legislation should authorize full funding for compliance with all environmental laws and at least $327 million for up-front mitigation measures to offset the impacts to listed species, including: habitat acquisition, route closures, mineral withdrawals, grazing allotment retirements and the hiring of additional BLM resource protection staff.
They are basically stating that the rest of the desert needs to be closed for the mitigation of the Desert Tortoise when the expansion goes through
* The legislation should designate Cady Mountains Wilderness Study Area (WSA), Kingston Range WSA, Death Valley National Park 17 WSA, Great Falls WSA, Soda Mountains WSA and the remainder of the Avawatz WSA as wildernesses.
None of these areas are Desert Tortoise Critical Habitat. and will not help the Tortoise in anyway if they are made into wilderness's. There was already 69 wilderness made in 1994 with over 14 million acres designated to protect the tortoise.
* To aid tortoise recovery, the land use designation in the Johnson and Stoddard Valleys should be changed from open to limited use. Motorized vehicles should be restricted to designated routes. Route designation on desert tortoise critical habitat should be restricted by legislation to a maximum of 18 miles per township, and a maximum of 24 miles per township in other habitat areas.
Not real sure what to say about this. I was told during the settlement that by Daniel Patterson that they would not be going after the Open Areas. THIS NEEDS TO BE OPPOSED AT ALL COSTS
* Tortoise critical habitat and LMMV habitat in the west Mojave should be withdrawn from mineral entry.
This is a repeat of what was said up above.
* Changes to the current use restrictions of UTM 90 lands for desert tortoise conservation should be prohibited, pending a new needs analysis.
* The legislation should contain a reversionary clause that would return the lands to BLM if the expansion proposal does not comply with all applicable environmental and cultural resource protection laws within two years.
We urge you to work to change the Fort Irwin expansion provisions of the Defense Authorization legislation to mitigate the losses of California Desert wildlands, endangered species and habitat that would result if this expansion moves forward.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Jeri Ferguson
CA4WDC Natural Resources Consultant
:usa:
LETTERS NEED TO BE WRITTEN IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND THE CONGRESSMEN ON THE RESOURSES COMITTEE.
The following is the Congressmen you need to write to besides your own.
House Armed Services Committee - Full Committee Membership List http://www.house.gov/hasc/about/members.html
THIS IS WHAT WAS ON THE CBD'S WEB PAGE my comments are in red
We do not oppose the expansion. But we do oppose the Wilderness, Stoddard and Johnson being designated to Limited Use, and the Rands being made into a Desert Tortoise Preserve.
Subject: Please support Sen. Boxer's efforts to add conservation measures to Ft. Irwin legislation
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
As an American conservationist, I want our military to be prepared to defend our beautiful country. Meeting the need for national security, however, need not come at the expense of endangered species and environmental protections.
The proposed legislation for the expansion of Ft. Irwin in HR 2586, the House Defense Authorization bill will imperil the survival and recovery of endangered species, including the desert tortoise and Lane Mountain milkvetch (LMMV). It would end the conservation of 110,000 acres of spectacular and biologically diverse public wildlands in the California Desert, including lands Congress has identified as meriting wilderness protection.
This is not a true statement. The biologists have come out with new data that there are not as many tortoises in those areas and the milkvetch in that area is like what is in the Dunes very plentiful and there are other plentiful populations outside the expansion
I am concerned that expansion of the Army's already huge Ft. Irwin will not increase our ability to stop terrorism, but it would destroy some of the top reasons for defending America: our unique natural heritage, wildlife and public lands.
I do not support the expansion of Ft. Irwin. But if Congress feels it must move forward, I urge the conferees to incorporate these changes to the current version of the Ft. Irwin legislation, to better protect natural values and help ensure mitigation for these losses while supporting military readiness:
* Establish a reserve for the tortoise in the west Mojave by expanding the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area to include the adjacent Western Rand Mountains Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). Routes in the Western Rand Mountains ACEC will be closed and the area managed for tortoise recovery.
There is already the Desert Tortoise Natural Preserve next to the Rands and it has done nothing to help the populations of the Desert Tortoise. Until it proves that is working no more land should be locked up on this misguided way.
* Conserve the LMMV by establishing a LMMV ACEC on lands both within and outside the proposed Fort Irwin expansion area to capture populations throughout the range of the species. The ACEC will be managed for LMMV conservation and recovery, and provide access for research across the species' range.
We do not have the right to tell the military what they can and cannot do on their land.
* The legislation should authorize full funding for compliance with all environmental laws and at least $327 million for up-front mitigation measures to offset the impacts to listed species, including: habitat acquisition, route closures, mineral withdrawals, grazing allotment retirements and the hiring of additional BLM resource protection staff.
They are basically stating that the rest of the desert needs to be closed for the mitigation of the Desert Tortoise when the expansion goes through
* The legislation should designate Cady Mountains Wilderness Study Area (WSA), Kingston Range WSA, Death Valley National Park 17 WSA, Great Falls WSA, Soda Mountains WSA and the remainder of the Avawatz WSA as wildernesses.
None of these areas are Desert Tortoise Critical Habitat. and will not help the Tortoise in anyway if they are made into wilderness's. There was already 69 wilderness made in 1994 with over 14 million acres designated to protect the tortoise.
* To aid tortoise recovery, the land use designation in the Johnson and Stoddard Valleys should be changed from open to limited use. Motorized vehicles should be restricted to designated routes. Route designation on desert tortoise critical habitat should be restricted by legislation to a maximum of 18 miles per township, and a maximum of 24 miles per township in other habitat areas.
Not real sure what to say about this. I was told during the settlement that by Daniel Patterson that they would not be going after the Open Areas. THIS NEEDS TO BE OPPOSED AT ALL COSTS
* Tortoise critical habitat and LMMV habitat in the west Mojave should be withdrawn from mineral entry.
This is a repeat of what was said up above.
* Changes to the current use restrictions of UTM 90 lands for desert tortoise conservation should be prohibited, pending a new needs analysis.
* The legislation should contain a reversionary clause that would return the lands to BLM if the expansion proposal does not comply with all applicable environmental and cultural resource protection laws within two years.
We urge you to work to change the Fort Irwin expansion provisions of the Defense Authorization legislation to mitigate the losses of California Desert wildlands, endangered species and habitat that would result if this expansion moves forward.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Jeri Ferguson
CA4WDC Natural Resources Consultant
:usa: