For Release: June 11, 2002
Contact: Doran Sanchez (909) 697-5220; E-MAIL: dasanche@ca.blm.gov
CA-610-02-61

BLM Schedules Public Meetings to Prepare Draft EIS

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has scheduled five public scoping meetings to gather public comments and recommendations on the preparation of draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and proposed amendment to the 1980 California Desert Conservation Area Plan that will establish or revise off-highway vehicle route designation for Surprise Canyon, located in the Panamint Mountains in Inyo County, CA.

Each meeting will include two sessions that will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the following dates and locations:

July 29
Desert Empire Fairgrounds
Mesquite Hall
530 South Richmond Road
Ridgecrest, CA. 93555

July 30
Doubletree Hotel
3100 Camino Del Rio Court
Bakersfield, CA. 93308

July 31
Boulder Creek RV Resort Clubhouse
2550 South Highway 395
Lone Pine, CA. 93545

August 5
Sheraton Pasadena Hotel
303 East Cordova Street
Pasadena, CA 91101

August 6
Hilton San Diego Mission Valley
901 Camino Del Rio South
San Diego, CA. 92108


The Draft EIS will evaluate a full range of alternatives regarding access into the Surprise Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). Upon completion of the EIS and decision processes, BLM will issue a Record of Decision that will amend the 1980 California Desert Conservation Area Plan.

Written comments will be accepted through Friday, August 30, 2002. Comments should be mailed Hector Villalobos, Field Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 300 South Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, CA 93555.

For more information contact the BLM Ridgecresst Field Office at (760) 384-5400.

-BLM-

California Desert District Office - 6221 Box Springs Blvd, Riverside, California - (909) 697-5220
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:usa:

Peter, what type of meeting will this be? Do we bring signs ect, or just make a big show of force? I will be at the Pas. meeting for sure, and possibly make Ridgecrest ;)

This will be a public comment meeting from what I understand, I'm not sure we need signs as much as we need large numbers of people to show up in support of reopenind the route....

I'll be at the Pasedena for sure, and going to try to make BK, and SD...but I'll have to see how it works out...


:usa:

I DON'T live in California, but I'd sure like to be there for this event. I'll see what I can do - maybe some other AZ guys could go also?

as long as i'm in town i'll be at the SD meeting. is one of the times better to attend than the other? i could probably do either, but the later one would be more convenient.

Dallas

i should be at the san diego one. Might be able to make both of them if i dont have a job by then.

Matt

I'll be at the SD meeting and I'm shooting for the one in :bender: land.

The below is from the Center for Biological Diversity Newsletter
No. 308, June 27, 2002

Please note the meeting times and places. ("chainsawing big riparian
trees"????? - hope they are using those new 'solar-powered' chainsaws)


> KEEP OFF-ROAD VEHICLES OUT OF DEATH VALLEY RIPARIAN JEWEL SURPRISE
>CANYON: HEARINGS JULY 29-AUGUST 6
>
> Surprise Canyon is an amazing perennial stream in the Panamint
>Range of Inyo County, flowing gracefully from Death Valley National
>Park down to the BLM Surprise Canyon Area of Critical Environmental
>Concern within the California Desert Conservation Area. This desert
>stream is home to many rare and endangered species, including the
>least bells vireo and panamint alligator lizard.
>
> It is also a mecca for extreme off-roading, which is extremely
>harmful to the riparian environment and wilderness experience. Since
>spring of 2001, Surprise Canyon has been closed to off-roading -
>highly modified 4x4's winching up waterfalls, chainsawing big
>riparian trees, spilling oil and gas in to the stream, scarring the
>slickrock with black tire skid marks, etc. - as a result of a Center
>for Biological Diversity lawsuit settlement. The BLM is now
>preparing an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) to decide future
>vehicle use in Surprise Canyon.
>
> It is critical that conservationists speak at these hearings, and
>write comments in favor of permanent protection for Surprise Canyon
>by keeping damaging off-road vehicles out.
>
> Each meeting will include two sessions that will be held from 3-5
>pm and 7-9 pm at the following dates and locations:
>
> July 29 - Ridgecrest CA, Desert Empire Fairgrounds, Mesquite Hall,
>530 South Richmond Road
> July 30 - Bakersfield CA, Doubletree Hotel, 3100 Camino Del Rio Court
> July 31 - Lone Pine CA, Boulder Creek RV Resort Clubhouse, 2550
>South Highway 395
> August 5 - Pasadena CA, Sheraton Pasadena Hotel, 303 East Cordova Street
> August 6 - San Diego CA, Hilton San Diego Mission Valley,
>901Camino Del Rio South



:usa: