GlamisGurlie
07-13-2008, 01:43 PM
It is being proposed by the Solar Energy Industry to install panels on Knight Ranch road where our pit area is. They are wanting to shutdown approx. 6000 acres in this valley. This will completly close down OHV use in this area. In addition to this proposal they are proposing to close off approx. 280,000 acres throughout the Las Vegas District.
We have until Tuesday July 15 to place public comments and try and stop this from happening. I went to the BLM office yesterday and found out this information. I strongly suggest and insist that ALL MRAN, SNORE, SCORE, BITD, CODE, VORRA, BORE, MORE, MDR members submit a comment objecting to this proposal and request that if this area is closed the BLM be required to reestablish and equal size area with the same miles of trails in another area in their district within close proximity to Las Vegas. This new area would be in addition to any remaining OHV areas (Nellis Dunes).
Here is the link to comment http://solareis.anl.gov/involve/comments/
Here is my comment to them:
To Whom It May Concern:
I have been living in the Las Vegas area for five years. My family and I chose to come to this area due to the abundant off-road recreational activities available to us at the time. Over the past few years, we have noticed a very unfair situation taking place here in the Vegas area regarding land closures. As the Vegas Valley has grown immensly, the growth has been taking chunks of land we used for OHV recreation at an astonishing rate. We have been whittled down recreating in two areas, Jean/Primm and Nellis Dunes, for off-highway recreation. And now you are proposing taking one of the remaining two areas away for solar power development.
I am all for renewable/alternative energy sources, but there many other areas that can be utilized for this purpose. Why do you always go after the OHV areas? There are 2 million people living here in Las Vegas and OHV use is at the top of the list for families to participate in. You cannot keep taking OUR land away and funnel us like a herd of cattle into parcels of small acreage! It is unsafe and unhealthy! There is no reason to take OUR (the OHV) land away to use for the proposed solar plant. None whatsoever. We are tax payers and this is OUR land. You must allow a percentage of land to be available for us to recreate on - you can't just keep taking it and not giving anything back. There are hundreds of thousands of acres of desert available for this type of project that would be just as suitable.
This closure would impact an already devestated economy. There are 5 sanctioning bodies that utilize the land proposed for the solar plant to hold sanctioned events on. These events bolster not only the local Vegas economy, but as many participants come from the California and Arizona areas to enjoy the desert in the Jean/Primm area in this arena, if it is closed to OHV use, it would greatly impact all of the businesses that are tied to our sport. It is a ripple effect and one that I just can't see justified. You must give our families a place to recreate and this place needs to stay as the Jean/Primm area.
Thank you.
We have until Tuesday July 15 to place public comments and try and stop this from happening. I went to the BLM office yesterday and found out this information. I strongly suggest and insist that ALL MRAN, SNORE, SCORE, BITD, CODE, VORRA, BORE, MORE, MDR members submit a comment objecting to this proposal and request that if this area is closed the BLM be required to reestablish and equal size area with the same miles of trails in another area in their district within close proximity to Las Vegas. This new area would be in addition to any remaining OHV areas (Nellis Dunes).
Here is the link to comment http://solareis.anl.gov/involve/comments/
Here is my comment to them:
To Whom It May Concern:
I have been living in the Las Vegas area for five years. My family and I chose to come to this area due to the abundant off-road recreational activities available to us at the time. Over the past few years, we have noticed a very unfair situation taking place here in the Vegas area regarding land closures. As the Vegas Valley has grown immensly, the growth has been taking chunks of land we used for OHV recreation at an astonishing rate. We have been whittled down recreating in two areas, Jean/Primm and Nellis Dunes, for off-highway recreation. And now you are proposing taking one of the remaining two areas away for solar power development.
I am all for renewable/alternative energy sources, but there many other areas that can be utilized for this purpose. Why do you always go after the OHV areas? There are 2 million people living here in Las Vegas and OHV use is at the top of the list for families to participate in. You cannot keep taking OUR land away and funnel us like a herd of cattle into parcels of small acreage! It is unsafe and unhealthy! There is no reason to take OUR (the OHV) land away to use for the proposed solar plant. None whatsoever. We are tax payers and this is OUR land. You must allow a percentage of land to be available for us to recreate on - you can't just keep taking it and not giving anything back. There are hundreds of thousands of acres of desert available for this type of project that would be just as suitable.
This closure would impact an already devestated economy. There are 5 sanctioning bodies that utilize the land proposed for the solar plant to hold sanctioned events on. These events bolster not only the local Vegas economy, but as many participants come from the California and Arizona areas to enjoy the desert in the Jean/Primm area in this arena, if it is closed to OHV use, it would greatly impact all of the businesses that are tied to our sport. It is a ripple effect and one that I just can't see justified. You must give our families a place to recreate and this place needs to stay as the Jean/Primm area.
Thank you.