San Diego County Board of Supes meets July 30 to adopt a resolution on Boxer's wilderness bill. It looks like they are going to SUPPORT Boxer's wilderness bill!!!

Action Items:
http://www.crowley-offroad.com/san_diego_county_supervisor.htm

Thanks for your help.

Jon

The below letter was sent to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors:


Supervisors:

I have been a San Diego County resident for 30 years. During that
time I have traveled the back roads of the county on many occasions.
Over the years I have watched as first one wilderness area then
another were designated with the promise that "pristine" areas would
be preserved for the future.

All that I have seen is reduced citizen access to public lands;
increased fire dangers due to fuel load build up; increased damage to
these "pristine" lands from foot traffic caused by illegal immigrant
and drug smuggling traffic.

Adding "wilderness" designation to San Diego County lands has created
areas that cannot be managed to protect citizens and property from
wildfire danger. Adding "wilderness" designation has halted law
enforcement in the rural county. What was once a safe place to visit
is now a very hazardous place.

I have studied the proposed wilderness bill and reviewed comments
from the local forests. I find it interesting that your support for
the Boxer proposal ignores that analysis of the proposed wilderness
areas by the Forest Service land managers. The Cleveland National
Forest analysis details numerous explicit reasons why these areas do
not qualify as wilderness under the Wilderness Act. They also cite
fuel loads and management issues that make it impractical to consider
altering the definition of "wilderness" to include these
non-qualifying areas.

Within the proposed wilderness bill is no assurance that fuel loads
will be managed. There is no assurance that mountain bike (or
wheelchair or baby stroller) access will be available. There is no
assurance that hang glider activities will be allowed. In short,
there are NO ACCESS or SAFETY issues assured within the bill. There
are no assurances of continuous out year funding.

What is assured comes from the California Wilderness Coalition: that
these lands must be protected at all costs. In other words, no costs
to the taxpayer (in property, dollars, or lives) are too great to
stop this action.

In short, San Diego County has a Multiple Species Conservation Plan.
The County has an new national monument. The County has existing
"wilderness" areas and the County has the largest State Park in the
nation. The County has a large State Wilderness area. The County
has plans in progress to increase the county park system. San Diego
County has precious few places where families can enjoy the public
lands. The existing "wilderness" areas prohibit mountain bikes, baby
strollers, wheelchairs, hang gliders and motorized access. Places
for county residents to go for recreation are being eliminated.

San Diego County population is growing. San Diego County residents
deserve a plan where they can enjoy the currently protected areas and
not fear for their safety. County residents needs a plan that
protects their lives and property from fire. Providing wilderness
designation does not manage lands for recreation or public safety.

I urge you to join with the other California Counties and just say
NO. Say NO to more wilderness. The potential for San Diego County
to join the other western states with massive wildfires is too great.
Just say NO to wilderness. Cities, Counties, Recreation Groups
throughout the state have said NO to more wilderness.

John Stewart
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Lakeside, CA 92040

From Supervisor Bill Horn's office:


Look at what the "Greens" are putting out against us tomorrow:

URGENT ALERT! Anti-wilderness resolution at the Board of Supervisors,
Tuesday, July 30! Your help is needed to defeat Sup. Bill Horn's
anti-wilderness resolution, which he will bring to the Board of Supervisors
on Tuesday, July 30. Horn is bringing this resolution in response to Senator

Boxer's California Wild Heritage Wilderness Act of 2002, which will protect
2.5 million acres of Wilderness in California and designate 22 river
segments as Wild and Scenic. In San Diego County, the bill will protect
44,000 acres as Wilderness and designate four Wild and Scenic River
segments. We need to let the Supervisors know that the majority of San
Diegans support this wilderness legislation, and want the Supervisors to
support it too.

WHAT YOU CAN DO 1) Call your Supervisor (contact info below). It will take
two minutes. Make sure they take down your name and address when you call.
Tell the person who answers the phone that you are concerned about Bill
Horn's anti-wilderness resolution. Ask the supervisor to vote against Horn's

resolution, and to support a resolution in favor of the California Wild
Heritage Wilderness Act of 2002.

If possible, please attend the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, July

30, at 9 am at the County Administration Building on Pacific Highway and
speak in opposition to Bill Horn's anti-wilderness resolution and in favor
of the California Wild Heritage Wilderness Act of 2002.

CONTACT INFO District 1 (Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, National City,
Coronado, Point Loma) Greg Cox, 619-531-5511, FAX: 619-235-0644,
greg-cox@co.san-diego.ca.us District 2 (El Cajon, Poway, most of E. County)
Dianne Jacob, 619-531-5522, FAX: 619-696-7253,
dianne-jacob@co.san-diego.ca.us District 3 (La Jolla, Mira Mesa, Encinitas,
Escondido) Pam Slater, 619-531-5533, FAX: 619-234-1559,
pam-slater@co.san-diego.ca.us District 4 (Central City of San Diego) Ron
Roberts, 619-531-5544, FAX: 619-531-6262, ron-roberts@co.san-diego.ca.us
District 5 (North county, including Carlsbad, Oceanside, Fallbrook, Valley
Center) Bill Horn, 619-531-5555, bill-horn@co.san-diego.ca.us

BACKGROUND Dozens of volunteers have worked for three years identifying,
mapping and generating support for new wilderness areas in San Diego County.

The areas that were selected for the Wild Heritage Bill include important
habitat at the headwaters of the San Diego River (Eagle Peak Wilderness
areas), Sweetwater River (Hauser additions), and critical habitat for the
endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep (Carrizo Gorge and Sawtooth Mountains
additions). In addition, spectacular, untouched segments of the San Diego
River, Cedar Creek, and Pine Valley Creek have been selected for Wild and
Scenic River status. It is important to protect these rivers and landscapes
because: 1) all of the areas provide valuable open space, while the mountain

areas contain the headwaters of local sources for our clean drinking water;
2) all of these areas and rivers provide habitat for endangered plants and
animals; 3) they are part of our nation's precious wilderness heritage.

They report the Agenda item regarding Bill Horns resolution is being removed from the BOS Agenda for tomorrows 7/30 meeting (as of 4:50 PDT).

Greg Cox (unfortunately) is currently in support of Boxer's Act, and in opposition to Horn's resolution. They will fax you a copy of Horn's resolution if you do not already have it (good reading).

It makes a difference to call, and simply request they oppose Senator Boxer's Wilderness Act by supporting Supervisor Horn's resolution.

The delay provides recreation enthusiasts more time to educate the Supervisors the public opposition to this Wilderness Act.

Happy Trails!

Just received this from Supervisor Bill Horn's office:


"07.29.02 Subject: Board Letter opposing Boxer's S.2535 will NOT be heard
at tomorrow's [July 30] Board Meeting
Rather than compromise his position in opposition of Boxer's S. 2535 just to
gain votes from fellow Board members, Supervisor Horn has decided not to
have his Board Letter heard tomorrow. I will advise as soon as I know if he
plans to continue to a later date, withdraw, or send an individual letter in
opposition.
I hope this catches up with all of you who planned to attend in person and
apologize for the late notification.
Thank you for all your tireless work opposing these designations. Your
communications were most enlightening and may have assisted greatly had not
the other four supervisors already registered their individual support last
year in written and/or verbal format. That information did not come to light
until well after docketing this Board letter. (At least one would likely
have stood with Bill and all of us if not for his earlier letter.)
Your comments and resolutions are still valid and welcome by this office and
we would be happy to receive your letters, e-mails, faxes et al. I will
also faithfully forward them to Boxer and our Congressional delegation along
with our letter.
Thank you once again."

Per instruction from my Chief, I had the Clerk of the Board withdraw the
Board Letter this morning. The other four supervisors will never rescind
their support of Boxer and her wilderness designations, even in the light of
the mountain of evidence many of you and I provided them. Therefore, I
could not continue it to another Board meeting.
I have prepared a letter for Supervisor Horn to send in opposition to S.
2535 and the two companion House bills, HR 4947 and HR 4948 with cc's to the
President, the San Diego County Congressional delegation, the other four
Supervisors and I will copy to all of you.
FYI, Boxer's Deputy State Director, Thomas Bohigian and her San Diego and
Imperial Counties Area Director, Humberto Peraza, Jr. requested to speak
with me before the Board meeting. They had an entourage of greens waiting
outside the Board Meeting. Bohigian and Peraza wanted to take a few moments
to hear our concerns and try to "dispell any misconceptions etc. we may
have." I responded, "That would be unfair of me to take your time since we
are painfully familiar with the impacts of wilderness et al designations and
we are firm in our resolve to oppose." With that, we exchanged business
cards and parted ways... ( :
ONE MAJOR VICTORY THROUGH THIS ALL IS THAT THE OTHER FOUR SUPERVISORS' TRUE
COLORS ARE NOW REVEALED AND THERE IS NO PLACE TO HIDE... THEY ARE HAVING TO
DEAL WITH RESPONDING TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS FOR THEIR ACTIONS.

Let's all stay connected and moving forward on this and other relatedmatters. Bill thanks you all for your support and assistance.

*God Bless America***The Eagle Still Flies*
Trudy K. Thomas - Policy Advisor
Supervisor Bill Horn - 5th District