Joined
·
2,839 Posts
The greenies on the OHMVR commission are now denying funds to operations & maintenance at Glamis. The vote was 4-3.
The OHMVR Workshop will be on Saturday, Jan. 24. This is an important meeting.
Jon
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement regarding CA OHV Commission's denial of BLM grant request for Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, Imperial County, California, January 23, 2003
Background: BLM requested $1.4 million in grant funds for the Imperial Sand Dunes. These grant funds have been provided by the state for many years to match federal appropriations for this area, comprising about 160,000 acres. In December 2002, the commission granted $292,000 to assist with the dramatically increasing law enforcement costs at the Dunes for peak holiday weekends, when visitation can sometimes exceed 200,000 people. At that time, the commission deferred a vote on the additional funds ($1.1 million in operations and maintenance funds) until today's meeting. Annually, more than 3 million people visit the Dunes, considered a world-class recreation area.
Today's 4-3 vote was attributed by some commission members to BLM' not yet completing the update of the 1987 Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) that is currently underway. The update was needed to address increasing visitor use and protection of listed species, including the threatened Peirson' milkvetch. BLM published a draft in March of 2002 and is currently reviewing the 10,000 comments received and consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in preparation of the final plan, which should be completed sometime this spring or early summer.
BLM Statement:
"We are very disappointed in the commission's action today. BLM has always considered OHV recreation in California to be a partnership between the federal and state governments, with BLM supplying the land and recreation opportunities, and the state assisting us in funding through the grant program.
The denial of $1.1 million in grant funds will have a significant impact on the Dunes and the more than 3 million people who visit the Dunes annually. These funds were to be used for visitor services, including sanitation facilities, trash removal, environmental monitoring and countless other activities.
BLM is diligently working the Recreation Area Management Plan for the Dunes and we have been delayed only due to the large volume of public comments and the complexity of trying to balance the intensive public use with the need for environmental protection, particularly threatened wildlife and plant species.
We hope that when the plan is completed in the late spring or early summer, the commission will revisit today's action and reinforce the long partnership BLM has had with California in providing recreation opportunities to the public.
If the funds are not restored, BLM would not rule out other options for the Dunes, including raising fees, reducing services, moving funds from other recreation areas in the desert, or other cost-cutting measures. Such measures would be regrettable, as much progress has been made recently to provide services to the families that have historically enjoyed this area."
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2003/01/nr/Dunes/Conv.htm
The OHMVR Workshop will be on Saturday, Jan. 24. This is an important meeting.
Jon
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement regarding CA OHV Commission's denial of BLM grant request for Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, Imperial County, California, January 23, 2003
Background: BLM requested $1.4 million in grant funds for the Imperial Sand Dunes. These grant funds have been provided by the state for many years to match federal appropriations for this area, comprising about 160,000 acres. In December 2002, the commission granted $292,000 to assist with the dramatically increasing law enforcement costs at the Dunes for peak holiday weekends, when visitation can sometimes exceed 200,000 people. At that time, the commission deferred a vote on the additional funds ($1.1 million in operations and maintenance funds) until today's meeting. Annually, more than 3 million people visit the Dunes, considered a world-class recreation area.
Today's 4-3 vote was attributed by some commission members to BLM' not yet completing the update of the 1987 Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) that is currently underway. The update was needed to address increasing visitor use and protection of listed species, including the threatened Peirson' milkvetch. BLM published a draft in March of 2002 and is currently reviewing the 10,000 comments received and consulting with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in preparation of the final plan, which should be completed sometime this spring or early summer.
BLM Statement:
"We are very disappointed in the commission's action today. BLM has always considered OHV recreation in California to be a partnership between the federal and state governments, with BLM supplying the land and recreation opportunities, and the state assisting us in funding through the grant program.
The denial of $1.1 million in grant funds will have a significant impact on the Dunes and the more than 3 million people who visit the Dunes annually. These funds were to be used for visitor services, including sanitation facilities, trash removal, environmental monitoring and countless other activities.
BLM is diligently working the Recreation Area Management Plan for the Dunes and we have been delayed only due to the large volume of public comments and the complexity of trying to balance the intensive public use with the need for environmental protection, particularly threatened wildlife and plant species.
We hope that when the plan is completed in the late spring or early summer, the commission will revisit today's action and reinforce the long partnership BLM has had with California in providing recreation opportunities to the public.
If the funds are not restored, BLM would not rule out other options for the Dunes, including raising fees, reducing services, moving funds from other recreation areas in the desert, or other cost-cutting measures. Such measures would be regrettable, as much progress has been made recently to provide services to the families that have historically enjoyed this area."
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2003/01/nr/Dunes/Conv.htm
