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Proposed Plan Amendment for Western Mojave Routes of Travel

Ed A. Stevens

NAXJA Member
NAXJA Member
For Release: May 21, 2003

Contact: Doran Sanchez (909) 697-5220 or Jan Bedrosian (916) 978-4616

CA-CDD-03-51

Proposed Plan Amendment for Western Mojave Routes of Travel
Designations Released



The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the proposed plan
amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan for
off-road vehicle (routes of travel) designations for the Western
Mojave Off Road Vehicle Designation Project.



The proposals pertain to about three million acres of public lands
within the nine-million-acre West Mojave planning area covering
portions of San Bernardino, Kern, Los Angeles and Inyo counties. A
draft plan amendment and environmental assessment were published for
public comment in March 2003. Changes have been made in the proposed
plan amendment to reflect public input.



The proposed plan amendment is available on line at
<http://www.ca.blm.gov/cdd/wemo.html>http://www.ca.blm.gov/cdd/wemo.html.
The document is also available in hard copy at BLM's California
Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno
Valley, Calif. (909) 697-5200, Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow
Road, Barstow, Calif. (760) 252-6000, and Ridgecrest Field Office,
300 South Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, Calif. (760) 384-5400.



The public now has the opportunity to protest the proposed plan
amendment. Written protests will be accepted if received by June 20,
2003. Protests must submitted to: Director (210), Attention:
Brenda Williams, P.O. Box 66538, Washington, D.C. 20035 (regular
mail), or Director (210), Attention: Brenda Williams, 1620 L Street,
N.W., Suite 1075, Washington, D.C. 20036 (overnight mail). Although
not a requirement, it is recommended that the protest be sent by
certified mail, return receipt requested. E-mail protests will not
be accepted. Faxed protests will be considered valid provided (1)
the signed faxed letter is received by the protest coordinator in
Washington, D.C. by the closing date of the protest period and, (2)
the protesting party provides the original letter by either regular
or overnight mail, postmarked by the close of the protest period.
Faxed protests must be submitted to "BLM Protest Coordinator" at
(202) 452-5112, with the follow-up letter sent to the appropriate
address provided above. Procedures for filing a protest are clearly
outlined in proposed plan amendment and 43 Code of Federal
Regulations 1620.5-2. It is requested that a duplicate of the
protest be sent to BLM's California Desert District Office in
MorenoValley by mail to the address above or by fax to (909) 697-5296.



These proposed vehicle route designations also will be included in
the draft West Mojave Plan and Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to be
published jointly by BLM, the County of San Bernardino, and the City
of Barstow. The draft, including a joint Environmental Impact
Report/Environmental Impact Statement, is scheduled for release in
early June for a 90-day public comment period, which will provide the
public further opportunity for comment on the route designations.



The West Mojave Plan is the largest HCP in the United States, and
will provide a comprehensive strategy to conserve and protect more
than 100 listed or sensitive wildlife species and their habitats,
including the desert tortoise and Mohave ground squirrel. The plan
will also provide a streamlined program for complying with
requirements of the state and federal Endangered Species Acts.



For further information contact BLM Project Lead Bill Haigh at (760) 252-6080.



-BLM-



California Desert District Office
22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, MorenoValley, CA
(909) 697-5200
 
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