(CA) OHV use closures at the Clear Creek Management Area

***** BRC ALERT ***** BRC ALERT ***** BRC ALERT ***** BRC ALERT *****
BRC ALERT *****

Dear Subscriber:

The Hollister Field Office of the BLM is proposing to close over 400
miles of roads and trails to OHV use at the Clear Creek Management
Area south of San Jose, California. This is one of the most popular
riding areas in central California, and was the subject of an 8-year
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. The plan called for 270
miles of signed and mapped "Encouraged" routes, over 400 miles of
open, unsigned "Allowed" routes, and 923 acres of open Barrens. The
BLM has been illegally closing routes and areas since then, with no
further site-specific analysis or opportunity for public
participation, as the plan and the law calls for. We want the BLM to
stop any further illegal closures, and lift the ones already posted
and/or fenced off.

And even more significantly, the BLM has announced that they intend
to do an Environmental Assessment (EA) to amend the Environmental
Impact Statement and close ALL of the "Allowed". Since this is a
significant change from the current EIS, the law states that another
EIS must be done before the existing EIS can be amended. We have to
flood the BLM office with letters protesting the proposed EA, as
another trigger for an EIS, instead of a simpler EA, is if the issue
is "controversial" Large numbers of letters are one of the
definitions of controversy, so it is very important that the BLM
hears from lots of folks.

Please send either the letter below, with your name and address
added, or write your own, based upon the information provided and
your own personal opinion of the issue.

Thanks for your participation.
Bill Dart, Public Lands Director
BlueRibbon Coalition

____________

Robert Beehler, Field Area Manager
Hollister Field Office
Bureau of Land Management
20 Hamilton Court
Hollister, CA 95023

Dear Mr. Beehler,

I am writing you today because I am very concerned the proposed
changes in the management plan for Clear Creek. The Record of
Decision for the current plan calls for 270 miles of "Encouraged"
routes, that will be the primary trail and road system, and signed
for ease of navigating the area. The plan also calls for over 400
miles of "Allowed" routes that are open, unsigned, but available for
use and exploring. All routes deemed to necessary to be closed due to
unmitigable resource concerns were to be closed, but only after a
separate analysis and decision process was completed, including an
opportunity for public participation. Additionally, up to 920+ acres
of barrens were to be left open out of the 3,000+ acres, with the
remainder closed only after another analysis and decision process.

It is my understanding that many areas and trails have been closed
since the current management plan was completed, without any further
analysis and decision process involving the public, as the law
requires. These illegal closures must be lifted until a NEPA process
is completed, and no further closure actions taken without due
process.

Additionally, your proposal is to do an Environmental Assessment to
amend the existing plan. As the current plan is an Environmental
Impact Statement, and your proposal to close over 60% of the
currently available riding opportunities is a significant change to
the existing situation, and a significant impact to the social
environment, an Environmental Impact Statement must be done instead
of an Environmental Assessment.

Please place me on your mailing list for any future notices on this
process, and send me a copy of the draft plan when it is released.

Respectfully,
(your name and contact information)

You are recieving this email because you are currently
subscribed to a BlueRibbon Coalition email list. To remove
yourself from this list, go to this link:
https://www.sharetrails.org/emaillist/unsubscribe.cfm

***** END ALERT ***** END ALERT ***** END ALERT ***** END ALERT *****
END ALERT *****

CLEAR CREEK MANAGEMENT AREA ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (E.A.)

The Hollister Field Office is preparing an E.A./Plan Amendment that
will revise the Hollister Resource Management Plan for the Clear
Creek Management Area. Expected completion date of the E.A. is
September, 2003. The primary purpose of the E.A./Plan Amendment is to
implement the limited use designation within the CCMA. The E.A. will
address route, trail and barren play area designation, and the
boundary expansion of the San Benito Mountain Research Natural Area.
The E.A./Plan Amendment will be posted on the Clear Creek Management
Area web site for public review and comment.

For more information contact George Hill, Assistant Field Office
Manager. Click on name for email or, call (831) 630-5036.

http://www.ca.blm.gov/hollister/news.html
http://www.ca.blm.gov/hollister/clear_creek_management_area.html

A sample letter format is included. They are trying to do this EA
behind closed doors. We need to bring this out in the light of day.

*******************************************************************
From: "Don Klusman" <[email protected]>
To: "John Stewart" <[email protected]>
Subject: Fw: Action Needed
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2003 19:46:14 -0700
X-Priority: 3

Dear Members:

The Hollister Field Office of the BLM is proposing to close over 400
miles of roads and trails to OHV use at the Clear Creek Management
Area south of San Jose, California. This is one of the most popular
riding areas in central California, and was the subject of an 8-year
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. The plan called for 270
miles of signed and mapped "Encouraged" routes, over 400 miles of
open, unsigned "Allowed" routes, and 923 acres of open Barrens. The
BLM has been illegally closing routes and areas since then, with no
further site-specific analysis or opportunity for public
participation, as the plan and the law calls for. We want the BLM to
stop any further illegal closures, and lift the ones already posted
and/or fenced off.

And even more significantly, the BLM has announced that they intend
to do an environmental Assessment (EA) to amend the Environmental
Impact Statement and close ALL of the "Allowed". Since this is a
significant change from the current EIS, the law states that another
EIS must be done before the existing EIS can be amended. We have to
flood the BLM office with letters protesting the proposed EA, as
another trigger for an EIS, instead of a simpler EA, is if the issue
is "controversial" Large numbers of letters are one of the
definitions of controversy, so it is very important that the BLM
hears from lots of folks.

Please send either the letter below, with your name and address
added, or write your own, based upon the information provided and
your own personal opinion of the issue.

Thanks for your participation.

Don Klusman

Below is a sample letter but please put your letter in our own words.
Send comments to the address below:

Robert Beehler, Field Area Manager
Hollister Field Office
Bureau of Land Management
20 Hamilton Court
Hollister, CA 95023

Dear Mr. Beehler,

I am writing you today because I am very concerned the proposed
changes in the management plan for Clear Creek. The Record of
Decision for the current plan calls for 270 miles of "Encouraged"
routes, that will be the primary trail and road system, and signed
for ease of navigating the area. The plan also calls for over 400
miles of "Allowed" routes that are open, unsigned, but available for
use and exploring. All routes deemed to necessary to be closed due to
unmitigable resource concerns were to be closed, but only after a
separate analysis and decision process was completed, including an
opportunity for public participation. Additionally, up to 920+ acres
of barrens were to be left open out of the 3,000+ acres, with the
remainder closed only after another analysis and decision process.

It is my understanding that many areas and trails have been closed
since the current management plan was completed, without any further
analysis and decision process involving the public, as the law
requires. These illegal closures must be lifted until a NEPA process
is completed, and no further closure actions taken without due
process.

Additionally, your proposal is to do an Environmental Assessment to
amend the existing plan. As the current plan is an Environmental
Impact Statement, and your proposal to close over 60% of the
currently available riding opportunities is a significant change to
the existing situation, and a significant impact to the social
environment, an Environmental Impact Statement must be done instead
of an Environmental Assessment.

Please place me on your mailing list for any future notices on this
process, and send me a copy of the draft plan when it is released.

Respectfully,


--
John Stewart
Director, Environmental Affairs,
United Four Wheel Drive Associations, http://www.ufwda.org
Recreation Access and Conservation Editor, http://www.4x4wire.com
Moderator, MUIRNet - Multiple Use Information Resource Network