Public Meetings for Johnson Valley

[JeepFreak21]

BLM Announces Public Meetings for Marine Corps Withdrawal of Public Lands

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Marine Corps have announced that they will be holding two public hearings in late October. The meetings will be about the proposed transfer of approximately 366,000 acres public land, including approximately 189,000 acres of Johnson Valley OHV Area, from the BLM to the Corps.

As most of you already know, the transfer of these public lands would be devastating to the OHV community and recreating public. It's time to step up and let them know where you stand. Please try to attend one if not both of these meetings. See the BLM press release with the dates and locations of each meeting below.

Thanks in advance for your involvement,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

News Release

For Release: September 23, 2008
Contacts: Stephen Razo (951) 697-5217; e-mail [email protected]
CA-CDD-08-68

Public Meetings Set in Twentynine Palms and Victorville for Marine Corps Withdrawal

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Marine Corps will host public meetings in Twentynine Palms and in Victorville next month to help the public understand the legislative withdrawal process for consideration of the proposal to expand the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base in San Bernardino County.

The first public meeting is scheduled for October 23, 2008 at Hay's Gym, Twentynine Palms Junior High School, 5798 Utah Trail, Twentynine Palms, Calif. from 4 to 9 p.m. The second meeting is the following day, October 24, at Hilton Garden Inn, 12603 Mariposa Road, Victorville, Calif. Two meeting times are scheduled at the Victorville location, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Both meetings are scheduled to provide the public the broadest opportunities to attend, according to Roxie Trost, BLM Barstow Field Manager.

A notice published September 15 segregated the public lands involved for two years, making them unavailable for settlement, sale, and location of claims under the mining laws. However, the lands remain open to public access and recreation use. A 90-day comment period closes December 15, 2008.

The notice, available online at www.blm.gov/ca also explains the withdrawal process. After the comment period, the Marine Corps will be preparing a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for further public review to identify a range of alternatives for meeting the Corps' training requirements and analyzing the environmental impacts.

"We realize members of the public have concerns and questions about the proposed withdrawal and what the segregation means," said Trost. "These meetings will provide a first-hand opportunity to have the proposal and subsequent opportunities for full public involvement explained," she said.

The Department of the Navy, as required by the 1958 Engle Act, filed an application requesting the Secretary of the Interior to process a proposed withdrawal of public lands for military training and exercises involving the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms. The proposal seeks to withdraw approximately 366,000 acres of federal public land and, if eventually acquired, approximately 72,000 acres of non-federally owned property within the proposed withdrawal area.

-BLM-

 

[karstic]

Anyone planning on going?

 

[XJEEPER]

Did anyone attend the meetings? Feedback?

 

[Jump This]

As it turned out, these meetings were simular to the last several we have attended. The basic difference is that each entity involved had thier own table. That is to say, you could go from a table manned by the BLM to another that had representatives from the Marines.
I personally did not attend.
No new information was given to us by the Marines.
We are still waiting for thier proposals.

I'll keep you all informned.

Rick

 

[XJEEPER]

Thanks, Rick.

 

[Jump This]

http://pfjv.org/PR4.htm

As I had stated before...
The best chance to save Johnson Valley was for the Marines to included in thier proposals an option that did not include moving west toward Johnson Valley.

It appears as though they fully intend to take Johnson Valley away from us.

I will discus our options with the BOD of .
There are options still available that we need to look into.

The fight for The Hammers might be difficult to win now, but we could win a mitigation battle.

Rick

 

[Jump This]

Is it okay to say 'SHIT! FUCK! DAMN!' here???

 

[gcurtis]

Is it okay to say 'SHIT! FUCK! DAMN!' here???

Rick, what is the estimated time frame for me to destroy my jeep... er... enjoy JV prior to closure?

 

[Jump This]

Rick, what is the estimated time frame for me to destroy my jeep... er... enjoy JV prior to closure?

five to ten years....

maybe sooner, but probably not.

 

[GSequoia]

Bloody hell.

 

[Jump This]

I missed an important item on the Marines list.
If you read #3 of thier proposal carefully ( I apparently didn't read carefully enough!) it states the land acquisition will be from the east and south, not the west (Johnson Valley.)

Although I believed that our best shot at saving Johnson Valley was for the Marines to include the eastward acquisition as either #1 or #2, having it as #3 is close enough for us to continue the fight.

It is important to remember that the eastward expansion was not even in thier sites when working up thier original proposal. With the work from Partnership for Johnson Valley as well as the efforts of Friends of Johnson Valley, the Corps took a serious look into other options that would exclude removing taking Johnson Valley.

I apologize to all who have read my post as well as to those who have put so much time and effort into this project. I was asked to represent in this effort and I dropped the ball when it came to letting you all know what was going on. I'll do my best to prevent that from happening again.


Rick Rethoret
representative to FOJV

 

[Jump This]

Alternative 3 would add the same 22,000 acres of land in the South
as would be added in Alternatives 1 and 2 and would add approximately
228,000 acres to the East of the base.

The above is the from the Marines proposal that I misread as including the land from Alternative 1 and 2 (Johnson Valley.)
The proposals refer to Johnson Valley as the westward expansion.

 

[builder]

I live in flamingo heights/ yucaa valley. and the local paper had a real small piece in it recently stating the marines are moving away from idea of taking the area where the hammers are located and going the the other direction due to the protests and problems they have encountered since announcing they wanted the hammers area incorporated into the base.article also stated that trying to aquire the land in the other direction would be easier, with less problems and is under way. they want land now! with no obstacles in there way.

 

[FordGuy]

That makes a lot of sense. There is a lot of private land owners toward the Butte area which would not only be difficult to remove, but would put there training area very close to private property, going in the other direction definitely lessens there exposure.

 

[builder]

Yes and the main reason is when the military wants something, thay want it now not later! just easier all the way around to go the other direction. i am sure that is what will happen in the end.

 

[Jump This]

Yes and the main reason is when the military wants something, thay want it now not later! just easier all the way around to go the other direction. i am sure that is what will happen in the end.

The only real obstacle the Marines face with moving east is a bulge of wilderness that would block them from easily moving troops and tanks in a east/west march.
Let me see if I can find a map that I can post here.

 

[Jump This]

Ohhhh....wrong map....

 

[Jump This]

I still can't find the appropriate map.

:dunno:

 

[MT Mike]

Ohhhh....wrong map....

I see absolutely nothing wrong with that map....