Big heads up a huge land grab
 

Steve I hope you do not mind me posting this, but this is really important.

California>Barstow>Johnson Valley OHV Area
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/johnson.html

The Marine Corps are making a land-grap for the Hammers. We stand to lose a massive chunk of land in Johnson Valley.

There are TWO proposals by the Marine Corps to encroach on OHV areas.

1. The Marine Corps Logistics Annex at Yermo has a proposal that will extend into Stoddard Wells OHV Area.

2. The Marine Corps 29 Palms Base has a proposal that will extend into Johnson Valley OHV Area.



http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL102.../307219416.jpg

Please write your congressmen if you do not want this to happen.....

The recent Western Mojave Resource Management Plan identifies Johnson Valley and Stoddard Wells as recreation areas. There are no other options for that type of recreation in the southern California desert as all other areas have been designated wilderness or military reserve and off-limits to the public.

The loss of recreation would have a significant economic impact on the surrounding rural communities; an impact that would not be replaced by military activity.

The proposal calls for acquisition of private lands. That acquisition would remove private lands from the local property tax base causing serious economic impact in the surrounding rural communities; an impact that is not mitigated by increased government support to the local economy.


Here is a PDF of the proposal

http://www.district37ama.org/forums/...5&d=1204511827

This will be a huge issue. Apparently the government can't close off access through environmental means, so they use this? Unreal....


Thanks for the heads up... rep 2U.

Of course I don't mind Ray, I'm glad you did.

We lost hundreds of thousands of acres to the "Mojave Desert Preservation Act" or whatever it was called a few years ago. I almost looks like the end game in this is to connect Ft.Irwin with Twentynine Palms. Both bases are HUGE by any standard. I am going to try to find some more information on this, as far as why they think they need the land. Maybe they really don't, and this is just another attemp to close a popular off-road area.Let's see if we can't find the authors and supporters of this legislation.

Once again, Ray, thank you.

man thats bad, so just because the military says they need to be able to be out there for 48 hours with that many people they get to, thats not fair to the rest of us who enjoy and have been told we can enjoy that land. man i hate eminent domain.

One thing that is curious to me is that we have always managed to train troops with the facilities that already exist, even during times when we were involved in larger scale conflicts with far more troops deployed.

I have trouble believing the reasons given for this expansion.

same here steve!

This is still a possibility: Home Page

Unless they expand the base East and South, Johnson Valley will be lost to off road recreation!

This withdrawal proposal will be processed in accordance with the
regulations set forth in 43 CFR part 2300.
Until September 15, 2010, the lands will be segregated as specified
above unless the withdrawal application is denied or canceled or the
withdrawal is approved prior to that date. Land uses currently
authorized or permitted may continue during the segregation period. If
the proposed legislative withdrawal has been submitted to Congress but
not enacted into law by the end of the 2-year segregation period,
consideration will be given to entertaining an application for a
temporary withdrawal in aid of pending legislation.
During the segregation period, BLM may, after consulting with the
USMC, allow uses of a temporary nature that are compatible with the
military purposes for which the land is being withdrawn.

(Authority: 43 CFR 2310.3-1(b)(1))

Dated: September 9, 2008.
Thomas Pogacnik,
Acting Deputy State Director, Natural Resources (CA-930), Bureau of
Land Management.
[FR Doc. E8-21397 Filed 9-12-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P

..................

ahh sorry Steve , I had my hearing reading device turned off...would you repeat that please...

Well - er..... I had posted the email address to send comments opposing the proposed expansion, and after doing so noticed that the deadline for such comments was the 29th of January.:-banghead

Hi all - I'm not normally down here, but I came in looking for something and found this thread.

Here is a link to a thread on another board I frequent. It doesn't add too much info - but there is a little more about what is going on towards the end of the thread.

Desert Rides • View topic - lucerne valley?

Thanks for posting that, Steve.

No problem. I just re-read most of the thread and realized it goes a lot more into random BS than I remember.

Page 2 has a little bit of info, and 1 post on page 6 = that's it.

I will see if I can find any more on any of the other desert type sites I am on. They are all over this stuff because there are multiple race courses affected by this deal!

this site generally has the latest info and these guys do not play when it comes to land closers..
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