VOL. 52 ISSUE 22 JUNE 2, 2015 P43
DESERT
ALERT!
Memo From BRC's Don Ama-
dor: The BLM's comment period
for the West Mojave (WEMO)
Route Network Project (WM-
RNP) and Draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement
(SEIS) ends on June 4, 2015.
The proposed route network
provides important motorized
access for both general outdoor
recreationists and OHV enthu-
siasts. Many of the routes are
near the following OHV Open
Areas such as Jawbone Canyon,
Spangler Hills, El Mirage, Stod-
dard Valley, and Johnson Valley.
Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC)
has reviewed the draft plan and
believes that Alternative 3 (pre-
ferred alternative) will provide
meaningful motorized access
for casual OHV recreation, other
motorized access interests, and
permitted motorized events.
In addition, Alternative 3 pro-
poses to minimize conflicts and
threats to sensitive resources by
mitigating conflicts and threats,
with an emphasis on appropriate
mitigation measures, rather than
route closure or limitation as the
primary mechanism to reduce
conflicts and threats.
Alternative 3 includes a much
larger network than the net-
work approved under the 2006
WEMO Plan. Although it propos-
es to close 2,000 more miles
of additional routes than those
that were designated closed in
the 2006 WEMO Plan, it plans
to make available to the public,
or to authorized users, 10,428
miles of motorized routes.
Again, BRC believes that
Alternative3—as currently con-
figured—would provide contin-
ued access to meaningful OHV
recreation including, but not
limited to, casual use, permit-
ted competition events, and
club activities. It also includes
the designation of dry or sand
washes in subsequent project
level travel management plans.
This is good news!
Extreme anti-access groups
are pummeling the BLM with
email letters demanding the
agency select a more closure-
oriented alternative. OHVers
must counter that effort with a
massive letter campaign.
BRC always encourages mo-
torized recreationists to send in
personal comment letters when
time permits. Those have the
most value.
Here is the mailing address
for personal letters: California
Desert District, Attn: WMRNP
Plan Amendment, 22835 Calle
San Juan de Los Lagos, Moreno
Valley, CA, 92553 Email: cawe-
mopa@blm.gov
BRC also understands that
many of you are busy with jobs
and family commitments and
don't have the time to send in a
personal letter. For you, we have
fired up the BRC letter generator
so as to make it easy for you to
send in a letter (you can add a
personal note to it as well) and
select from several prewritten
comments. Go to BRC's WEMO
letter generator, http://www.
sharetrails.org/issues/rapid-
response-center
Don Amador
Desert riders have
a good reason to
comment on the
West Mojave (WEMO)
Route Network
Project (WMRNP) and
Draft Supplemental
Environmental Impact
Statement (SEIS).
