http://www.peer.org/press/386.html

Press Release
For Immediate Release: Friday August 29, 2003
Contact: Karen Schambach, PEER (530) 333-2545
Daniel Patterson, Center for Biological Diversity (520) 623-5252 ext. 306


BLM STALLS SAND MOUNTAIN PLAN AS BUSY WEEKEND APPROACHES
Bush Administration Working Only With Off-roaders

CARSON CITY, Nev.—Despite a legal mandate to work with all interested parties, the Bush administration is collaborating only with off-road groups on an excessive route plan for Sand Mountain. As a busy off-roading weekend approaches, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is bowing to industry pressure by missing a deadline to start a weak voluntary habitat avoidance program.

On July 21 BLM decided that it would ignore several applicable laws and regulations—as well as a compromise recommended by BLM staff and supported by the Fallon-Paiute Shoshone Tribe, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and conservationists—to close sensitive habitat to off-road vehicles at Sand Mountain, Nevada. BLM Carson City Field Office Manager John O. Singlaub’s decision to only encourage voluntary avoidance of 1,000 acres of remaining vegetated habitat within and adjacent to the 4,700 acre Sand Mountain Recreation Area has yet to take effect.

“BLM must follow the law to conserve public lands resources with balanced management, not just meekly ask off-roaders to please not trash the area. This Labor Day weekend they are not even asking,” said Daniel Patterson of the Center for Biological Diversity, which represents the national conservation perspective on the BLM’s Sand Mountain subgroup. He adds that “Even weak voluntary measures are unacceptable to a radical off-road lobby that wants excess, not access; and BLM bows down to them by cutting others out of the planning process and stalling on-the-ground action. Call them the Bureau of Land for Motorcycles.”

Earlier this spring BLM staff recommended closure of the best remaining habitat at Sand Mountain (much has already been lost) to protect the Sand Mountain blue butterfly, its host plant Kearny buckwheat and several other rare and endemic species. BLM convened a subgroup of conservationists, off-roaders and a representative of the tribe to make a recommendation. Conservationists focused on protection of the 1,000 acre habitat area, and at no time proposed closure of more popular off-road riding areas despite severe environmental damage there. Off-road industry groups were unwilling to consider any closure, demanding the entire Sand Mountain area be open to intensive off-roading. The subgroup did not agree on any recommendations, but BLM settled on toothless voluntary measures that were to be implemented by this weekend, but then stalled action.

“The law requires land managers to close areas to off-road vehicles where clear damage to natural resources it occurring, as it is at Sand Mountain. It does not allow managers to avoid needed closures with voluntary approaches,” said Karen Schambach of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. “When asked, BLM could not identify anyplace where voluntary off-road vehicle restrictions have worked to conserve or restore habitat.”

“BLM has shamefully allowed Sand Mountain to be taken over by destructive off-roading, and now they make a political decision to avoid upsetting the industry that will allow continued harm to endemic species and cultural sites,” said Charles Watson, longtime Nevada conservation champion and director of the Carson City-based Nevada Outdoor Recreation Association.

Contact John O. Singlaub, BLM Carson City Field Office Manager at
(775) 885-6151.

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God Bless "W". These tree huggers really make us out to be irresponsible and destructive don't they. As if we don't care at all about the environment. I'm not only voting for "W" next time, I'm gonna campaign for him.

 

Don't be so fast to vote for that Idiot again![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img] The enviromentalists are running out of ammo and the only person they can blame is the Bush Administration that had absolutley nothing to do with the whole BLM thing at Sand Mtn. over Labor Day weekend. Anybody stupid enough to vote for Bush again needs there heads examined.

 

You are so lost I don't even know how to respond.

If Gore was in office right now, the 1,000 acres would have already been closed completely.

Pull your head out of your *** and figure out who get's to appoint positions like Secretary of the Interior, BLM Director & USFWS Director. If we can get Bush re-elected, we will probably get the ESA reformed too. 1st term is to get a few things fixed and 2nd term is to kick ***.

 

I smell Union.

 

UH OH!!!!!!i can feel it comming!

 

Hey Crow, are you a little politically uptight or something? I know that Bush is on the Off-Roaders side but he is also killing our economy and taking money out of our pockets. I guess it is just a matter of what is most important to you! What kind of figures do you pull in a year Mr. Crowley? I bet it is over 200k isn't it? I think you need to re-evalutate the situation! People like myself that make under 200k a year are suffering because of that clown! He is also the most scandolous P.O.S. I have ever seen. How about those weapons of Mass destruction? WOW! HELLLLLL NO!!! When will you people figure it out that these Government officials are elected to do OUR bidding!!! Not there's! When people finally stand up to this Sinking ship of a government system that we call Capitolism then we will be getting somewhere. If Gore would be in office we would still be able to keep our Land's open. It is the power of the people who decide, by voting and petioning. The problem is that people are Lazy in this country anymore!! There are very few Real Americans left!, and that is the problem. So, instead of bashing me for my political views maybe you should look into your own personal agenda's.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img] I know that you are trying to help keep the Off-road areas open and I am all for it but don't throw blame on the Democrats!! And FYI I am a Republican!!!! I hope you don't take to much offense to this post, but sometimes there are more important things in this world then our own Selfish interests. God Bless you for your efforts Mr. Crowley and I mean that sincerely, but watch it with your bashing it isn't nice. Thank you.

 

If Gore was in office right now, the 1,000 acres would have already been closed completely. more like millions, also gas engins would be on the endangerd list. we all would be riding 720 electric scooters!

 

If Gore was in Office the 9/11 incident would never have happend! We probably wouldn't have invaded Iraq before we had received more intelligence! I would probably want to spank him though for upholding NAFTA but that is another story. I believe things would have been much better under a Gore Administration than Bush's, that is for sure. Face it all these clowns aren't worth the sweat of my forhead but unfortunatley we can't get a Real Man to get up and run for office, can we?!

 

9/11 still would have happen Bl still would be in AF