Attention CA Duners! I'm sure a number of you have seen this, but I finally received a response from the BLM after some inquires about the improper use of our Rec fees to fund their "monitoring" Endangered Species efforts. Looks like alot of people took the time to let the BLM know our concern, and they listened (at least for the time being). 2004-2005 should also have the same fees at last year. Here's the BLM response:

************************************************** ***********
Thank you for your email regarding the use of Recreation Fee Demonstration
Authority for Endangered Species Act related monitoring activities. The
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is pleased to respond.

While Congress provided the BLM legal authority to use recreation fee
demonstration funds for monitoring under Public Law 104-134, we understand
that using recreation fee demonstration money for monitoring has caused
significant concern. We appreciate the concerns raised by your letter, as
well as by the American Sand Association and others, and are working to
ensure that recreation fee funds primarily go to infrastructure and
services that directly support the activities of recreation users. We are
also exploring alternative ways to fund our monitoring needs as a result of
the concerns that have been raised.

Regarding possible fee increases, on May 7, 2004, the BLM announced its
decision that fees at the Imperial Sand Dunes will be not increased for the
2004-2005 recreation season
(http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2004/05/n..._impdunes.html). Taking
into consideration the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Biological Opinion,
BLM’s pending Recreation Area Management Plan, and our capabilities and
funding, we believe the current fee is appropriate for the upcoming year.
We will reassess the business plan with advice from the California Desert
District’s Technical Review Team and other stakeholders at a future time.

You may also be aware that Congressman Duncan Hunter included a provision
in the House Interior Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2005 that
prohibits the use of funds for the salaries and expenses of any employee
for the costs of biological monitoring for species that are listed under
the Endangered Species Act. That bill is currently pending in Congress.

Please be assured that BLM will continue to work with Congress to ensure
that adequate funds are available to sustain and effectively manage this
important national recreation area. We will also seek State and local
funds to help offset costs. However, recreation fees will, of necessity,
continue to be a major revenue source for this area.

Again, thank you for your comments.

James M. Hughes
Deputy Director for Policy
Bureau of Land Managemen

 

sounds good, atleast they know thay aint pulling the wool over anybodys eyes, voice your opinion atvr's..

LET IT BE HEARD!!!

 

What critter are they protecting?

 

The "critter" that is front and center is not a critter at all. It is a plant called the Peirson's Milk-Vetch, considered an endanged plant species.

 

We're doomed. That absud endangered species law needs to be repealed but our gutless Congress will NEVER do that. So the green wackos will continue to chip away, chip away, chip away.

At some point massive civil disobedience might need to take place, but even then I don't see it changing much. Divide an conquer is working. Smokers, ATV riders, semi-auto firearms owners, ranchers... the liberal pressure groups are masterful at "boiling the frog".

I will keep contributing to various organizations that fight them, but god it gets exhausting. It seems like every aspect of life is getting more and more controlled, observed, data mined. At some point you can't live your whole life arguing with city hall about EVERYTHING. It takes all the flavor out of life. I might rather let the BLM chase me (and 100 friends?) around the desert even if it involves getting caught.

They let all those skanky anti-war protesters off every time they trash San Francisco because it is "civil disobedience" even though they graffitti everything in site. No chance they'd do that with disobediant ATV riders though.

And Kerry is polling well. Imagine how much tighter the clampdown willl be if he gets elected. Ugh!

 

when i heard they were using our money for further research to promote closures, i about had a freakin heart attack because i bought and plan to buy annual passes every year.

 

One thing to remember, they (BLM)battle with the environmentalists also. It is the radical tree-hugging environmentalist that brings the BLM to begin these studies. We must put up a good fight and stand our ground. I love Glamis, but we doom ourselves with what we leave behind.

If you ride, have a gear bag on your bike to pick up that used beer can tossed on the dune by some ignorant and self-serving rider. If we all did that, it would lessen the impact on the dunes. Ride responsibly and wear safety gear. Introduce others to the sport that would otherwise would never see it. The environmentalists use a list like this to help their slanted cause, and we all to easily provide it for them:

1). Noise
2).Pollution
3).Dangerous machines (injuries and deaths)
4).Atv's dont share area with other non-atv users. (Hikers, Bicyclists, Horse etc).
5).Lawlessness.
6).Respect for enforcement officials.

Just think, a guy with a video camera on ANY given day in ANY riding area could arm himself with a great video document to support that list. (And believe me, they DO just that!)

You will never see this on their list:

1) Funding source and community support.
2) Organized dune cleanups
3).Family activity that is fun and safe.
4).Responsible riders helping enforcement officials
5).A rider picking up someone else's garbage instead of riding past it............ THINK ABOUT IT!

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you all this winter at Glamis again.

Ken