The Marine Base at Twentynine Palms is considering expanding because they claim to need more room for training purposes. The proposed expansion could functionally close most, if not all, of the Johnson Valley OHV Area. In order for the Marines to expand the base they need to go through a public process called the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In NEPA, it is very important that the OHV community submit letters during this scoping process requesting the Department of the Navy analyze impacts they feel would be made by the proposed project and to offer alternatives. Now is the time when we can have an impact on the proposed project. The deadline for submitting these comments is January 31, 2009.
During the fall, the BlueRibbon Coalition attended several OHV leadership meetings regarding the Johnson Valley issue. The suggested letter below is based on collaboration with, and input from, AMA D37, ORBA, CA4WDC, Partnership with Johnson Valley, Friends of Johnson Valley, and other groups, specialists, and interests. This letter includes a variety of scoping comments. Select the comments that convey the issues that are most important to you and your family. Include as many or as few as you feel necessary, and feel free to change the wording.
Thank you in advance for your support,
Don Amador
Western Representative
BlueRibbon Coalition
SITUATION:The United States Marine Corps is planning to expand its 598,000 acre Air Ground Combat Center at 29 Palms in southern California, to increase its live-fire training facilities. In order to do this expansion, they are preparing to take over 180,000 acres of BLM land in Johnson Valley.
The transfer of these public lands would be devastating to the recreating public and effectively shut the OHV community out of one of the most important and highly prized OHV trail systems on the west coast.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Recreationists need to send comments on the USMC Expansion Project before January 31, 2009!
If you want, you can use BRC's letter generator, but please know that personal emails are much more effective! (www.sharetrails.org/letters/letter.php?id=35). It has an easy interface for adding additional comments and sending your letter.
Old-fashioned snail mail is also effective. If you prefer, you can mail written comments, but please make sure they are postmarked by January 31, 2009. Mail written comments to:
Land Acquisition Program Manager
MAGTFTC/MGAGCC
P.O. Box 788104, Bldg 1554 Rm 138
Twentynine Palms, CA 92278-8104
INSTRUCTIONS:
Be polite. Be Professional. Be on time. (The comment deadline is Saturday, January 31, 2009)
1. Open your email program and begin an email to: SMBPLMSWEBPAO@usmc.mil
2. In the Subject Line of your email, please put: "Scoping Comment on Training Land/Airspace Acquisition Study"
3. It's always good to include a brief paragraph about how much you and your family enjoy motorized use on BLM lands. Then use the comment suggestions below to write your email.