News.bytes 525 - BLM California

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From: BLM CA Newsbytes <reply-183567@elabs10.com>
Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:08:32 -0700
Subject: News.bytes 525 - BLM California
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News.bytes
A publication of Bureau of Land Management in California

Issue 525 - 4/6/12

THIS WEEK IN NEWS.BYTES:
- America's Great Outdoors
- Get Outdoors tip of the week
- Not for educators only: Wildlife trivia question of the week
- Renewable energy
- Wild horses and burros
- Wildfires and prevention
- Headlines and highlights: Assorted topics from your public lands in California
- Selected upcoming events
- National and Department of the Interior items

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AMERICA'S GREAT OUTDOORS

"An insider's guide to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
National Monument" (Palm Springs Life, April 2012)
"Scientists say many of us can no longer see the flash of a bighorn
sheep's rump, hear the peep of a towhee, or count the receding ridges
of the Santa Rosas" -- because technology has us glued to "tiny
screens" that "have stolen our senses." This monument just outside
Palm Springs is "the perfect place to reclaim them .... Monument
Manager Jim Foote suggests you leave behind your camera and turn off
digital devices. He used to take a lot of large-format landscape
photographs, he says, but his enjoyment tripled when he stopped
looking through a frame." With 21 photos.
www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/April-2012/An-Insiders-Guide-to-the-Santa-Rosa-and-San-Jacinto-Mountains-National-Monument/

RELATED: "Weed warriors help keep national monument looking good"
(Palm Springs Desert Sun, 4/4/12)
"At least twice a month," a group of "Weed Warriors" volunteers find a
spot within the ... Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National
Monument where weeds need pulling .... Sometimes, only two people show
up .... Other times, hikers passing by will stop and see what the Weed
Warriors are doing, then roll up their sleeves to help .... Weed
Warriors meets at least twice a month and is open to anyone who wants
to spend a Saturday morning pulling weeds while taking in some of the
valley's most spectacular views. Let the weeds continue to grow, and
they will choke and kill the native plants...."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,abo9,clym,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument" (BLM
Palm Springs South Coast Field Office)
Providing a picturesque backdrop to local communities, the National
Monument adds to the Coachella Valley's lure as a popular resort and
retirement community. It is also a desirable backcountry destination
that can be accessed via trails from both the valley floor and the
alpine village of Idyllwild.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,8uw,8kqs,283f,37zd

"Volunteers clean up at Steele Peak SKR Reserve" (News.bytes Extra)
Twenty three volunteers, including students from the College of the
Desert and Perris High School, helped BLM staff with a cleanup in the
Steele Peak SKR Reserve, an area set aside for the protection and
management of the federally endangered Stephen's kangaroo rat. The
workers filled an entire 40-yard dumpster full of trash on a recent
Saturday.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,i4bs,jv4w,283f,37zd

"It's that kind of river" (Mammoth Times, 3/30/12)
"The river is gone. A few hours ago, it was here and now it is not
.... Death Valley's Amargosa River knows nothing, and everything,
about being a river .... It comes and it goes."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,5oqt,agie,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Amargosa River Natural Area" (BLM Barstow Field Office)
The narrow Amargosa Canyon is known for its dense greenery and the
shallow Amargosa River, complete with "hanging gardens" and a small
waterfall. The river flows year-long, dropping south from Nevada, and
finally flowing into Death Valley National Park.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,59mr,ebhc,283f,37zd

"BLM continues Climber's Coffees" (News.bytes Extra)
As part of a continuing effort to get information out to climbers, the
BLM hosted an interagency coffee with the Inyo National Forest at the
local Buttermilks Bouldering spot. This is an effort to spread the
word on camping ethics and Leave No Trace principles. Two more
Climber's Coffees are scheduled for this winter season.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,4gwl,keyt,283f,37zd

"Trashing the outdoors is always out of season" (San Francisco
Chronicle, 4/2/12)
"At a campsite last week, I saw a campfire ring where a picnic table
had been uprooted, turned on its side and set in the pit, and then
partially burned as if it were firewood .... Some people simply don't
seem to know any better. Maybe the problem is the lack of outdoor
education in public schools, or parents who don't train their kids.
Yet I've seen others who know better, and they go ahead and abuse a
public place anyway."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,gmmj,dsd7,283f,37zd

GET OUTDOORS TIP OF THE WEEK...
...hike, bike, horseback or just gaze at the wildlife or stars in the
Panoche Hills. These beautiful green hills provide wildflower
enthusiasts with brilliant blooms in the spring and stargazers with
unencumbered views of the night sky.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,ce2y,ietq,283f,37zd

NOT for EDUCATORS ONLY:
western snowy plover
WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION of the WEEK:
The western snowy plover is listed as threatened under the Endangered
Species Act. Which of these human activities endangers their recovery?
(a.) Basket weavers over-collect beach grass, used for plover nests.
(b.) Large fishing boats over-harvest sardines, a favorite plover food.
(c.) People or vehicles frighten them away from their nests using up
their energy reserves.
(d.) Commercial hunters reduce populations, in their quest for the
plover's renowned soft feathers.
(e.) Loud clothing frightens plovers away from their breeding
territory – but a public-education program is operating across the
eastern United States, urging out-of-state tourists to "SSR - Show
Some Restraint" in apparel choices for California vacations.
Answer - and more wildlife stories - near the end of this News.bytes.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

"Environmentalists feeling burned by rush to build solar projects"
(Los Angeles Times, 4/6/12)
"Local activists accuse the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense
Council, Defenders of Wildlife, the Wilderness Society and other
venerable environmental groups of acquiescing to the industrialization
of the desert because they believe large-scale solar power is
essential to slowing climate change."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,duev,atmn,283f,37zd

"Collapse of German solar companies threaten California's big solar
projects" (Forbes, 4/3/12)
The bankruptcy of Solar Trust this week "put into jeopardy
photovoltaic power plant projects utilities were counting on,"
including "what would have been the world's largest solar station, the
Blythe Solar Power Project." The bankruptcy filing indicates the
company "has liabilities of $20 million and missed a $1 million rent
payment on April 1" to the BLM "for the 7,025-acre Blythe site." The
company changed technologies in the face of "plunging prices for
photovoltaic modules" and decided to "turn down [a government] $2.1
billion loan guarantee so it could switch to solar panels."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,hv1c,4i0w,283f,37zd

Related: "Solar Trust of America bankruptcy casts shadow on Blythe
project" (Palm Springs Desert Sun, 4/2/12)
"The company's two main assets listed in the filing are the Blythe
project and the 500-megawatt Palen solar project, which has awaited
final approval from the federal Bureau of Land Management since June
.... Blythe City Manager David Lane said residents in the
20,800-population town eight miles east of the project site are taking
the bankruptcy in stride. 'When you consider the amount of investment
in the project and what it's got going for it, someone is going to
build it,' he said."
www.mydesert.com/article/20120403/BUSINESS/204030305/Solar-Trust-of-America-bankruptcy-Blythe-project

"Calico Solar permitting bill advances (Barstow Desert Dispatch, 4/1/12)
"A bill to allow the Calico Solar project to receive state approval to
change the type of solar panels it will use is moving closer to
passing the state Legislature in Sacramento .... Because it is an
urgency measure, it would take effect immediately if passed by both
houses and signed by the governor .... Environmental groups filed suit
in federal court this week, aiming to derail the project." Also, two
wind energy developers sued Southern California Edison over alleged
"exaggerated estimates of ... potential wind strength ... and
allegedly false data" on land they bought to install wind turbines.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,6iu2,mers,283f,37zd

"In California's `last frontier,' an unsure future" (Associated Press
in San Francisco Chronicle, 4/2/12)
"To keep its people, Imperial Valley knows it must broaden its
economy." Renewable energy could be a bright spot -- but though 300
workers are building a new solar plant, it will only employ five once
it starts running. "(Solar plants) eat up a lot of our land, they
don't create a lot of new jobs, and they also don't pay a lot of
property taxes," says the county's deputy chief executive officer for
natural resources development. He is "more enthusiastic about the
handful of geothermal plants already built or on the drawing board,
saying they generate taxes and good-paying jobs."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,7vys,ovf,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Geothermal energy" (BLM California)
In regard to geothermal energy, California is "hot." This energy
source, which literally means the "earth's heat," is found throughout
California on public lands. The Geysers field in Lake and Sonoma
Counties produces 46 percent of the total royalties from federal
geothermal leases in California.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,82x7,8qup,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Geothermal Energy in California" (California Energy Commission)
"Because of its location on the Pacific's 'ring of fire' and because
of tectonic plate conjunctions, California contains the largest amount
of geothermal generating capacity in the United States .... The
largest concentration of geothermal plants is located north of San
Francisco in the Geysers Geothermal Resource Area in Napa and Sonoma
Counties. This location has been producing electricity since the
1960s. It uses dry steam; one of only two places in the world for this
resource...."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,3cd6,l55c,283f,37zd

"IID approves agreements with San Diego, CSolar" (Imperial Valley Press, 4/3/12)
The Imperial Irrigation District voted to approve a memorandum of
understanding to work with San Diego Gas & Electric "on solar projects
that want to connect directly to the Sunrise Powerlink, bypassing
IID's transmission system." The dissenting voter warned, "This is just
the beginning of developers moving to bypass the local utility
district and not having to pay to use and upgrade the local lines."
The board also discussed geothermal development near the Salton Sea.
www.ivpressonline.com/news/ivp-iid-approves-agreements-with-san-diego-csolar-20120403,0,2195956.story

"Advanced power-grid research finds low-cost, low-carbon future in
Western U.S." (Science Daily, 4/3/12)
The least expensive way for the Western U.S. to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions enough to help prevent the worst consequences of global
warming is to replace coal with renewable and other sources of energy
that may include nuclear power, according to a new study by University
of California, Berkeley, researchers."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,5qtw,ici1,283f,37zd

"Sunrise Powerlink builders yield to birds and toads" (North County
Times, 3/31/12)
"With such a high-profile project, permitting agencies such as the
California Public Utilities Commission, the U.S. Forest Service, and
the Bureau of Land Management have imposed numerous requirements to
prevent SDG&E from scarring the deserts and mountains. Lee said the
utility tried for 100 percent compliance. But the utility has had some
infractions, particularly with golden eagle nesting areas."
www.nctimes.com/blogsnew/business/energy/41e82d35-6303-5f7d-9d2f-ec2771abbf3e.html

"Wind tax credits fail to win renewal in senate" (East County Magazine, 4/1/12)
"The U.S. Senate has voted to kill S. 2204, which failed to receive
the 60 votes needed. The measure would have funded wind industry tax
credits by eliminating tax credits for oil companies. Many wind energy
proposals in the pipeline may have the plug pulled by energy companies
that say those projects would not be viable without federal money ....
Opponents of proposed wind farms in Ocotillo and McCain Valley have
called for support instead for a massive shift to rooftop and parking
lot solar on areas already built...."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,aw19,f9zm,283f,37zd

"Federal government to issue 'take' permits for eagle kills by wind
energy companies" (East County Magazine, 4/1/12)
"Concerns are growing" over bird deaths from wind turbines. "Now, as
the number of wind energy projects grows, the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service is preparing to issue 'take' permits that will make
it legal for wind energy companies to kill eagles with no
consequences. The move comes as San Diego County Supervisors are
poised to consider a wind energy project for East County as well as a
proposed wind ordinance that would make it easier for industrial-scale
wind projects to be built here."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,g4o,8ktb,283f,37zd

TRADITIONAL ENERGY

"Secretary Salazar visits North Dakota's oil boom; Unveils initiatives
to accelerate drilling permits and leases on federal lands"
(Department of the Interior, 4/3/12)
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar this week unveiled new
initiatives to expedite safe and responsible development of domestic
energy resources on U.S. public lands and Indian trust lands in the
Dakotas, Montana and states across the country. As part of the BLM's
ongoing efforts to ensure efficient processing of oil and gas permit
applications, the agency will implement new automated tracking systems
that could reduce the review period for drilling permits by two-thirds
and expedite the sale and processing of federal oil and gas leases.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,k3x8,k34u,283f,37zd

WILD HORSES AND BURROS

"Through wind and rain..." (News.bytes Extra)
Neither howling wind nor driving rain could keep the BLM Wild Horse
and Burro Program from offering animals for adoption in Red Bluff on
Saturday, March 31. The program brought 18 animals to the Tehama
County Fairgrounds, and despite stormy weather, adopters provided new
homes for five mustangs and a burro.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,l0en,47ob,283f,37zd

"Sunol trainer has 90 days to tame wild horse" (Inside Bay Area, 4/5/12)
"Syringa was named after the state flower of Idaho." The mustang from
the BLM "is training every day with Justin Mott, 22, who hopes she
will be adopted in May at the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition in
Norco, near Riverside .... Syringa, Mott said, has proved responsive
to Mott's training as long as he remains patient with her. 'I consider
every horse trainable but not always necessarily within a certain
deadline,' he said. With 15 photos.
www.insidebayarea.com/top-stories/ci_20317877/sunol-trainer-has-90-days-tame-wild-horse

"Land managers try new method to capture mustangs" (Associated Press
in San Jose Mercury News, 3/31/12)
The BLM "for the first time is resorting to the widespread use of
'bait trapping,' which involves setting up panels and using food,
water and salt to lure mustangs into a trap .... 'The BLM is committed
to continuously improving its management of wild horses and burros,'
Joan Guilfoyle, BLM wild horse and burro division chief, said in a
statement. 'Deploying this new method of bait trapping enhances our
ability to gather animals more effectively in certain areas of the
West, while minimizing the impact to the animals.' But the agency also
still plans to conduct helicopter roundups, she added."
www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20299434/blm-uses-alternative-method-remove-wild-horses

"BLM Initiates Public Scoping on Proposed Wild Horse Ecosanctuary"
(BLM Wyoming, 4/3/12)
The BLM is launching a 30-day public scoping period for a proposed
wild horse ecosanctuary approximately 30 miles west of Laramie, Wyo.
The 4,000-acre, family-owned Deerwood Ranch has applied to provide
long-term, humane care for up to 400 excess wild horses gathered from
Western public rangelands. The ecosanctuary would be publicly
accessible and provide ecotourism opportunities. In addition, the
partnership agreement would contain a fundraising component that would
defray costs for operating the sanctuary and save taxpayer dollars.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,hnm,1wjw,283f,37zd

"I-Team: Horse Sanctuary Faces Lengthy Delays" (KLAS-TV Las Vegas, 4/4/12)
"Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid heard from Nevada business leaders today …. One topic
discussed was eco-tourism. Nevada is filled with natural landmarks and
parks, but one tourism destination facing years of federal delays
before it ever opens up," an "eco-sanctuary for Nevada's wild
mustangs" proposed by Madeline Pickens.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,d1eu,maee,283f,37zd

WILDFIRES AND PREVENTION

"CAL FIRE gears up early for fire season" (Salinas Californian, 4/2/12)
"A meager rainy season is driving a forecast that puts the risk of
wildfire above normal in the region covering Monterey and San Benito
counties. In fact, CalFire is mobilizing staff and equipment two weeks
early to prepare for any potential crises .... Meanwhile, in the local
two-county area, the outlook for 'wildfire potential'' through July 1
is 'increasing to above normal' according to the National Interagency
Fire Center, which includes the BLM.
www.thecalifornian.com/article/20120403/NEWS01/204030304/CAL-FIRE-gears-up-early-fire-season

"BLM plans pile burning in Yankee Hill area" (BLM California, 4/2/12)
BLM and Cal Fire crews planned to start burning brush piles on 60
acres in the Yankee Hill area in Tuolumne County this week and through
the spring as weather conditions allow. The piles were created last
year and this spring by the Highway 108 Fire Safe Council as part of a
fuels reduction project. Residents of the Columbia area are asked to
drive with extra caution since there will be fuels crews working along
Yankee Hill Road.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,87cj,5rcr,283f,37zd

"Is your home at risk of fire?" (South Pasadena Patch, 3/31/12)
"South Pasadena had a critically low level of water for more than five
hours during the last windstorm. 'If there had been a fire in the
middle of a windstorm, it would have spread literally like a wild
fire,' said Council member Richard Schneider. '... we could have lost
homes. We could have lost hillsides.' Because of this, Schneider is
working with California Fire Safe Council to create a Firesafe
Council."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,2bqu,d620,283f,37zd

"Fuel to the fire" (Sparks, NV Daily Tribune, 4/2/12)
"A dry winter, massive growth of cheat grass throughout northern
Nevada and an anticipated above-average lightning season mean this
coming fire season could be one of the worst in years. 'There have
already been fires we normally wouldn't expect to see,' said [a
meteorologist and fire weather forecaster with the National Weather
Service in Reno.]. 'All it takes is one good lightning outbreak and we
could have massive fires. We would be off to the races as far as
catching wildfires'."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,do4,ez9i,283f,37zd

RELATED: "The Fire Safe Council"
The BLM is a partner in this organization.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,bn0p,843p,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Take Responsibility..." (California Fire Alliance)
Protect your home. Create 100 feet of defensible space. In California,
the number of homes and businesses is growing in the Wildland Urban
Interface -- and fire is an increasing threat. Reduce your home's fire
danger by taking responsibility today.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,1xkx,afqx,283f,37zd

HEADLINES and HIGHLIGHTS

"You're No Dummy! El Centro takes ATV safety on the road" (News.bytes Extra)
With the southern tip of the dunes in sight from Yuma, and with either
Buttercup or Dunebuggy Flats only a short drive away, it's only
natural that many of the residents of this southwestern Arizona city
would recreate at the Imperial Sand Dunes. With that in mind, park
rangers from the BLM El Centro Field Office participated in the city's
Second Annual Child Safety Fair, to promote the message of ATV safety.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,kmtj,hlfm,283f,37zd

"Seeking national monument status for Fort Ord, Salinas man meets
Obama" (Salinas Californian, 4/6/12)
"If you are looking for a testimonial on the efficacy of a grass-roots
movement and a major letter-writing campaign, talk to Gary Courtright.
The Salinas resident and a group of like-minded individuals have
banded together to seek a national monument designation for the Fort
Ord Public Lands. The proposal encompasses the 15,000 acres of federal
land now administered by the Bureau of Land Management; the area would
be called Fort Ord Soldiers' National Monument."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,5y0q,41b6,283f,37zd

Grant writing workshop" (News.bytes Extra)
A variety of BLM partners on California's Mendocino Coast learned the
nuts and bolts of grant writing in a workshop coordinated by the BLM
March 27-29 in Point Arena. The session including broad topics
including project planning, partner relationship building, funding
resources and grassroots resources.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,knsp,72pf,283f,37zd

"BLM Desert Advisory Council to meet in Ridgecrest" (BLM California, 4/3/12)
The next field trip and meeting of the BLM's California Desert
Advisory Council will be held April 20-21. The council will
participate in a field tour of nearby BLM-managed public lands on
Friday, April 20 and meet in formal session on Saturday, April 21 in
Ridgecrest.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,9p74,2j2i,283f,37zd

"Thousands sign anti-mine petition online" (Santa Clarita Signal, 4/6/12)
"Close to 100 people every day, on average, are signing an online
petition to stop Cemex mining in Soledad Canyon" and support Senate
Bill 759: "if Cemex abandons the Soledad Canyon mine, it will be
compensated through the sale of three specific tracts of land north of
Victorville and just west of Interstate 15 ... managed by the Bureau
of Land Management and deemed 'surplus land' already identified as
disposable.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,8l3e,b1hh,283f,37zd

"Derail this gravy train" (Washington Post, 4/4/12)
Editorial: "With so many genuine issues to address, you wouldn't have
thought that Washington would also be trying to figure out a new way
to get tourists from Southern California to the Las Vegas strip ....
The Federal Railroad Administration is considering lending $4.9
billion to a company called Desert Xpress, for the purpose of building
a high-speed rail line to Las Vegas from Victorville, Calif." Desert
Xpress "has already secured approvals from the Bureau of Land
Management, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Fish and Wildlife
Service, among other federal and state agencies. It is pursuing about
$1.6 billion in private financing. All that's left is the Federal
Railroad Administration's okay on the loan."
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/derail-this-gravy-train/2012/04/04/gIQAYP54vS_story.html

"Budget shortfall could close Picacho recreation area" (Yuma Sun, 3/30/12)
Southern California's Picacho State Recreation Area will close
"indefinitely" as of July 1, because of budget cuts. "It currently
provides the only shore access for day use and camping in the area,"
and attracts visitors from southern California and the Yuma area. "In
the 2009-2010 season there were 142,000 day use visitors, 20,000
campers, and 1,500 boat launches." Much of the park is on BLM-managed
land.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,dp8z,hlti,283f,37zd

"Valley Voice: Why the top of the Bump and Grind remains closed" (Palm
Springs Desert Sun, 4/2/12)
OpEd from Kimberly Nicol, manager of California Department of Fish and
Game Region 6: "The California Department of Fish and Game is the
state agency responsible for protecting and preserving the state's
wildlife resources and the habitat on which they depend. This is our
objective for the approximately 60 remaining Peninsular bighorn sheep
on the Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve …. We understand the
passionate opinions of those who disagree. But, at the end of the day,
we're talking about one half-mile of trail that is necessary to keep
closed to protect an endangered species."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,3zjo,7ty5,283f,37zd

"Suction dredging rules spur suit; group tries to halt implementation
of new regulations" (Redding Record Searchlight, 4/3/12)
"A coalition of commercial fishing groups, environmentalists and the
Karuk Indian tribe are suing the state in an effort to prevent it from
enacting new regulations on using suction dredging to mine for gold,"
saying that "suction dredging harms the environment, especially fish
in the streams where it occurs." The president of the Shasta Miners
and Prospectors said that "the environmental effects of suction
dredging are being overstated." BLM will not issue recreational use
permits for suction dredging until the State of California moratorium
on permits is lifted.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,gbxq,4nqp,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Modern-day gold mining" (Los Angeles Times, 4/5/12)
Editorial: "California's new rules on gold dredging won't protect
rivers .... Fish and Game officials concede that the new rules will
allow 'significant and unavoidable environmental impacts' that are
'not acceptable' but say their authority to do better is limited by
law."
www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinionla/la-ed-gold-mining-dredge-20120405,0,5754599.story

"China has concentration of vital minerals needed for U.S.
manufacturing" (Detroit News, 4/5/12)
"In recent years, the United States has become dangerously dependent
on imports" such as rare earth metals, "needed to keep our economy
moving .... Fortunately, a rare earth mine in California is now
producing some minerals" and exploring an expansion on BLM-managed
lands. "But it alone can't meet the fast-growing demand." American
manufacturers are "worried about supply disruptions like the one in
2007 when China halted shipments of rare earth metals to a U.S.
petroleum refining company for so long that it led to concerns that
the cutoff might cause a nationwide gasoline shortage."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,6ng4,4h8l,283f,37zd

JOBS
"Current job openings - BLM California" (USAJOBS website)
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,8qwy,1ci0,283f,37zd

NATIONAL AND DEPARTMENT of the INTERIOR ITEMS

The West:

"Changes to grazing rules for public lands contemplated" (Missoulian,
Montana, 4/1/12)
"Cows chewing grass may look boring, but grazing has become a major
driver of America's public lands management." The Grazing Improvement
Act of 2012 now in Congress "would double the length of grazing leases
on federal land from 10 to 20 years. The Rocky Mountain Front Heritage
Act would "guarantee grazing access as a major component holding its
coalition of ranchers, environmentalists and conservation groups
together." The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act "made several changes to
accommodate grazing leases in proposed wilderness and recreation
areas."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,68hk,ffc0,283f,37zd

"Pine beetles not the only threat to trees" (Wyoming Tribune Eagle, 4/4/12)
"White pines reduce soil erosion by holding down the soil, serve as
avalanche control, produce shade that regulates snow melt and
downstream flow, and are important seed sources" for wildlife." But
the mountain pine beetle is "devastating" pine forests throughout the
West." They are also "under attack by a fungal disease called blister
rust" and "warming temperatures and a history of fire suppression" are
also threats. BLM Wyoming's state forester and climate change
coordinator spoke of the threats to the trees, at a meeting of
Colorado-Wyoming Society of American Foresters.
www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2012/04/04/news/20local_04-04-12.txt

"Salazar meets with local business leaders on how to boost travel and
tourism in U.S., at Las Vegas and San Diego Town Halls" (Department of
the Interior, 4/4/12)
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar met with local business leaders
to discuss strategies to boost domestic and international travel and
tourism in the United States. The tourism town halls will help inform
President Obama's initiative -- launched in January-- to create a new
national tourism strategy focused on creating jobs by becoming even
more welcoming to guests from here at home and across the globe. The
travel and tourism industry projects that more than 1 million American
jobs could be created over the next decade if the U.S. increased its
share of the international travel market.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,2kd7,grb7,283f,37zd

BLM Oregon:

"Table Rock tours kick off" (KDRV-TV Medford, Oregon, 4/2/12)
"The Nature Conservancy and the Bureau of Land Management are offering
their annual guided educational walks on the table rocks. The first
tour gathered Sunday morning hoping to find an array of wildflowers
that are now showing their face, along with a few unique finds."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,bi62,bkvi,283f,37zd

"Northwest Travel: Oregon Outback" (Bend, Oregon Bulletin, 4/1/12)
"Natural and historic attractions abound" along the Oregon Outback
National Scenic Byway in Eastern Oregon. Among them are three sites
administered by the BLM, "which oversees most of the Outback's
backcountry" -- including the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes, "the
largest expanse of shifting inland dunes in the Pacific Northwest,"
the Lost Forest Research Natural Area, and Fossil Lake dry lake bed.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,iu3i,1t29,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Christmas Valley" (BLM Oregon/Washington)
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,kaif,fs1i,283f,37zd

"BLM approves Enhanced Geothermal Systems demonstration project"(BLM
Oregon, 4/5/12)
The project is to evaluate the potential for producing energy through
Enhanced Geothermal Systems technology near Newberry Volcano.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,28vq,jy7o,283f,37zd

BLM New Mexico:

"N.M. Leads in Balancing Energy and Conservation" (Albuquerque Journal, 3/31/12)
OpEd by Jesse Juen, BLM New Mexico State Director: "New Mexico is a
major oil and gas producing state that plays a significant role in
contributing to America's domestic energy supply while reducing our
dependence on foreign oil. Much of the energy development in New
Mexico occurs on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management
... Looking ahead, America's public lands will play an increasingly
important role in meeting our nation's energy needs -- with
conventional oil and gas production as well as expanding wind and
solar development."
www.abqjournal.com/main/2012/03/31/opinion/nm-leads-in-balancing-energy-and-conservation.html

BLM Nevada:

"BLM Proposes to Sell 480 Acres in Henderson by modified, competitive
sealed-bid sale"(BLM Nevada, 4/6/12)
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Las Vegas Field Office, is
initiating a 45-day public comment period on an environmental analysis
of a proposal to sell a 480-acre parcel of public land at a modified
competitive, sealed-bid sale at no less than the appraised fair market
value of $10,560,000. The parcel is located in the southwestern area
of Henderson, Clark County, Nev. The public comment period will close
May 21.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,3fau,ezbl,283f,37zd

"BLM moves to protect fossils in Tule Springs area" (Las Vegas
Review-Journal, 3/30/12)
The BLM"announced "that it won't allow the auction of almost 11,000
acres of fossil-rich federal land at the valley's northern edge. Tule
Springs and the Upper Las Vegas Wash are dotted with ice age fossils
and rare plants. Conservationists hailed the decision as a first step
in securing the area until it can be designated as a national
monument."
www.lvrj.com/news/blm-thousands-of-acres-of-federal-land-in-upper-las-vegas-wash-not-for-sale-145170945.html

BLM Arizona:

"Ancient armadillo relative excavated near Safford" (Eastern Arizona
Courier, 4/2/12)
"Glyptodonts were larger, more heavily armored relatives of modern
armadillos and could grow to the size of a car. Their main feature was
their tortoise-like body armor made up of bone segments .... Many of
the animals made their way to the Gila Valley, and several of their
fossils have been found by Bureau of Land Management geologist Larry
Thrasher."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,iifp,9jbj,283f,37zd

BLM Colorado:

"Colorado farms planning for dry spell losing auction bids for water
to fracking projects" (Denver Post, 4/1/12)
"Front Range farmers bidding for water to grow crops through the
coming hot summer and possible drought face new competition from oil
and gas drillers. At Colorado's premier auction for unallocated water
this spring, companies that provide water for hydraulic fracturing at
well sites were top bidders on supplies once claimed exclusively by
farmers. The prospect of tussling with energy industry giants over
water leaves some farmers and environmentalists uneasy."
www.denverpost.com/environment/ci_20299962/colorado-farms-planning-dry-spell-losing-auction-bids

"120-year-old mystery to be solved next week" (Norwood Post, Colorado, 4/3/12)
The Hanging Flume "was built to carry water to hydraulic mining
operations" to recover gold from five mining claims in 1883-85.
Construction spanned three years with the work of 25 local men. Beyond
that, the construction of the flume is a mystery," including "the
technology actually used in building the flume .... a rare surviving
testimony to the engineering ingenuity associated with 'gold fever'."
Solving the mystery "entails replacing some missing pieces of the
flume .... In 2006, the Hanging Flume made the World Monument Watch
list of 100 Most Endangered Sites. Since then, the BLM has developed
partnerships with at least eight funders and 11 specialists."
www.telluridenews.com/articles/2012/04/03/norwood_post/news/doc4f7bcc4ab8e84263592452.txt

BLM Idaho:

"The Owyhee's Wilson Creek area offers a rugged biking adventure"
(Bellingham Herald, 3/28/12)
In 2007, the BLM "designated and mapped about 80 miles of trails for
mountain bikers, hikers and equestrians." The trails "were not
designed specifically for mountain biking. Throw in use of the area by
open-range cattle, horses (both wild and domestic), and continuing
trail work and the place is constantly evolving. Most trails are
marked, but signs are lost, blown over or trampled by cows. Riders
will encounter rocks, sand, cliffs, creeks and all kinds of
adventurous mountain biking." Said Mike Edwards, president of the
Southwest Idaho Mountain Bike Association, "I would like to keep it
that way."
www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/03/28/2457947/the-owyhees-wilson-creek-area.html

SELECTED UPCOMING EVENTS

April 14 - Alabama Hills Day - Lone Pine
Help celebrate "this incredibly scenic landscape" and learn about "the
wide variety of groups that use and enjoy the Alabamas." Free.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/march/CC1239_alabamahillsday.html

RELATED: "The Alabama Hills" (BLM Bishop Field Office)
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/scenic_byways/alabamas.html

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WILDLIFE TRIVIA answer and related websites
(c.) People or vehicles frighten them away from their nests and use up
their energy reserves.

SOURCE: "Western snowy plover" (BLM Arcata Field Office)
While a variety of pressures make survival difficult for these birds,
four factors are the most significant on California's North Coast. The
human factor: Energy is very important to this small bird. Every time
humans, dogs, or other predators cause the birds to take flight or run
away, they lose precious energy that is needed to maintain their
nests. Just the presence of people and dogs in close proximity can
cause adults to temporarily leave nests, which increases the chance of
a predator finding the eggs, sand blowing over and covering the nest,
or the eggs getting cold.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,d1sn,c35y,283f,37zd

RELATED: "Mike Thompson Wildlife Area, South Spit Humboldt Bay" (BLM
Arcata Field Office)
This area includes western snow plover recovery areas, and seasonal
closures of some areas to protect the bird.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,is9o,6nou,283f,37zd

More wildlife news from your public lands:

"Wild wolf OR7 back in California" (Sacramento Bee, 4/5/12)
"The wild gray wolf, who has captivated the world with his
long-ranging search for a mate, crossed the border from Oregon on
Sunday and remained in Siskiyou County as of [Thursday] morning. The
wolf is in the same general vicinity where he originally crossed into
California on Dec. 28, becoming the first wild wolf in the state in
more than 90 years."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,lecn,es2n,283f,37zd

"Finding freeways for mountain lions" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 3/31/12)
The 30 or so cougars in the Santa Ana Mountains "have become
increasingly isolated as their historic habitat is chopped up by
development." The resulting inbreeding "has caused measurable harm to
their genetic health. If some lions follow Temecula and Pechanga
creeks to and from the still-wild mountain ranges to the east, the
mingling of populations would give the Santa Ana cats a better chance
of long-term survival .... The cougars play a vital role in an
interconnected ecosystem by keeping populations of their prey in check
and healthy."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,7ewh,f4oz,283f,37zd

"Robosquirrels help with study of rattlesnakes" (Gizmag, 4/4/12)
The rattlesnake is the main predator of the California ground
squirrel." Adult squirrels meeting rattlesnakes try to "intimidate"
them by approaching head-on ... elongating their bodies and flagging
(flipping) and heating their tails .... the snakes will rarely attack
a squirrel exhibiting such behavior .... rattlesnakes are able to see
in the infrared spectrum, so they could conceivably see the heat
radiating from the tail. Because real squirrels always do both the
flagging and the heating at the same time, however, it was impossible
to tell. The robosquirrels, made from mechanized stuffed squirrel
carcasses, were designed to answer the question."
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,jlqh,li71,283f,37zd

"S.F. falcon cam shows baby chicks preflight" (San Francisco Chronicle, 4/5/12)
Four peregrine falcon chicks hatched over the weekend on a 5-foot
building ledge overlooking San Francisco's Financial District, and
they will take flight for the first time in a few weeks, researchers
said .... Falcon fans can keep track of the chicks' progress thanks to
a webcam installed outside the nesting site in 2005.
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,dgu0,dwyv,283f,37zd

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News.bytes published by
Bureau of Land Management
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2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1834
Sacramento, Ca 95825
(916) 978-4600
http://www.elabs10.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=x8pbwi,yzx8,3xn3,4h2h,jgx0,283f,37zd

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