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For Immediate Release: August 10, 2001 CA-610-01-63
Contact: Doran Sanchez (909) 697-5220 or Jan Bedrosian (916) 978-4616
BLM Proposes Temporary Camping Closure in Eastern Imperial County to Protect Desert Tortoises
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued a proposed order to temporarily close to camping approximately 25,600 acres of public land east of the Imperial Sand Dunes in Imperial County to protect desert tortoise habitat. The area would not be closed to vehicles traveling on existing routes.
BLM is implementing the closures as part of a settlement agreement reached in response to a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Sierra Club, and the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility regarding the Endangered Species Act.
The proposed closure areas involve public lands generally east of the town of Glamis north and south of Highway 78, and southeast along the Union Pacific railroad down to Ogilby Road. Private lands in this area would not be affected by the closure.
As specified in the settlement agreement, this temporary closure would remain in effect until BLM consults with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and signs the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Coordinated Management Plan. The ROD is scheduled to be completed by September 2002.
Authority for the closures is found in 43 Code of Federal Regulations 8364.1. The proposed order was published in the Federal Register on August 10, 2001. An environmental assessment (EA) on the proposal will be available for public review and comment through September 7, 2001, and will be distributed to interested parties. The EA also will be available online at www.ca.blm.gov/cdd/lawsuit.html The closure will become effective upon publication of the final order in the Federal Register at a later date, but no earlier than 30 days from the date of the proposed order.
Comments should be addressed to BLM's El Centro Field Office, 1661 E. 4th Street, El Centro, Calif. 92243. The EA and maps of the proposed closure area are also available from BLM at (760) 337-4400.
-BLM-
California Desert District Office - 6221 Box Springs Blvd, Riverside, California (909) 697-5220 |
