For Release: December 19, 2003
Contact: Doran Sanchez (909) 697-5220
CA-CDD-04-15

Environmental Assessment for Proposed DARPA Grand Challenge Available for Public Review

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have released a joint environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed DARPA Grand Challenge for public review and comment.

The DARPA Grand Challenge is the military field test of autonomous robotic vehicle technology, and would be conducted in off highway vehicle (OHV) areas and on designated open routes in the Mojave and Colorado Desert region. DARPA requested to utilize public lands and routes to test research vehicles for the advancement of military technology.

DARPA and the BLM jointly prepared the EA, which analyzes four alternatives and a no action alternative, and identifies and describes uses and probable impacts to the resources. Route networks analyzed in the alternatives encompass approximately 1,200 miles of routes.

The proposed Grand Challenge would consist of a series of events (phases) starting in Los Angeles, Calif. on March 8, 2004, and conclude in Las Vegas on March 14, 2004. BLM and DARPA signed a Memorandum of Agreement in mid November outlining how the proposed project would be conducted, which provided the guidelines in developing the EA.

The document is available online at www.ca.blm.gov/barstow. Printed and CD-ROM copies of the EA are available at the following BLM offices: California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, Calif. 92553 (909) 697-5200; Needles Field Office, 101 West Spikes Road, Needles, CA (760) 326-7000; Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA (760) 252-6000; and Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV (702) 515-5000. The EA has been mailed to those who requested a copy of the document.

Public comments must be received by close of business Friday, January 28, 2004. Comments should be mailed to the Bureau of Land Management, California Desert District Office, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, Calif. 92553, Attn: DARPA Comment Coordinator. Comments may also be submitted on the project website at http://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow/darpa/.

For more information regarding the DARPA Grand Challenge Environmental Assessment (EA) contact Alan Stein in the BLM's California Desert District Office at (909) 697-5382.

-BLM-

California Desert District Office
22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos
Moreno Valley, California
(909) 697-5220