OIL AND GAS SALE RESULTS

"BLM OIL & GAS SALE LEASE RESULTS" (BLM California news release, 5/8/02)
Today's event generated more than $224,000 for the federal government. Remaining parcels are available for noncompetitive over-the-counter bids at BLM State Office in Sacramento.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/05/nr/CCnews43_results_oilandgas_leasesale.html


BOOKSTORE FEATURE: Gold Panner's Manual
Another mineral found on some BLM-managed lands: This book covers gold throughout the ages, some facts about gold, how to locate placer gold, the ABC's of gold panning, how to recover fine gold, and the equipment needed and used.
http://store.ca.blm.gov/webc/webc.cgi/st_prod.html?p_prodid=390



OFF-ROADING VOLUNTEERS

"VOLUNTEERS CLEAN UP, FIX UP FOR EL MIRAGE DAYS"
May 4, 2002 marked the 3rd Annual El Mirage Days. This event is organized by the Friends of El Mirage, a nonprofit group that supports the land management efforts of BLM California's Barstow Field Office. More than 150 volunteers converged on the El Mirage Off-Highway Vehicle Area to:
- Install an information panel along the access road to the dry lake bed;
- Install signs along a 14-mile off-highway vehicle trail;
- Reestablish the park boundary with carsonite posts;
- Remove graffiti; and
- Collect over a ton of trash from several areas along the dry lake bed.
After the projects were completed, the volunteers collected commemorative T-shirts and were treated to a barbecue lunch, compliments of the Friends of El Mirage.

Related: "EL MIRAGE DRY LAKE OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE AREA" (BLM California Web page)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow/mirage.html

"KNOXVILLE RECREATION AREA TO RECEIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION" (BLM California news release, 05/06/2002)
Increased public contact and law enforcement the weekend of May 17-19 will stress allowable and responsible uses in the Knoxville area of Lake and Napa counties, and increase enforcement. On Saturday, volunteers from several recreation organizations, including off-highway vehicle and shooting clubs, will clean up campsites and undesignated shooting areas, and removing several abandoned vehicles.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/05/nr/NCnews53_knoxville_sweep_2002.html

Related: "KNOXVILLE OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE RECREATION AREA" (BLM California news release, 05/06/2002)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/ukiah/knoxville.html

MONUMENTAL EVENTS, COMMENTS

"CARRIZO MONUMENT DEDICATION"
More than 250 people joined BLM State Director Mike Pool, Congresswoman Lois Capps, and other guests and dignitaries in dedicating the Carrizo Plain National Monument on Saturday, April 27. Despite heavy rain the day before, the dedication was held under sunny skies. Local ranchers, conservationists, county and state officials, and interested members of the public from through the state and the region marked the official kickoff to planning for the future of the 204,000-acre Monument in eastern San Luis Obispo and western Kern County.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/bakersfield/carrizodedication_042702.html

"PUBLIC OFFERS INPUT FOR MANAGEMENT OF NEW MONUMENT" (Palm Springs Desert Sun, 05/03/2002)
"A spirited public meeting" was the first of four, on management plans for the new Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Some speakers asked BLM and the U.S. Forest Service to keep access open to trails; others asked that the monument be protected from people overrunning it.
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories/local/1020392448.shtml

Related: "BLM AND USFS SCHEDULE PUBLIC SCOPING MEETINGS FOR THE SANTA ROSA AND SAN JACINTO MOUNTAINS NATIONAL MONUMENT" (BLM California news release, 04/08/2002)
UPCOMING EVENT: The BLM and the US Forest Service scheduled five public scoping meetings to gather public comment and recommendations regarding the preparation of a management plan for the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/04/nr/SRSJNMnews03_scoping_meetings_040802.html

NOT FOR EDUCATORS ONLY: Little Darby Environmental Education Area
Little Darby Environmental Education Area is ideally suited for individuals or small groups to observe ecological communities. The area has 1-1/2 miles of self-guided nature trails winding through a broad spectrum of ecosystems, from creekside riparian to fir forest to chaparral brushland. http://www.ca.blm.gov/ukiah/littledarby.html

Related: "YOUNG PARENT CLASS ADOPTS LITTLE DARBY" (Willits News, 03/06/2002)
Group of 20 high-school age parents "adopted" Little Darby area recently, to prevent vandalism and littering at the area.
PDF file, 90 kilobytes: http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/newsbytes/items_2002/littledarby_030602.pdf


WEED OF THE WEEK - DALMATION TOADFLAX
Native to the Mediterranean, this noxious plant grows up to 4 feet high and is found along roadsides and on rangelands. The plant has smooth, erect, and sometimes branched steams, heart shaped blue-green and waxy leaves, and yellow flowers with an orange, hairy center.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/bishop/dalmatiantoadflax.html

FACING WILDFIRES

"ARSON SUSPECTED IN DEVASTATING SERIES OF OWENS VALLEY WILDFIRES" (San Diego Union-Tribune, 05/05/2002)
Of seven brush fires in the past two months along the Owens River, six have been labeled "suspicious in origin" by a special arson team. About 1,000 acres of vegetation and four miles of critical Owens River habitat have burned. Several agencies including BLM California are asking anyone with tips to call (760) 387-2565.
http://www.uniontrib.com/sports/20020505-9999_1s5outdoors.html

"MUCH OF WEST FACING MORE SEVERE THAN NORMAL WILDFIRE SEASON" (Associated Press, in San Francisco Chronicle, 05/06/2002)
Areas cited include Southern California.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2002/05/06/state1959EDT0180.DTL

"RIVER FIRE REKINDLES" (Inyo Register, 05/03/2002)
Related: Owens River Valley fires of "suspicious origins".
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2270&dept_id=468891&newsid=4013943&PAG=461&rfi=9

VISIT US: Northeastern California
Visiting Northeastern California this summer? Take a look at the Top 10 Points of Interest managed by our Eagle Lake Field Office.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/eaglelake/topten.html



TWO NATIONAL BLM APPOINTMENTS

"BLM NAMES JAMES M. HUGHES DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR PROGRAMS AND POLICY" (BLM news release, 5/8/02)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/05/nr/WOnews_hughes_named_DDPP.html

'BLM NAMES FRAN CHERRY AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS" (BLM news release, 5/8/02)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/05/nr/WOnews_cherry_named_DDO.html

HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS

"BOXER BILL WOULD SET ASIDE 3,800 SQUARE MILES" (Mountain Democrat, 05/03/2002)
Sen. Barbara Boxer's wilderness bill would "set aside California lands larger than the states of Delaware and Rhode Island combined." Newspaper says"advance copies of the California Wild Heritage Wilderness Act of 2002 began circulating last week under the title 'discussion draft'." Proposal includes designating 62,234 acres in the BLM's Ukiah District as Cache Creek Wilderness Area.
http://www.mtdemocrat.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/May/03-2297-M0503_N.txt

Related: "SUPES, CITY REVISIT WILDERNESS ISSUE" (Inyo Register, 04/15/2002)
"Perhaps the most controversial issue to be reviewed by elected officials in recent years, the Citizens' Wilderness Proposal - and a resulting bill from Senator Barbara Boxer" were discussed at separate meetings of Bishop City Council and Inyo County Board of Supervisors.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=3855545&BRD=2270&PAG=461&dept_id=468891&rfi=8

"SHASTA MULLS COUNTY LAND PURCHASE" (Red Bluff Daily News, 05/07/2002)
Shasta College would purchase 144 acres from BLM California at $10 per acre, that is surrounded by 17,000 acres of BLM-managed land near the Sacramento River. Parcel would be kept in agricultural production, or revert to BLM.
http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/May/07-3110-news2.txt
Correction to story is at: http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/display/inn_news/news99.txt

"NOTICE OF INTENT To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Proposed expansion/Modernization of an Existing Wallboard Manufacturing Facility and Associated Quarry Operation" (BLM California news release, 05/01/2002)
Federal Register Notice: US Gypsum's Plaster City wallboard manufacturing and Fish Creek Quarry operations in Imperial County.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/05/fr/Gypsum_wallboard_EIS_notice_050102.html

"NOTICE OF FIREARM SHOOTING RESTRICTION ON PUBLIC LAND WITHIN THE RED MOUNTAIN POLYGON, San Bernardino County" (BLM California news release, 05/06/2002)
Federal Register Notice announces requirement that all target shooting in this area must be paper targets specifically created for target shooting.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/05/fr/Red_Mountain_shooting_restrictions_050602.html

SELECTED UPCOMING EVENTS

05/15/2002 - San Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument scoping meeting
Palm Desert City Hall
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/04/nr/SRSJNMnews03_scoping_meetings_040802.html

05/18/2002 - Wild Horse and Burro Adoption
San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, Stockton
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/04/nr/NCnews47_stockton_WHB_adoption.html

05/23/2002 - Ridgecrest Steering Committee
BLM Ridgecrest Field Office