WILD HORSES AND BURROS

"FREE HORSE TRAINING DEMONSTRATIONS COMING TO ROSEVILLE" (BLM California news release, 09/04/2002)
Northern California horse fanciers can get free tips on horse gentling and training techniques, when the BLM hosts a wild horse and burro adoption event Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15, at the Placer County Fairgrounds in Roseville.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/09/nr/NCnews83_rosevilleadoption_training.html

"BLM ADOPT A WILD HORSE OR BURRO PROGRAM RETURNS TO RAMONA" (BLM California news release, 09/09/2002)
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has scheduled a wild horse and burro adoption at the Ramona Fairgrounds in Ramona, California on October 5-6 in conjunction with the third annual Ramona Information Days for Equestrians (R.I.D.E.) event.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/09/nr/CDDnews79_Ramona_Adoption_Release/Conv.htm

BLM DESERT PLAN CRITICIZED

"ACTIVISTS CHALLENGE U.S. PLAN FOR DESERT" (Los Angeles Times, 09/07/2002)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sonoran7sep07005048.story

"DESERT PLAN CRITICIZED" (San Bernardino County Sun, 09/09/2002)
http://www.sbsun.com/Stories/0,1413,208%257E12588%257E848714,00.html

Related: "NORTHERN AND EASTERN COLORADO DESERT PROPOSED PLAN AMENDMENT PUBLISHED" (BLM California news release, 7/29/02)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/07/nr/CDDnews71_NECO_plan_available.html

Related: "PROPOSED NECO PLAN, FINAL EIS" (BLM Web pages)
Details of the Proposed Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Coordinated Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement, that the above stories refer to.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/pdfs/neco2002/

CADIZ WATER PROJECT FACES OPPOSITION
Cadiz, Inc.'s planned underground water project recently received pipeline right-of-way across BLM-managed lands, but faces opposition.

"REP. LEWIS ASSAILS PLAN TO BOOST SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WATER SUPPLY" (Mojave Daily News, 09/08/2002)
Cadiz, Inc. underground water supply plan.
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/September/08-950-news4.txt

"STORAGE PLAN: MWD-CADIZ PLAN HAS TOO MANY HOLES" (San Bernardino County Sun, 09/02/2002)
EDITORIAL: "We like the idea of storing water in the desert, but too many questions remain unanswered. The BLM's acquiescence to a project that could harm the desert for decades is especially troubling."
http://www.sbsun.com/Stories/0,1413,208%257E12585%257E834296,00.html

"WILL PROFITS FLOW TO WATER FIRMS?" (MSNBC, 09/06/2002)
"With just 1 percent of the world's water available for drinking, farming and manufacturing, companies that can figure out how to purify fresh water cheaply stand to reap big profits." Says an investor in Cadiz, Inc., "Underground water storage is the future of water storage in the U.S., and especially in California."
http://www.msnbc.com/news/804493.asp

"WATER PROJECT FACES OPPOSITION" (Needles Desert Star, 09/11/2002)
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpid=638&show=localnews&newsid=357911

CEMEX WINS RULING
Judge rules that U.S. Department of Justice attorneys can present legal arguments for BLM, that Los Angeles County Supervisors did not have a right to reject Cemex plans for sand and gravel operation in Soledad Canyon.

"FEDERAL LAWYERS TO BACK MINING FIRM AGAINST LOCAL OFFICIALS" (Los Angeles Daily News, 09/09/2002)
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20949%257E848445,00.html#

"CEMEX SCORES HEARING VICTORY" (Antelope Valley Press, 09/10/2002)
http://www.avpress.com/n/tusty10.hts

SACRED SITES LEGISLATION

"SACRED SITES POWER PLAY" (Sacramento Bee, 09/07/2002)
EDITORIAL: Newspaper urges California governor to veto bill backers say would protect sites sacred to Native American. "Bill would give tribes vast new powers," and let them veto competition to any of their enterprises, editorial says.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/editorials/story/4304778p-5324502c.html

"INDIAN PASS CLEARLY DESERVES RESCUE" (Sacramento Bee, 09/07/2002)
EDITORIAL: Opposes Glamis Gold Ltd. plan for mine on BLM-managed land, near sacred Indian site; says potential effect on other sites would be too great. "That's why the bill as a whole goes too far. Protecting Indian Pass, however, is the right thing to do."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/opinion/editorials/story/4304779p-5324499c.html

"TRIBES FLEX POWER ON SACRED SITES" (Los Angeles Times, 09/10/2002)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-tribes10sep10.story

"MINING BILL AWAITING GOVERNOR'S APPROVAL" (Yuma Sun, 09/08/2002)
Glamis Gold, Inc. "Plans for a mine fought by the Quechan Tribe may be stopped by proposed legislation dedicated to protecting sacred land."
http://www.yumasun.com/artman/publish/2printer_1546.shtml

OUR READERS RESPOND TO LAST WEEK'S WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION
Too late for last week's News.bytes, we saw an email from the creator of our trivia question: "It should be rewritten, to something like 'How many species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and birds are known to occur on lands managed by BLM California?' Or 'How many vertebrate species are known to occur on lands managed by BLM California?' That avoids the question of spiders, insects, arthropods, and other invertebrates. It also emphasizes that not all animals that occur on BLM CA lands are known about - much of our land hasn't been surveyed for all types of animals."

The bad news: we read that AFTER we sent out News.bytes issue 75. The good news: it showed that our readers are paying attention. One response: "I had to comment that your tally of animals on BLM land overlooks the 97% of animals that don't have backbones. Insects alone comprise 75% of all animal species. A classic case of vertebratism." Agreed. We never even thought about vertebratism.

Or, another: "The trivia question ... is horribly unscientific and arrogant. First of all it asks 'How many animals ...?' There is no mention of species or kinds so the correct reading would be 'how many individual animals are there?', and 824 is clearly not the answer. Second, it is arrogant to co-opt the word 'animal' for vertebrates. Vertebrates actually make up only a small percentage of the animals on this planet, or on BLM lands for that matter."

We stand corrected -- and keep those comments coming!

YOUR CHANCE(S) TO GET INVOLVED WITH PUBLIC LANDS

"CELEBRATE NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY" (Needles Desert Star, 09/11/2002)
On Oct. 19, BLM and the City of Needles will host a volunteer cleanup project along a six mile segment of the East Mojave Heritage Trail in honor of National Public Lands Day.
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=638&NewsID=357912&CategoryID=1393&on=0

"HELP CLEAN UP YUBA" (The Union, 9/12/02)
BLM joins other groups helping sponsor fifth Annual Great Yuba Clean-Up. Volunteers needed.
http://www.theunion.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Site=TU&Date=20020912&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=109120026&Ref=AR

"NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY 2002: Mitchel Range improvement project" (BLM California Web page)
Volunteer work crews will join BLM California's Barstow Field Office -- Saturday, Sept. 28. Projects include installing picnic table and ramada, marking trails and parking spaces, and area clean up.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow/npl_day.html

"FEDERAL AGENCIES SEEK NOMINATIONS FOR SANTA ROSA AND SAN JACINTO MOUNTAINS NATIONAL MONUMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE" (BLM California news release, 09/09/2002)
The BLM and U.S. Forest Service have re-opened the nomination period and are accepting applications from the public to fill five positions on the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Advisory Committee.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/09/nr/SRSJMNMnews04_Readvertise_Monument_Nominations/Conv.htm

Related: "BLM EXTENDS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON PROPOSED POWER LINE PROJECT" (BLM California news release, 09/05/2002)
To provide the public additional time to submit comments and recommendations on the preparation of draft environmental impact statement (EIS) on the proposed California Desert Southwest Transmission Line Project, BLM has extended the public comment period to September 13, 2002.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/09/nr/CDDnews77_BLM_Extends_Public_Comment_for_Proposed_Powerline/Conv.htm

"BLM ISSUES REMINDER OF REGULATORY CHANGES AFFECTING NOTICE-LEVEL OPERATORS" (BLM California news release, 9/12/02)
"The BLM is reaching out to holders of roughly 5,000 surface-disturbance notices to remind them of an upcoming change that may affect them."
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/09/nr/SOnews11_WO_prmining_update/Conv.htm

"BLM DEPUTY DIRECTOR FRAN CHERRY TO SPEAK TO PUBLIC LANDS FOUNDATION" (BLM California news release, 09/09/2002)
BLM Deputy Director Fran Cherry shares the vision of the BLM with the members of the Public Lands Foundation at a meeting in Sacramento today, 9/12/02.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/09/nr/SOnews09_Cherry_PLF_speaker/Conv.htm

"RESIDENTS URGED TO CLEAR BRUSH FROM AROUND HOMES" (Sacramento Bee, 09/08/2002)
El Dorado County Fire Safe Council plans projects to show people how they can clear fire-safe area around their homes, and still have trees on the property. Council is revived with grant funds, much of it from the National Fire Plan in which BLM is a partner.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/neighbors/neighborhood_news/story/4321098p-5340273c.html

"SHOOTERS GET 90 DAYS TO PROVE THEMSELVES" (Stockton Record, 09/05/2002)
Trial period at Campo Seco parcel will test if target shooters can police themselves, overcome objections of neighbors who complained about stray bullets and noise.
http://www.recordnet.com/articlelink/090502/news/articles/090502-gn-12.shtml

"SIGN TO GIVE SHOOTERS WARNING" (Bakersfield Californian, 09/05/2002)
Target shooting to be banned on 480-acre BLM-managed parcel, to protect oil-field workers near Lost Hills from being hit by gunfire.
http://www.bakersfield.com/local/story/1728895p-1844997c.html

"CALIFORNIA DIVERSITY COUNCIL HOLDS REGIONAL MEETING IN NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA" (Lassen County News, 09/09/2002)
As reported in last week's News.bytes, members of Northeast California Resource Advisory Council and BLM personnel were among those presenting information on juniper management issues.
http://www.lassennews.com/News_Story.edi?sid=1262

"LOCAL SPRINGS TEMPORARILY CLOSED DURING TAMARISK ERADICATION PROJECTS" (BLM California news release, 09/05/2002)
In an effort to eliminate tamarisk (also known as salt cedar) and giant arundo (giant cane), the BLM Needles Field Office will temporarily close the Sacramento and Tan Tan Springs in the Sacramento Mountains, the Red Spring and Picture Canyon in the Dead Mountains Wilderness, and Bonanza Spring in the Clipper Mountains.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/09/nr/CDDnews76_Tamarask_Eradication_Projects_Scheduled/Conv.htm

"THE LONELIEST TRAIL; get lost along the coast, away from the hype" (The Union, 8/31/02)
Travel feature on The Lost Coast Trail, in the King Range National Conservation Area managed by BLM California's Arcata Field Office.
http://www.theunion.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20020831&Category=TODAYSFEATURE&ArtNo=209040006

Related: "KING RANGE NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA - Hiking and backpacking" (BLM California Web site)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/arcata/krncahike.html

ANSWER TO WILDLIFE TRIVIA: How much food and water does a donkey consume each year?
{;-)} A single donkey consumes 6,000 pounds of vegetation and 2,000 pounds of water each year.