OFF-ROADING IN THE DUNES

"INJURIES, CITATIONS KEEP OFFICERS BUSY IN IMPERIAL SAND DUNES" (Imperial Valley Press, 11/05/2002)
An estimated 75,000 visitors during one of the first weekends of the season in the dunes, generated "about 290 law enforcement actions, 72 medical actions and one vehicle accident."
http://ivpressonline.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/November/05-1463-news04.txt

"GROUPS DRAW LINES IN THE SAND OVER DUNES" (Imperial Valley Press, 11/04/2002)
"The lines are drawn and the sides are chosen as the fight over one of the largest and most popular sand sport areas in the country, the Imperial Sand Dunes, continues into the 2002-03 off-road recreation season."
http://www.ivpressonline.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/November/04-1275-news01.txt

"PATROLS PROTECTING SENSITIVE DUNES" (Palm Springs Desert Sun, 11/04/2002)
Reporter approaches the question: "During recent years, off-road activity on environmentally sensitive land in the Imperial Sand Dunes typically increased in November. What is the activity level on the dunes the first weekend of November this year?"
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories/local/1036382363.shtml

"PUBLIC MEETINGS SET for draft amendment and associated environmental assessment for Western Colorado Desert routes of travel designations" (BLM California news release, 11/06/2002)
BLM California will hold two public meetings to allow public comments on this off-road vehicle trails issue: November 12 in San Diego and November 14in El Centro.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/11/nr/CDDnews08_WECOpublicMeetings/Conv.htm

LINES OF COMMUNICATION

"BLM DIRECTOR KATHLEEN CLARKE WILL PARTICIPATE IN RESOURCE ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING BY VIDEO TELECONFERENCE" (BLM news release, 11/06/2002)
BLM Director Kathleen Clarke announced she will "meet" Nov. 20 with all of BLM's Resource Advisory Councils. Clarke will do so through a nationally-accessible video teleconference with the full membership of 24 councils. Interested individuals are welcome to view the teleconference at BLM offices, or through their own satellite reception capability.

"DUNKELBERGER SELECTED AS NEW BLM BISHOP FIELD OFFICE MANAGER" (BLM California news release, 9/5/02)
Earlier announcement of manager's selection.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/09/nr/SOnews08_dunkelberger_selected/Conv.htm

NOT FOR EDUCATORS ONLY: Plants and animals

PLANT OF THE WEEK - Layne's butterweed
This tall, perennial herb often stands over 2 feet and has yellow flowers. Leaves are blue green, and slightly thickened. Plants retain some hairiness at maturity, especially at the nodes.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/folsom/folsela.html

WILDLIFE TRIVIA OF THE WEEK
QUESTION: What is the largest bat in North America?"
(See answer near the end of this issue of News.bytes)

YUBA GOLDFIELDS OPENING TO PUBLIC

"YUBA GOLDFIELDS READY FOR RECREATION" (The Union, 11/01/2002)
Court decisions opened up some of the Yuba Goldfields along the Yuba River, between Marysville and Grass Valley. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may donate section it manages to BLM, which may open up more land to public recreation.
http://www.theunion.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Site=TU&Date=20021101&Category=TODAYSFEATURE&ArtNo=111010012&Ref=AR

Related: "PUBLIC GOLDFIELDS LAND ID'd" (Appeal-Democrat, 11/02/2002)
BLM releases map of public areas of contested Yuba Goldfields near Yuba River, after Supreme Court declines to review appellate court's ruling that Hammonton Road through the goldfields is public.
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/110202/110202Public.shtml

Related: "MAP OF GOLDFIELDS RECREATION AREAS AVAILABLE"
Find links to the map on the BLM California Web site, in the news release included in last week's News.bytes:
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/10/nr/CCnews07_Goldfields/Conv.htm

KING RANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN NEEDS INPUT

"KING RANGE PLAN TO GET REWORKED" (Eureka Times-Standard, 11/03/2002)
Public meetings to help BLM update 30-year-old plan for King Range National Conservation Area
http://www.times-standard.com/Stories/0,1413,127%257E2896%257E967869,00.html

Related: "KING RANGE NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE" (BLM California Web site)
More information on the planning process.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/arcata/kingrangeplan.html

HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS

"BLM TO FENCE OFF SECTION OUTSIDE KIAVAH WILDERNESS" (Ridgecrest Daily Independent, 11/05/2002)
BLM California's Ridgecrest Field Office "proposes to construct approximately one mile of fence outside of wilderness and parallel to the Kiavah Wilderness boundary to stop the continuing illegal vehicle incursions into the wilderness area north of Bird Springs Pass."
http://www.ridgecrestca.com/articles/2002/11/03/news/local_news/news06.txt

"WILDERNESS BILL HANGS IN ELECTION BALANCE" (Sacramento Bee, 11/01/2002)
Pre-election analysis of the chances of California Wild Heritage Act, depending on outcome of Congressional races. Bill would affect some BLM California-managed lands.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/environment/story/5025434p-6033374c.html

"INTERIOR DEPARTMENT STRUGGLES TO UPGRADE ITS POLICE FORCES" (New York Times, 11/03/2002)
Article says much public lands and national landmarks protected from terrorist and other attacks by Department of Interior police forces "that auditors have long described as ill trained, poorly managed, dysfunctional and, in some instances, corrupt." Interior Secretary Gale Norton's appointee to reform its seven police forces -- including BLM's - has met resistance from some.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/04/politics/04POLI.html?ex=1037077200&en=6b2e665280c949e7&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

"COURT FAULTS SPECIES RULES" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 11/5/02)
Subtitled: "ENVIRONMENT: The judge says the critical-habitat designations deal unfairly with economic effects." Lawsuit with possible implications for other lands in California.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_NEWS_nrhabit05.a1801.html

"WHITE HOUSE REINTERPRETING LAW ON ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS" (Los Angeles Times, 01/03/2002)
(Note: Los Angeles Times articles require free registration to view articles on their Web site. This is a policy of the Los Angeles Times.)
Subtitled: "The administration seeks to end red tape on federal lands, but critics see a policy 'assault.'" "In a series of efforts to limit the reach of the nation's bedrock environmental law, the Bush administration is working to prevent environmental impact statements from blocking or stalling energy production, logging and other controversial uses of federal lands and waters."
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-nepa3nov03.story

Related: "WHALES AND OTHER GREEN CAUSES COULD SPIKE GAS PRICES" (Human Events, 11/4/02)
The National Conservative Weekly: "As the U.S. girds for war with Iraq, domestic energy producers are quietly warning Congress and the Bush Administration about a looming crisis in domestic energy supplies. The problem stems not from a dearth of supply, but from environmental policies that have restricted access to resource-rich federal lands."
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/articles/11-04-02/staff2.htm

"U.S. NEAR DEAL TO RETIRE TAINTED LAND" (Sacramento Bee, 11/06/2002)
Westlands Water District and Department of Interior officials expect settlement in long lawsuit, over federal government not providing irrigation drainage to the district. A 1970s effort led to San Luis Drain ending prematurely, and selenium buildup poisoned Kesterson Reservoir. Possible federal purchase of 35,000 acres of tainted land could affect Department of Interior agencies such as BLM California.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/environment/story/5089954p-6096567c.html

WILDLIFE TRIVIA OF THE WEEK: What is the largest bat in North America?"
ANSWER: Western mastiff bats are the largest bats in North America, with a wingspan of more than one and a half feet long! They are so large that they cannot launch themselves into flight. Instead they free-fall for approximately ten feet and then begin their ascent upward.
Learn more about Western mastiff bats in the BLM California wildlife database:
(Note: see comment on our database "secure server" under Selected Upcoming Events below)
https://doi1.ios.doi.gov/blmcawildlife.nsf/siteurl/18083773?OpenDocument