IMPERIAL COUNTY PASSES EMERGENCY RESOLUTION ON DUNES PARTY SPOT

"COUNTY CLOSES COMPETITION HILL" (Imperial Valley Press, 11/20/2002)
Imperial County Board of Supervisors passes emergency resolution to close Competition Hill at night this Thanksgiving holiday, to help gain control of lawlessness in the dunes.
http://www.ivpressonline.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/November/20-1829-news05.txt

"SAND DUNES HOT SPOT CLOSED" (Yuma Sun, 11/21/2002)
"[Imperial County supervisor] whose district includes the sand dunes, located west of Yuma, said he proposed the nighttime closure because the area has become a spot for wild rave parties and what he called rampant lawlessness."
http://yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_2758.shtml

"BLM TO SUPPORT IMPERIAL DUNES SAFETY ORDINANCE PASSES BY IMPERIAL COUNTY SUPERVISORS" (BLM California news release, 11/20/2002)
The BLM will assist Imperial County officials to enforce an ordinance passed by the county's Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, November 19 to close Competition Hill at night during major holiday weekends. Competition Hill is a very popular hill climb area within the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, located east of El Centro in Imperial County.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/11/nr/CDDnews09_Law_Enforcement_at_Imperial_Dunes/Conv.htm

NOT FOR EDUCATORS ONLY

PLANT OF THE WEEK - Mono County Phacelia
These plants exist in level sites in low sagebrush steppe and pinyon-juniper communities. Associated with red-brown clayey soils at elevations of 5500-8500 feet.

WEED UPDATE

"BLM ENLISTS TINY WEEVIL IN NOXIOUS WEED FIGHT" (BLM California news release, 11/21/2002)
The newest warrior in northeast California's battle against invasive weeds is also the tiniest. It's a weevil, no bigger than a ladybug, but it holds great promise to tackle hundreds of acres of weed pests.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/11/nr/NCnews16_weedweevil/Conv.htm

Related: "MEDITERRANEAN SAGE" (BLM California Web site)
The wee weed-fighting weevil warrior described above will tackle this recent News.bytes Weed of the Week, (issue 17, 9/19/02)
http://www.ca.blm.gov/alturas/medsage.html

WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What percentage of bats contract rabies?
(See answer near end of this issue of News.bytes)

PUBLIC LANDS RIGHTS-OF-WAY: Power line, gas pipeline

"INDIAN LAND BILL OK'd BY HOUSE" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 11/16/2002)
House passes bill to shield land owned by a Temecula Indian tribe from proposed power line - If bill passed by House also passes Senate and is signed by President Bush, San Diego Gas & Electric could not force tribe to sell or grant right-of-way through 700-acre Great Oak Ranch while the tribe's application to annex the land to its reservation is ...
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_NEWS_nlines16.582ca.html

Related: "RANCH OFF-LIMITS FOR POWER LINE" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 11/21/2002)
"CONGRESS: Legislation shielding Pechanga land near Temecula cuts off SDG&E's favored route."
http://www.pe.com/localnews/southwest/stories/PE_NEWS_nslines21.f2f2.html

"PIPELINE TO MOVE NATURAL GAS" (Barstow Desert Dispatch, 11/18/2002)
BLM and State Lands Commission hold public forum on conversion of 303-mile former crude oil pipeline to natural gas. The two agencies are cooperating on environmental reports for the conversion, which crosses public lands rights-of-way.
http://www.desertdispatch.com/cgi-bin/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1037638912,24507,

HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS

"AVERILL NAMED MANAGER FOR HEADWATERS FOREST RESERVE" (BLM California news release, 11/19/2002)
Dan Averill, a natural resource specialist with more than 20 years experience in Northern California, will direct day-to-day activities in the 7,500-acre reserve containing old growth redwoods and critical wildlife habitat.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/news/2002/11/nr/NCnews13_averill_appointment_headwaters/Conv.htm

"LOCAL LANDS COULD HELP FILL BUSH'S DOMESTIC OIL AGENDA" (Bakersfield Californian, 11/14/2002)
Opening more federal land in the Bakersfield area to oil and gas exploration could help meet President Bush's call for decreased dependence on foreign oil, said Rebecca Watson, assistant secretary for Land and Minerals Management at the U.S. Department of the Interior. Watson met with about 35 members of Bakersfield-area oil and gas industry and BLM Bakersfield Field Office, among others.
http://www.bakersfield.com/business/story/2135071p-2222430c.html

"STATE PROPOSES NEW MINING REGULATIONS" (Palm Springs Desert Sun, 11/15/2002)
"California took a step toward increased regulation of open-pit mining Thursday -- a move that could hinder development of a controversial gold mine on sacred Indian land in the desert" planned for BLM-managed land.
http://www.thedesertsun.com/news/stories/local/1037330499.shtml

"CHRISTMAS-TREE TAGS AVAILABLE" (Mammoth Times, 11/21/2002)
Tags for Christmas trees from the BLM's Bishop Field Office and Bridgeport Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest are available through Tuesday, Dec. 24.
http://www.mammothtimes.com/archive2002/11-21/ChristmasTreeTags11-21.html

"SIERRA CLUB REP SAYS THOUGHTLESS PUBLIC DAMAGES COUNTY'S DESERTS" (Imperial Valley Press, 11/15/2002)
Willful destruction by a minority of off-roaders who don't obey the rules has damaged archaeological sites and torn up areas along illegal routes, said several people at a BLM meeting to get public input on changes to desert routes of travel. BLM ranger says areas outside the Imperial Sand Dunes have fewer OHVs but are not self-policed as in the dunes.
http://www.ivpressonline.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/November/15-1318-news05.txt

"MOUNTAIN BIKERS APPLAUD BLM PLAN" (Outside, 11/15/2002)
"The National Mountain Bicycling Strategic Action Plan, announced Tuesday at the National Trails Symposium in Orlando, is being applauded by the mountain-biking community for its support of bikers, deference to local control, and adaptability over time."
http://web.outsideonline.com/news/headlines/20021115_1.html

"BLM SETS CLEAN-UP SCHEDULE" (Needles Desert Star, 11/19/2002)
BLM seeks volunteers for clean-up, schedules both weekday and weekend events to allow for various participants. BLM is participating as part of an interagency agreement to clean-up an old dump site located off Eagle Pass Road.
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=638&NewsID=395358&CategoryID=1393&on=0

"SENATE OKs WILDERNESS PROTECTIONS" (Los Angeles Times, 11/21/2002)
"President is expected to sign measure affecting land near Big Sur ... Bill covers a small portion of the 2.5 million acres of public land in 81 areas of the state that [California Senator] has asked Congress to protect as wilderness." Larger bill mentioned in article would affect much BLM-managed land.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-wilderness21nov21.story

Related: "SENATE OKs PROTECTION OF 55,000 ACRES" (Sacramento Bee, 11/21/2002)
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/environment/story/5293854p-6292115c.html

WILDLIFE TRIVIA ANSWER TO: "What percentage of bats contract rabies?"
Fewer than one-half of one percent carries the disease!
Learn more about bats and other animals on lands managed by BLM California, on our Wildlife database:
(Note: see comment on "secure server" under Selected Upcoming Events below.)
https://doi1.ios.doi.gov/blmcawildlife.nsf