RIGHTS-OF-WAY: RACING ROBOTS

"BLM approves DARPA Grand Challenge" (BLM California news release, 02/18/2004)
The BLM has issued a Decision Record approving the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Grand Challenge scheduled to take place March 13, 2004.

"Robots, start your engines: It's a mad, mad, mad race; Driverless cars to be tested in the Mojave" (San Francisco Chronicle, 02/15/2004)
Introduction to "a vehicle that just might revolutionize warfare -- and the daily commute." It will be racing other robotic cars in a mad dash across the Mojave Desert -- the grand finale to the Grand Challenge, an unprecedented [$1 million] contest sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/15/MNGMN51F8O1.DTL

"Robotic truck 'Bob' makes his maiden voyage" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 02/17/2004)
First test run for robot pickup truck from California Institute of Technology.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_race17.a1d18.html

"This Humvee is car and driver" (Wired, 2/8/04)
Focus on another entry.
http://www.wired.com/news/autotech/0,2554,62333,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_3

"Robotics race through desert gets approval" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 2/18/2004)
"Federal officials OK the competition, but set guidelines to protect endangered turtles."
http://www.pe.com/localnews/desertpass/stories/PE_News_Local_grand19.a0b03.html

"Environmental Assessment for the DARPA Grand Challenge" (BLM California Web site)"
http://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow/darpa/

"DARPA Grand Challenge" (BLM California Issue Update)
(Note: the Issue Update Database is hosted on the Department of Interior's secure Web server - see note under "Selected Upcoming Events" below):
https://doi1.ios.doi.gov/newsbytes.nsf/siteurl/30101626?OpenDocument

NOT FOR EDUCATORS ONLY:

WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Mule deer
Young mule deer - fawns - start life with a spotted coat. At about what age does the coat turn to the adult's tan color?
(a) One month;
(b) Four months;
(c) One year;
(d) Two years;
(e) Three years.
(See answer near the end of this issue of News.bytes.)

WHERE IS THIS?
1. Sheephole Valley Wilderness Area
2. Rice Valley Wilderness Area
3. Pahrump Valley Wilderness Area
Take your best guess and check your answer against other readers, in our interactive photo quiz:
http://www6.ca.blm.gov/forms/polls/issue145/wa/index.php

CACHE CREEK HIKES IN SEARCH OF BALD EAGLES
Since January 17 this year, BLM staff and volunteers have taken groups of eager birdwatchers into BLM's Cache Creek Natural Area in search of bald eagles. Visitors have also been treated to vistas of Cache Creek canyons and sightings of golden eagles and free-roaming Tule elk.
February 21 will be the final eagle hike of the season -- but the Ukiah Field Office will be offering free guided hikes in the spring to view the abundant wildflowers of the area. For more information, contact the BLM Ukiah Field Office at 707-468-4000. In the meantime, see some photos from a recent hike.

MINING AND MINERALS ISSUES ON PUBLIC LANDS

"States receive more than $1 billion from share of federal mineral revenues" (Department of the Interior news release, 02/17/2004)
Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton announced that 36 states received more than $1 billion during 2003 as part of their share of federal revenues collected by the department's Minerals Management Service. California received more than $25.3 million.
http://www.doi.gov/news/040217a

"Boxer Bill May Slow Down Mining" (The Santa Clarita Signal, 02/12/2004)
"In December, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer announced that she will introduce legislation that would scale back a massive mining project in Soledad Canyon." Last week, she introduced "Senate Bill 2058, a companion legislation to U.S. Rep. Howard P. 'Buck' McKeon's, that would cancel certain leases from the Bureau of Land Management that authorize the extraction of sand and gravel in Soledad Canyon."
http://www.the-signal.com/News/ViewStory.asp?storyID=4126

"Mining may no longer be king of the mountain" (High Country News, 02/16/2004)
"Court ruling gives land managers power to say 'no' to mining companies." (Mentions possible impact on proposed Glamis mine in southern California.)
http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=14557

"Bill Aims to Ban Oil Drilling in Los Padres" (Los Angeles Times, 2/19/2004)
"The distant battles between wilderness advocates and the oil and gas industry have, until now, played out across a handful of Rocky Mountain states. But a Bush administration plan to allow oil drilling in proposed wilderness areas in the Los Padres National Forest near here has brought that fight to Southern California." Proposed legislation would prevent new oil leases - which would be administered by BLM.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-mevn-drilling19feb19,1,4039249.story

HEADLINES AND HIGHLIGHTS

"Bike rider, 11, survives 40-foot plunge into unfenced mine shaft" (Los Angeles Daily News, 02/16/2004)
"According to Bureau of Land Management research, more than 47,000 abandoned mine shafts -- remnants of the 1849 gold rush -- remain in California. Many of them are in popular off-road recreation areas. 'We knew there were some old mine shafts, but most of them have barbed wire around them,' [the boy's father] said. 'But when you're riding, it's kind of a follow-the-leader thing'."
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20954%257E1960431,00.html

Related: "BLM California abandoned mine land activity" (BLM California Web site)
BLM California, from mid-2000, has been conducting watershed-based projects to identify abandoned mine sites with environmental and/or safety issues.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/pa/aml/

"63 off-road drivers get tickets" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 02/16/2004)
"Authorities issued 63 citations Sunday morning as part of a crackdown on off-road vehicles on private property...Off-road enthusiasts can contact the Bureau of Land Management or check online at www.blm.gov for maps of areas where off-road riding is allowed."
http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_roffroad16.a0499.html

"Moroccan locale offers more than just deserts" (Reuters at Yahoo! News, 02/18/2004)
Filming desert movie scenes: "'Hidalgo' filmmakers did supplement their Moroccan footage with some scenes shot in California's deserts at locations like Dumont Dunes. But there they ran into a modern-day problem they didn't have to face in Morocco -- dune buggies."
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040218/film_nm/film_morocco_dc

"Central Coast rancher pleads innocent to animal cruelty charges" (Associated Press in San Francisco Chronicle, 02/13/2004)
"Last April, residents complained to county officials that wild horses were seriously undernourished....Authorities checked on the animals and two ranch raids led to removal of 167 horses." The rancher "purchased most of the mustangs from the Western Shoshone Indians in Nevada early last year for $1 each. About 250 of the 500 horses came from a federal Bureau of Land Management roundup."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/02/13/state1028EST0057.DTL

"Fort Irwin expansion delayed again" (Barstow Desert Dispatch, 02/17/2004)
"The release of an environmental document required for the Fort Irwin expansion has again been pushed back. The draft environmental impact statement could be released next month, with public hearings to follow in April...." Official says document is working its way through the Department of the Army. Expansion talks have included BLM.
http://www.desertdispatch.com/cgi-bin/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1077028853,82841,

"BLM California vacancy announcements"
This list is in PDF format - Adobe Acrobat Reader is required:
Jobs Feb. 2004

Related: "USAJOBS - Bureau of Land Management Search"
Search for BLM jobs nationwide.
http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/a9blm.asp