Court Actions
In August of 2006, eleven environmental organizations sued the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) claiming the BLM’s designation of an off-highway vehicle route network throughout the WEMO planning area violated the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA). The plantiffs also claimed that the Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report for the West Mojave Plan violated the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
The September 2009 court order upheld most of the WEMO Plan at least through the remand period (March 31, 2014) and found no Endangered Species Act violations. However, the court ruling did fault the methods used to map the over 5,000 miles of off-road routes throughout the WEMO Plan area. The court order did not take issue with any particular routes and did not call for any route closures.
Subsequently, a court
Remedy Order of January 2011,
remanded the 2006 WEMO Plan to the BLM and directed the BLM to prepare a revised OHV route network that complies with the designation criteria in 43 CFR 8341.2 . (Sometimes termed “minimization criteria”).
The BLM is required to provide the court and parties quarterly reports indicating the BLM’s progress in implementing the requirements of the Remedy Order. This webpage is part of that effort.
For questions or comments please contact the California Desert District Office by email at cawemopa@blm.gov or by phone at 951-697-5200.
>