BLM California Desert District to host Advisory Council meeting in August
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management will host an in-person public meeting of the BLM California Desert District Advisory Council on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 9 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. at the Springhill Suites located at 113 Sydnor Ave., in Ridgecrest. The meeting is open to the public with a public comment period scheduled at 1:45 p.m. The BLM will also host a field tour on Friday, Aug. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and visit the Coso Geothermal Plant, located at the Navy Air Weapons Station-China Lake, the Olancha Fire Station and Fossil Falls Campground.
The Desert Advisory Council meeting will include presentations on the JB Eastern Slope Mitigation Project Durability Agreement, the Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape and the Wild Horse and Burro Program/the Ridgecrest Regional Wild Horse and Burro Corrals. The five field offices and fire program will also report on their activities. The public can review the meeting agenda here and the field trip itinerary here.
The meeting will include a virtual option via Zoom and meeting participants must register in advance to attend. Upon registering, participants will receive an email including the meeting link and dial-in numbers. The public will have the opportunity to address the Desert Advisory Council during the public comment period and time for individual comments may be limited due to the number of persons wishing to speak. Written comments may also be emailed in advance of the meeting to mvanderlinden@blm.gov and will be recorded in the meeting minutes.
Members of the public are welcome on the field tour, but must provide their own transportation, meals and water. Due to a portion of the tour taking place on a military installation, RSVPs are mandatory, limited to US citizens only and RSVPs will be capped at 20 participants. To attend the field tour, RSVP by Aug 14 to Michelle Van Der Linden at mvanderlinden@blm.gov. The first 20 RSVPs received will receive an email confirmation of attendance.
Advisory councils, such as the Desert Advisory Council, provide advice and recommendations for BLM consideration on resource and land-management issues within the agency. These citizen-based councils consist of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities who assist in the development of committee recommendations that address public land management issues. The California Desert District is accepting nominations through August 18 for seven positions, which will be open once terms expire in January 2024.
For questions regarding the Desert Advisory Council meeting, contact California Desert District Public Affairs Officer Michelle Van Der Linden, at mvanderlinden@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.