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The California Department of Parks and Recreation ("CDPR") has already given one company a "Right of Entry" permit that includes permission to drill a test well. CDPR has done this without taking ANY public comment. Apparently CDPR is not concerned that if the test well finds a profitable geothermal resource, the BLM will have a harder time denying the lease applications that are already pending on property the BLM owns inside the OWSVRA. It is within the power of CDPR to deny the leasing permits since energy exploration and development is not part of the mission of California State Parks."
"In contrast to CDPR's using the lowest level of environmental review allowed under California law, with absolutely no public participation, the BLM has chosen to do the highest level environmental review under federal law, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), to analyze the affects of approving the pending leases. The BLM must allow extensive public participation in the EIS process, but they are still headed towards approving the leases. The Preferred Alternative in the Draft EIS would approve all leases on all 22 parcels they own inside OWSVRA. Even worse, the BLM has not proposed mitigating the loss of recreation opportunity through replacement or opening new areas to compensate for lands that will be used for the wells, their extensive above ground pipeline systems, and other infrastructure. The BLM seems to think we will still be able to recreate around pipes and power plants. Not only do we leave the cities we live in to ride our bikes, we also love being in a primitive natural environment. Off roaders do not drive drive 2-3 hours from their homes to see and ride around industrial building, pipelines, power lines, etc.
This would never happen in a non-OHV state park.
Well, guess what, families that recreate on OHV's also love the environment and we don't want to see this blight in our park. Ruth Coleman, Director of CDPR, has gone on record stating that energy exploration is not consistent with the mission of state parks. Director Coleman said this while trying to stop a power line from crossing Anza Borrego. We don't understand why it is okay with Director Coleman that Ocotillo Wells not only gets power lines, we get the industrial complex that produces the power spread all across OWSVRA. Why are OHV'ers treated like second class citizens made to share our precious few acres still open for OHV recreation with industrial complexes?
[Published by Cycle News via Sherri Kukla]"In contrast to CDPR's using the lowest level of environmental review allowed under California law, with absolutely no public participation, the BLM has chosen to do the highest level environmental review under federal law, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), to analyze the affects of approving the pending leases. The BLM must allow extensive public participation in the EIS process, but they are still headed towards approving the leases. The Preferred Alternative in the Draft EIS would approve all leases on all 22 parcels they own inside OWSVRA. Even worse, the BLM has not proposed mitigating the loss of recreation opportunity through replacement or opening new areas to compensate for lands that will be used for the wells, their extensive above ground pipeline systems, and other infrastructure. The BLM seems to think we will still be able to recreate around pipes and power plants. Not only do we leave the cities we live in to ride our bikes, we also love being in a primitive natural environment. Off roaders do not drive drive 2-3 hours from their homes to see and ride around industrial building, pipelines, power lines, etc.
This would never happen in a non-OHV state park.
Well, guess what, families that recreate on OHV's also love the environment and we don't want to see this blight in our park. Ruth Coleman, Director of CDPR, has gone on record stating that energy exploration is not consistent with the mission of state parks. Director Coleman said this while trying to stop a power line from crossing Anza Borrego. We don't understand why it is okay with Director Coleman that Ocotillo Wells not only gets power lines, we get the industrial complex that produces the power spread all across OWSVRA. Why are OHV'ers treated like second class citizens made to share our precious few acres still open for OHV recreation with industrial complexes?
So my question here is what steps has CORVA/EcoLogic Partners taken to challenge the Negative Declaration or Categorical Exclusion granted by CDPR under CEQA, if indeed this was the decision to allow exploration? EcoLogic's attorney, Dave Hubbard is allegedly a CEQA expert and for the life of me, I cannot understand if EcoLogic did not challenge the environmental document, why not?