http://www.ivpressonline.com/articles/2003...news/news03.txt
[quote]By LAURA MITCHELL, Staff Writer

Thursday, July 31, 2003 2:24 PM PDT

Environmentalists are outraged over what appears to be an attempt by U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, to exclude them from a congressional hearing on the Imperial Sand Dunes on Aug. 18 in San Diego.

A hearing invitation is posted on the Internet at a site for the Alliance for America, an alliance of farmers, loggers, ranchers and miners.

The invitation lists speakers from the off-road community, county supervisors from Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial counties and representatives from mining, ranching and the film industry.

"All input for this hearing must be submitted through the respective panel leaders," the invitation states.

Center for Biological Diversity California Director Peter Galvin said Pombo is notorious for his anti-environmental rhetoric.

"Mr. Pombo has no intention of gathering any facts. This hearing is just a dog and pony show for the off-road industry," Galvin said.

Pombo is chairman of the House Resources Committee. The invitation states he is committed to reform the Endangered Species Act.

Pombo is on vacation. His spokesman, Doug Heye, said the hearing has not yet been formally scheduled. Anyone can attend the hearing and submit written comments but time constraints will not allow everyone to speak, Heye said.

Desert Protective Council conservation coordinator Terry Weiner said the offer to submit written comments is not good enough.

The format of the hearing has off-road and business people sitting on panels. This gives them a position of importance over people in the audience who are not even allowed to speak, Weiner said. Elected officials who will be at the hearing deserve to hear a cross-section of opinions, she said.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management also received an invitation to the hearing signed by Rep. George Radanovich, R-Fresno, chairman of the Natural Resources Committee's subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands. The bureau oversees the Imperial Sand Dunes.

The dunes are in Imperial County Supervisor's Wally Leimgruber's district. Leimgruber, a Republican, has been invited to the hearing as well.

Rep. Bob Filner, the Valley's Democratic congressman, was not invited to the hearing even though the sand dunes are in his district. Filner was not available for a comment.

The meeting is scheduled for the Hubbs Science Center at SeaWorld Adventure Park. The price to enter SeaWorld is $45 for adults.

Heye said he does not know about the cost to get in but the hearing has not been formally scheduled so "everything is up in the air."

>> Staff Writer Laura Mitchell can be reached at lmitchell@ivpressonline.com or 337-3452. [/quote]