BLM Schedules Meetings to Address West Mojave Desert Routes of Travel Designation

Posted on January 21, 2012

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has scheduled eight open-house public scoping meetings to gather public comments and recommendations on the preparation of environmental assessments for eight travel management areas (TMAs) within the West Mojave Planning Area.

Area residents and interested members of the public encouraged to attend. The BLM will solicit public input relative to local area knowledge, issues and opportunities, including changes to route access.

Barstow meetings: Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311

Thursday, Jan. 26. TMA 3: Juniper, Rattlesnake, Morongo, Wonder Valley and Joshua Tree signing sub-regions
Thursday, Feb. 9. TMA 5: WEMO North Barstow Desert Wildlife Management Area signing sub-regions north of I-15 and SR 58
Tuesday, Feb. 14. TMA 6: El Mirage (including Edwards Bowl area), Fremont, and Iron Mountains signing sub-regions south of SR 58
Tuesday, Feb. 21. TMA 8: Lands adjacent to Stoddard and Johnson OHV Areas, and other signing sub-regions south of I-40 and north of SR 247 including east of Interstate I-15

Ridgecrest meetings: Kerr-McGee Bldg, 100 West California Ave, Ridgecrest, CA 93555.

Wednesday, Jan. 18. TMA 2: Sierras, Darwin, and North and South Searles signing sub-regions
Monday, Feb. 6. TMA 4: Jawbone, Middle Knob and Lancaster signing sub-regions
Thursday, Feb. 16. TMA 7: Ridgecrest, El Paso, Rands and Red Mtn signing sub-regions

All scoping meetings are from 4 to 7 p.m. and include a presentation and an open-house opportunity to review maps and provide route-specific and location-specific comments to the BLM. The public is encouraged to attend the travel management plan meetings to assure that comments are accurately captured, including location, route or site identification, specific issues, and rationale. You may also provide written comments.

The areas addressed in each of the eight travel management meetings are identified on the attached map. Your scoping information will be used to compile travel management area information and develop preliminary route network alternatives for the West Mojave planning area.

Preliminary alternatives will be posted for review and public comment after scoping for specific areas are completed. Additional public meetings will be held by the Desert Advisory Council Subgroup currently being formed for the West Mojave Route Network. The public will have the opportunity to participate in these subgroup meetings.

The BLM will consider public comments, as feasible, until the BLM proposed Travel Management Plans are published. For more information or to submit a comment contact: Edy Seehafer, West Mojave Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311, by email at cawemopa@blm.gov, or by phone at (760) 252-6021. Additional information is also posted at the West Mojave Amendment Website at: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd/west_mojave__wemo.html. Please respond by Apr. 15, 2012 with scoping comments and/or to be added to the mailing list.