Friday, March 2, 2018

PUBLIC COMMENTS: Save the California Desert DUE 3/22/08


The Trump administration wants to undo protections for 4.2 million acres of public lands in the California desert. Public comments are due before midnight on March 22, 2018. Please send your comments by email to BLM_CA_DRECP@blm.gov. Consider making a copy of your comments and also sending them to your members of Congress.

WHAT TO SAY:

I oppose the re-opening of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP).

** IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF CALIFORNIA, please so indicate.

- The land at issue is the most intact wildlife habitat in the lower 48 state. It is critically important to keep this land protected, as laid out in the DRECP and as agreed to just 18 months ago by the federal agencies, the state of California, tribes, conservation groups, recreational groups and renewable energy developers.

- The DRECP is a carefully balanced plan which ensures continued protected of important habitat for wildlife while ensuring energy development on public land. 

- This unique desert landscape which is the subject of the DRECP is easily damaged and slow to heal. This was taken into account through eight years of intensive data collection and scientific studies as well as hundreds of public meetings and tens of thousands of public comments. All of these were ultimately considered and became the DRECP which has never been challenged in court. This is almost unheard of. 

- Reopening the plan would waste taxpayers money. The plan was just agreed upon less than 18 months ago and there have been no challenges to the plan. 

SIGN AND SHARE:

Center for Biological Diversity

Wilderness Society

CalWild

Defenders of Wildlife

California Desert National Conservation Lands

NRDC

Pew Trusts

NPCA