Save johnson valley august 2012 campaign - get involved or shut the hell up!

[kim]

SAVE JOHNSON VALLEY

AUGUST 2012 CAMPAIGN

The U.S. Marine Corps issued their Final Environmental Impact Statement (F.E.I.S.) on July 28, 2012 which identified the taking of 160,000+ acres of Johnson Valley as their preferred alternative to expand the Twenty-Nine Palms Marine base. We have thirty days to respond to this document, after that our voices can only be heard in court. We feel this document is hugely flawed, numerous errors exist within it that have not been properly addressed as well as the basic fact that The Marines have not proven that the “NEED” this expansion, and especially in such trying economic times as these to spend the millions of dollars required to secure the additional land. Not to mention the severe impact on the local economy and our recreational opportunities.
As part of our campaign to fight this takeover of Johnson Valley we are asking all our OHV friends to write to their representatives as well as phone their offices to stress our opposition. Below are ten bullet points that should be discussed in your correspondence as well as some key representatives that need to be contacted. This information is paramount to our campaign in Washington D.C. along with our Lobbyiest, The Livingston Group. With large numbers contacting these representatives The Livingston Group can prove to these legislators that there is support for our cause, without it we are doomed.
These “talking points” should serve as a starting point for your conversation, make them personal, the ones that mean the most to you should be emphasized, you do not need to use them all in every conversation, however I would include them all in emails and fax.
Please take the time to send in emails and make these calls within the next week.

California Motorized Recreation Council

And the

Johnson Valley Off Road Recreation Area

ISSUE: Marine Corps plans to acquire 160,000 acres of BLM land next to Marine Corps Ground Air Combat Center (MCGACC) Twenty Nine Palms eliminates most of the land available under the California Desert Conservation Plan (1980) available for to off highway (OHV) recreation impacting OHV activity and the local and national economy.

· Johnson Valley OHV recreation area is 189,700 acres that develops at least 300,000 visitor days per year and is world renowned as an OHV recreation area..
· Economic impact: BLM estimates $71.5 million annually into the local economy and $191.2 Million into the national economy.
· USMC has a new requirement for MEB level maneuver training and intends to acquire 160,000 acres of this the land from BLM and conduct live fire on all but 40,000 acres – permanently closing access to 120,000 acres.
· Local authorities and State authorities and thousands of citizens are opposed to the transfer of this land.
· USMC is well into the EIS process and could issue a Record of decision as early as this summer.
· Options other than those in the Draft EIS need to be considered:
o Permitted use of land from BLM (like at other BLM sites used for training)
o Other BLM land in the region (not necessarily adjacent).
· More time needed for deliberation and seeking options on both sides and with the State.
o Not urgent since Marines have been deploying to combat for 10 years without this extra range – should have more time to seek a broader solution set.
o Once live fire starts the land is permanently lost. We need to find accommodation for OHV needs and that will require BLM and State officials.
· The US House of Representatives passed an Amendment to the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act that requires, prior to transfer, the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report on the new Marine requirement for this land and on the economic impact and on other potential solutions to the elimination of recreational land.
· In spite of this Congressional interest, the Secretary of the Navy just entered the final Environmental Impact Statement into the Federal Register and can now within a short time announce his “Record of Decision” to acquire this land.
· The intent of the House of Representatives was to slow this down to have a better look at it. The Navy has run roughshod over the House and ignored their intent. The House should be angry. We are.
· Please call the Secretary of the Navy and tell him to stop this provcess until all the stakeholders – including federal legislators – have had their voices heard.
· If the Marines went through 10 years of war without this extra land, it surely could wait a few months until all interests could be accommodated.

• Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) District Director Tevor Daley

Los Angeles 310-914-7300 fax 310-914-7318

• Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA 22) District Director Vince Fong Bakersfield 661-327-3611 fax 661-637-0867

• Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA 25) Deputy COS Bob Haueter Santa Clarita 661-254-2111 fax 661-254-2380

• Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA 41) District Director Rachel Khalili Redlands 909-862-6030 fax 909-335-9155

• Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-CA 45) District Director Marc Troast Palm Desert 760-320-1076 fax 760-320-0596

• Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA 44) District Director Jolyn Murphy Corona 951-784-4300 fax 951-784-5225

• Rep. David Drier (R-CA 26) District Director Mark Harmsen San Dimas 909-575-6226 fax 909-575-6266

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[ONE_RJ]

Thank you for the information Kim.
We all need to get on the phone tomorrow and make our voices heard. Please share this on your facebook page and with your friends, it's that important. We can't rely on somebody else to fight this battle, we the public are loosing and very soon it will be gone . Pick up the phone, send a fax or e-mail , get involved now for the younger generation or like the thread says "Shut the Hell up" when it is gone.

[NIKAL]

I will call every office listed tomorrow.

[gotteracing]

i just wrote a letter and faxed it to all 7 from work. i will call each one later in the day.

[Shoyrtt]

Thanks Kim!

Also as a reminder to everyone, this is not just a Southern California issue. You can contact your representative from any state. The recent action a few months ago in US House of Representatives (mentioned above) passing an Amendment to the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act requiring, prior to transfer, the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report on the new Marine requirements (not one from 10 years ago)and on the economic impact and on other potential solutions to the elimination of recreational land was accomplished by a call from an off-roader to his representative in Virginia.

[ONE_RJ]

BUMP- Come on guys please take a quick break and send a letter or make a call. This effects us all and it is really happening right now, believe it or not. We should see every product company , race team member, orginizer, photographer, spectator, vehicle owner, home owner, business owner, hiker, climber, crawler,squater,sitter, streaker camper,sleeper,creeper 99%er, 54%er sending off a letter, this will effect all of us that are breathing. Do your part, then post a quick "Done" it will make you feel good, I promise!!!

[kim]

I will even provide you with a sample letter - copy, paste, edit whatever you fancy just do it!

My name is Kim Carpenter and I am a native Californian. I am writing to ask Senator Feinstein to oppose the expansion of the 29 Palms Marine Base into Johnson Valley.

My reasons are many but I will just state a few: Twenty Nine Palms expansion eliminates most of the land available under the California Desert Conservation Plan (1980) available for to off highway (OHV) recreation impacting OHV activity and the local and national economy.

I currently live in Hesperia California which is in the High Desert. Our local economies depend on recreational visitors of all sorts whether its off-roading, camping, hiking or rockhounding. The BLM estimates $71.5 million annually would be lost in the local economy and $191.2 Million into the national economy.

Please believe me when I say that I am a huge supporter of our military men and women. I want them to have everything they need to be successful, however, the Secretary of the Navy has yet to prove the vital need for this expansion especially in light of the fact we are winding down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Navy's own Commandant stated that the Marine Corps future training needs would focus on air and sea maneuvers and rely less on ground troops.

I appreciate your time and pray that Senator Feinstein carefully considers this issue as we continue to move forward.

Respectfully,

Kim M. Carpenter
Hesperia CA

[joshbmx1201]

done, been follwing the thread on pirate. will make a call every day this week

[gotteracing]

i sent a hand written letter to each today by fax.called a couple today. refaxing all 7 tomorrow with a different typed letter. i will pass the word in lucerne this sat. and try to follow here on rdc for updates. my worked blocked me today from rdc, pirate, and dezert rangers. so no more forums during work

[NIKAL]

E-mails & letters are good. For me I like phone calls. I like them to hear me and I expect some sort of reply. I also like to get the name of whom I'm speaking too. This way I know someone is hearing me and my concern is not just going into a file or the trash bin, I have always wondered about that.

Also if I dont feel I am being heard, I like to let them know that if what I am requesting does not happen I will support their opponent come the next election. If I dont live in their district I can still start internet campaigns and donate to the opposition. Politicians don't like to be reminded their job is decided by votes.