Forum membership has its advantages....

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Paige" data-source="post: 1668" data-attributes="member: 38">AMERICAN SAND ASSOCIATION, CALIFORNIA OFF-ROAD VEHICLE ASSOCIATION, AND AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE  ASSOCIATION FILE SUIT AGAINST BLM DEMANDING THAT IMPERIAL SAND DUNE CLOSURES BE LIFTED    San Diego — On May 17, 2001, the American Sand Association (“ASA”), the California Off-Road Vehicle Association (“CORVA”), and the American Motorcycle Association District 37 (“AMA”), filed suit against the Department of the Interior (“DOI”), Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton, and the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”), seeking a court order to reopen the Imperial Sand Dunes to off-highway vehicle (“OHV”) use.    In November 2000, BLM settled a lawsuit that had been brought against it by the Center for Biological Diversity for alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act.  As part of that settlement, BLM agreed to close large areas of the Imperial Sand Dunes to the OHVs — even though the current California Desert Conservation Plan and the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Management Plan designate these areas as “open” for OHV activities.    In their lawsuit, ASA, CORVA, and AMA challenge the dunes closures, alleging that BLM implemented the closures without conducting the environmental review and “public participation” processes required by the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (“FLPMA”).  According to the complaint filed in the United States District Court, Southern District of California, BLM was not authorized to close the dunes without first evaluating the environmental impacts of the closure and without seeking input from public as to whether the closures were (1) necessary to protect threatened and endangered species, and (2) consistent with the “multiple use” mandates of the FLPMA.  The suit further alleges that BLM, by implementing the dune closures without conducting the necessary environmental review and public participation processes, illegally stripped the public of its legal right to help shape land use policy in the California Desert.    In their prayer for relief, ASA, CORVA, and AMA have asked the Court for an order lifting the dune closures and removal of all closure signage until such time as BLM complies with the procedural and substantive requirements of NEPA and the FLPMA.CORVA, AMA, SDORC et.al should be commended for all their hard work in the dez!This is just the beginning - the counter offensive has begun!Paige <img src="http://www.race-dezert.com/cgi-bin/wwwthreads/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></blockquote>

Verification