Extension requested for withdrawal of land for Base expansion

[magicgroove]

The BLM is asking for essentially an extension of the land withdrawal
originally approved in 2008. This is the land that's under
consideration for the MCAGCC expansion. Apparently they need a little
more time for the environmental review. The draft enviro document was
originally scheduled for fall 2010; that date is now moved to January
2011.

The application for withdrawal of the land is subject to public
review. Comment period ends December 13. Details below in story from
the Lucerne Valley Leader.

http://www.lucernevalleyleader.com/node/491

BLM seeks to extend 332,000-acre withdrawal
Tue, 09/21/2010 - 15:58 — admin
By KRIS REILLY, Editor

LUCERNE VALLEY • The Bureau of Land Management last week announced its
intention to block settlement, sale or mining claims on 332,000 acres
of public land for the next five years while the Marine Corps examines
a plan to expand its Twentynine Palms base.

The land, which includes a large portion of the Johnson Valley Off-
Highway Vehicle Area, had already been withdrawn from settlement, sale
and mining claims by the Secretary of the Interior in 2008, when the
Marines began formally considering the expansion of their Air Ground
Combat Center at Twentynine Palms.

BLM Needles Office Field Manager Rusty Lee said the BLM is simply
extending the Secretary of the Interior’s decision for five more years
while the Marines complete their environmental studies and wait for
approval from Congress.

“Time is running out on that original two-year decision,” Lee said.
“Now we have to go through a more formal process to extend it.”

Lee said the environmental studies may be taking longer than expected,
but not drastically so. The five-year extension allows time for the
Marines to complete their studies and for Congress to come to a
decision, he said.

“It’s an intensive process,” Lee said. “Everyone understood that this
was going to be quite a few years.”

A draft environmental impact statement is expected in January 2011,
and a public comment period will follow. According to its original
timeline, the Marine Corps plans to submit its final proposal to
Congress by the fall of 2011. From there, it’s unclear how long it
will take for Congress to reach a decision.

“Congress is on its own schedule,” Lee said.

Johnson Valley OHV area will remain open for use until federal
legislators make their final decision. The base expansion could
permanently close a large portion of the country’s largest OHV area,
located east of Lucerne Valley. Another portion would likely be
designated for joint use, leaving it open to off-roaders for about 10
months out of the year.

A 90-day comment period on the five-year extension of the land
withdrawal closes Dec. 13. Comments can be sent to Roxie Trost, BLM
Barstow Office Field Manager, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA, 92311.
Visit http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/fed_reg_archives.html to view a
notice of the proposed withdrawal.