Cooperation is key to success in Mojave Trails National ... · in Mojave Trails National Monument’s future. September 27, 2017. by Frazier Haney. These small dunes were formed by

14San Diego Mineral & Gem Society, Inc.

Cooperation is key to success in Mojave Trails National Monument’s future

September 27, 2017by Frazier Haney

These small dunes were formed by north winds pushing sands off the Cadiz Dry Lake. The pristine nature of the dunes and the beautiful spring display of unique dune plants have made Cadiz Valley a favorite for photographers. Photographed on February 14, 2014. Photo: Bob Wick, BLM.

VISITING the Gems, Minerals and Jewelry Department at the 2017 San Diego County

Fair and taking a guided field trip to the Marble Mountains fossil beds has given me a clear picture of the amazing resources the Mojave Trails National Monument provides for rockhounds. While the national monument is approaching its second birthday, there will be a unique opportunity to craft how this public land will be managed through interested stakeholders giving input on a management plan for the area, the beginning of which will be officially noticed in the Federal Register.[1] However, the entire process is on hold pending an unprecedented administrative review that may eliminate protection for portions of the national monument, with the aim of making the land available for industrial development.

While public outcry on the administrative review has been overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the national monument intact (2.9 million comments, 99% in support of national monuments), the notable exception is the area’s congressional representative Paul Cook (R-Apple Valley), who sent a detailed private letter to DOI Secretary Zinke asking for the Cadiz Valley to be eliminated from Mojave Trails.[2] The outcome of the review is up in the air – the Department of the Interior has yet to publicly release any final recommendations, leaving the future of the monument subject to a great deal of uncertainty. Mojave Trails could lose a large area in the southern portion of the monument, but there is virtually no chance it will be rescinded entirely. If the

boundary is changed in some way, the entire matter is likely to end up in court, causing further delays in preparing the management plan.

Any land that might end up being removed from the national monument would revert to its previous designation, which is determined by BLM’s land use plan for the area. No additional public input would be gathered on the matter. Additionally, the Desert Advisory Council (DAC), a formal group

of appointed citizens representing a variety of desert land use issues, has been waiting to get back to work on incorporating a subgroup to advise on the management plan, also pending an administrative review process. While these reviews and delays have frustrated stakeholders and caused a great deal of confusion, I want to take this moment to reach out from my position as the Conservation Director

1.) https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/land-management-bureau or short URL: https://goo.gl/qQDzTi.2.) https://www.scribd.com/document/357283116/Cook-Correspondence-With-Zinke-FOIA or short URL:

https://goo.gl/f8SsPn (the relevant letter in the series is dated June 8, 2017).

The Pegmatite – October 2017 Page

Cadiz

Kelso

Goffs

Amboy

Crucero

Essex

Bagdad

Afton

DavisDam

Cima

Chubbuck

KELSO

DUNES

WILDERNESS

RASOR OHV AREA

BRISTOL

MOUNTAINS WILDERNESSRODMAN

MOUNTAINSWILDERNESS

TRILOBITE

WILDERNESS

CLIPPERMOUNTAIN

WILDERNESS

PIUTE

MOUNTAINS

WILDERNESS

BIGELOW CHOLLA GARDENWILDERNESS

DEAD MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS

CHEMEHUEVIMOUNTAINSWILDERNESS

Havasu National Wildlife Refuge

CADY MOUNTAINS

WILDERNESS

STUDY AREA

Havasu National Wildlife Refuge

STEPLADDERMOUNTAINSWILDERNESS

TURTLE

MOUNTAINS

WILDERNESSWHIPPLE

MOUNTAINSWILDERNESS

PALEN/MCCOY

WILDERNESS

PINTO MOUNTAINSWILDERNESS

CLEGHORNLAKES

WILDERNESS

BIGHORN

MOUNTAIN

WILDERNESS

SAN

GORGONIO

WILDERNESS

SHEEPHOLE

VALLEY

WILDERNESS

CADIZ DUNES

WILDERNESS

OLD WOMAN

MOUNTAINS

WILDERNESS

MOUNTNUTT

WILDERNESS

WARM

SPRINGS

WILDERNESS

JOSHUA TREE

NATIONAL PARK

JOSHUA TREE

NATIONAL PARK

LAKE MEAD

NAT REC AREA

MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE

Mohave Valley

Big River

Needles

YuccaValley

Rice

Ludlow

Topock

JoshuaTree

VidalJunction

Bullhead City

Fenner

Essex

Amboy Chambless

Goffs

Twentynine Palms

Willow Valley

Morongo Valley

Vidal

Laughlin

LakeHavasu

LakeHavasu

Goffs

Ro

adCrucero Road

Cadiz Road

Mojave

Road

Mojave Road

Cadiz Road

Amboy Roa

dKelb

aker Road

Essex Rd

Wat

er

Road

40

40

40

15

62

6262

247

68

62

95

163

177

95

95

95

66HISTORIC

66HISTORIC

66HISTORIC

California

Mojave TrailsNational Monument

LegendVisitor CenterCampgroundDay Use SiteHistoric SiteScenic GeologyTrailheadWayside ExhibitWatchable Wildlife

Paved Road

Unpaved Road

National MonumentWilderness Area/ Wilderness Study AreaOther Federal Designation

Balancing Rock

CampEssex

MarbleMountains

NeedlesBLM Field Office

CampClipper

Camp Granite

Ragtown HistoricMining Area

NorthDunes

BonanzaSpring

Historic Route 66California Gateway

Snaggletooth

GoffsSchoolhouse

SheepholeMountain

Afton CanyonNatural Area

SouthDunes

CampIbis

Camp Iron Mountain

Pisgah CraterLava Flow

Amboy CraterNational Natural

Landmark

ARIZO

NA

CA

LIFORN

IA

CA

LIFO

RNIA

ARI

ZON

A

NEVADA

CALIFORNIA

Colora

do River

Street Legal Vehicles Only on MojaveRoad within Mojave National Preserve

N o r t h

0 2010Miles

No warranty is made by the BLM as to the accuracy,reliability, or completeness of these data for use or

for purposes not intended by BLM.

To BarstowBLM Field Office25 Miles

Fishel(proposed nuclear waste dump site)

DRECP proposed land exchange(2015 - pre-monument)

solarstudyareas

solarstudyareas

Proposed Cadiz water project (34 wells and 43-mile pipeline)

Bolo Rail Cycle Dump (1998)

Ward Valley nuclear waste dump proposal (2001)

15San Diego Mineral & Gem Society, Inc.

Mojave Trails National Monument is surrounded by wilderness areas, with the Mojave National Preserve to the north, the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base and Joshua Tree National Park to the south (west and east, respectively). The monument provides a buffer in the region, protecting surrounding wildlands and unique geological and culturally significant landscapes within its boundaries. To-gether, they provide contiguous natural viewscapes and habitat for threatened and endangered species. The area that is now a monu-ment was (and still is) targeted for a variety of projects that would irrevocably change this unique, largely unspoiled region. Some of the proposed uses are overlayed on the monument map above. Source: BLM; annotations: L. Thoresen.

at the Mojave Desert Land Trust to encourage cooperation and dialogue regarding the future of Mojave Trails National Monument.

Creation of the Mojave Trails National Monument east of Barstow, California was the work of many years. In 2009, it was clearer than ever that public land in the California desert was continuously under threat from private development interests. The Bolo Rail-Cycle dump, the Ward Valley nuclear waste dump, and a long list of industrial energy projects are good examples of previous proposals in Mojave

Trails which would develop large areas of public lands in a way that would eliminate public use. Impacts would be felt equally by all users – off-road vehicle enthusiasts, hikers, rockhounds, campers, and other explorers. In the face of this kind of industrial development, it is in the common interest of all users of public lands to work to keep them intact and open. The national monument designation does just that, while shrinking the boundary would leave excluded lands back on the chopping block. The real promise for protecting public access and balancing uses is through developing a management plan for the existing protected area.

The Pegmatite – October 2017 Page

16San Diego Mineral & Gem Society, Inc.

3.) http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0507-rockhounds-20160507-story.html or short URL: https://goo.gl/B6MEJ6.

4.) See Senator Feinstein’s letter in support of rockhounds to then-Secretary Sally Jewell, available online at: http://www.sdmg.org/calnatmonuments/Feinstein_to_Jewell_support_rockhounding_CalNatMonuments_20160512.pdf or short URL: https://goo.gl/bnEn5j.

5.) http://www.hi-desertrockhounds.org/news/mojavetrailsnationalmonumentisopen or short URL: https://goo.gl/vvtPdi.

Two uses that will need particular attention once a management plan is formally in development are Rockhounding and vehicle routes. There was great consternation at the time Mojave Trails was created that it would eliminate the ability to collect the variety of gem minerals found in the national monument, or would close roads used to access these collecting areas.[3] While both uses are controlled by numerous policies already in place before the national monument was created (e.g., WEMO), members of the conservation community involved in the creation of Mojave Trails, as well as elected officials and agencies, are deeply committed to making sure these recreational uses are not lost because of the national monument designation, consistent with the intent behind the original legislation, not least among them Senator Dianne Feinstein, who has publicly defended rockhounding since the national monument’s designation.[4] Interim guidance has been provided which leaves the uses in place status quo until the management plan can be completed.[5]

Despite the uncertainty and pending threat to Mojave Trails from the administrative review, attention should continue to focus on the future management of the area. It is expected DAC

meetings will resume next year and progress can be made incorporating a specific advisory subgroup. Kyle Sullivan has been hired as the national monument manager and is in the process of collecting information for the plan and guiding many of the day to day operations of the area. Everything is prepared for a thorough public process to unfold, but success will depend on the willingness of all stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue and compromise. Changing the boundaries of the national monument will only lead to more delay and more division.

Please stay tuned for news on Mojave Trails National Monument and its future, and email me with inquiries – [email protected]

Frazier Haney joined the Desert Advisory Council in 2017 in the Environmental Protection position with the intent of serving while the Mojave Trails National Monument management plan is being developed. He works as the Conservation Director at the Joshua Tree based Mojave Desert Land Trust, and is an avid desert explorer and camper. He grew up in the California desert, and has a healthy collection of gems and stones at his home in Joshua Tree.

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The Pegmatite – October 2017 Page