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A publication of Bureau of Land Management in California
Issue 358 - 11/19/08
THIS WEEK IN NEWS.BYTES:
- Renewable energy
- Not for educators only:
- Wildlife trivia question of the week
- Wildlife caught on camera
- Wild horses and burros
- Wildfires
- Headlines and highlights: California coast project, drone crash, jobs
- Law enforcement issues: Artifact thefts, alien smuggling
- Employee profile
- Selected upcoming events
Also see this issue of News.bytes online at:
http://www.blm.gov/ca/news/newsbytes/2008/358.html
RENEWABLE ENERGY
 "Governor Schwarzenegger advances state’s renewable energy development " (State of California news release, 11/17/08)
"Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed Executive Order S-14-08 to streamline California's renewable energy project approval process and increase the state's Renewable Energy Standard to 33 percent renewable power by 2020." Also, The Bureau of Land Management joined The California Energy Commission, California Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to sign "a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a coordinated approach" to "significantly reduce the time and expense for developing renewable energy on federally-owned California land, including the priority Mojave and Colorado Desert regions."
http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/11073/
 RELATED: "BLM-California State Director Mike Pool's remarks" (News.bytes Extra)
BLM-California State Director Mike Pool signed a memorandum of understanding with other federal agency representatives and California Gov. Schwarzenegger, during an event where the governor also signed his executive order to increase renewable energy in the state.
Includes photos from the event.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2008/358xtra_ca_energy_mou.html
RELATED: Governor's speech and remarks by others attending...
...including BLM-California Director Mike Pool. Video plus transcript.
http://gov.ca.gov/speech/11080/
RELATED: "Executive Order S-14-08" (Governor's office, State of California)
The executive order references the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the BLM and the other agencies.
http://gov.ca.gov/executive-order/11072
"Sixty-mile solar panel corridor proposed" (Palm Springs Desert Sun, 11/16/08)
"Imagine a sea of glass lining the 60-mile stretch of Interstate 10 from the edge of Joshua Tree National Park to Blythe. That's what's being envisioned in a statewide renewable energy plan that identifies sections of Palm Springs, Twentynine Palms and eastern Riverside County as key for California's solar and wind development ... it could propel the Coachella Valley -- already home to geothermal and wind energy -- to the forefront of the state and the nation's renewable resource efforts ... Many of the sites align with an existing map created by the federal Bureau of Land Management that identifies federal land that would be prime for green energy development."
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20081116/NEWS07/811160349
"Regulator breathes life into Sunrise Powerlink" (San Diego Union-Tribune, 11/19/08)
"San Diego Gas & Electric's controversial proposal to build the Sunrise Powerlink got a boost yesterday when a top regulator said it is needed to spur development of solar, wind and geothermal power. California Public Utilities Commission President Michael Peevey said the 1,000-megawatt line would play a “critical role” in meeting the state's renewable-energy goals."
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20081119-9999-1n19sunrise.html
RELATED: "CPUC chairman calls for power line approval" (North County Times-Californian, 11/18/08)
"The chairman of a state regulatory body Tuesday set the stage for allowing San Diego Gas & Electric Co. to build its controversial power line through the southern part of the county, without guaranteeing it will ship green energy over the wires. A decision could come as early as Dec. 18."
http://nctimes.com/articles/2008/11/18/news/sandiego/zb204030c797281f588257505007ac06b.txt
RELATED: "San Diego Gas & Electric Company's Sunrise Powerlink Project" (State of California Public Utilities Commission)
Includes documents related to the Final Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Land Use Plan Amendment jointly prepared by the CPUC and the BLM.
http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/environment/info/aspen/sunrise/toc-feir.htm |
NOT for EDUCATORS ONLY:
thumbnail from a photo by Gerald and Buff Corsi, California Academy of Sciences |
WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION of the WEEK:
What is the best meal for a bobcat?
(a.) small meals eaten often, so it does not get weighed down and can maintain its quickness
(b.) large meals that will last for quite a few days, as each hunt uses up a lot of energy
(c.) one huge meal per month, to help it build up tolerance for long hibernating seasons
(d.) just a bite or two at a time, from prey left behind by other predators
(e.) a hotdog
------> See answer -- and a story about bobcats and other wildlife caught on camera -- near the end of this issue of News.bytes.
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WILD HORSES AND BURROS
 "National wild horse and burro newsletter" (Fall 2008)
Rocky: "We were only going for fun, to support a fellow mustang volunteer who put the entire event together, and, of course to support the mustangs and wild burros.We figured we could talk to potential adopters about mustangs and enjoy the festivities. To that end, we made the 2½ hour drive in our car. No truck, no trailer; safer that way. We do not need another horse ... Sometimes the universe has a different plan."
Also in this issue: "Little Equine Festival" ... "Peanut, the BLM Burro" ... "Lydia" ... "Tuxedo Tiger" ... "A Tale of Mustang Love."
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/wild_horse_and_burro/news/fall_08_newsletter.html
 "Retirement ranch planned for wild horses" (Washington Post, 11/19/08)
"Madeleine Pickens, the wife of billionaire T. Boone Pickens, who this week offered to rescue more than 30,000 wild horses kept in federal holding pens, said yesterday that she wants to create a permanent retirement ranch for the horses and burros that could be open to the public. A key to her plan, she said, is federal tax credits to help attract donors. "
Note: this news site may require free registration to view this content online.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/18/AR2008111803659.html
RELATED: "Offers on table to avoid killing thousands of wild horses held in federal facilities" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 11/18/08)
"Madeleine Pickens, wife of Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens, has offered to find homes for an estimated 30,800 captive wild horses and burros ... a U.S. Bureau of Land Management official revealed Monday at a meeting in Reno. The proposal to euthanize or sell 'without restriction' more than 10,000 captive animals was on the table at Monday's meeting of federal officials and a wild horse advisory committee. But the extreme measures took a back seat, and it was clear that even the federal agency -- that last year spent $21 million feeding and caring for captive horses and burros -- has little appetite for killing the animals."
Note: this news site may require free registration to view this content online.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/environment/stories/PE_News_Local_S_mustangs18.413d2e8.html
RELATED: "Pickens' wife proposes way to save wild horses" (Associated Press, 11/18/08)
"The wife of Texas oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens said Tuesday she'll create a refuge for wild horses, after the federal agency that manages the animals said it may have to kill some to control the herds and protect the Western range ... Those horses that are too old or are unadoptable by the public are sent to long-term holding facilities ... the costs of keeping animals in the holding facilities has caused officials to consider euthanasia as a last-resort ... BLM spokesman Tom Gorey said the agency welcomes the offer. 'Right now we couldn't be more pleased with her interest, and we hope that materializes so that we can get many of these horses out of holding,' he said."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hIjpsbTDr66W6zCTZDdDOFTYVVbAD94HJPT80 |
WILDFIRES
"California fire season now year-round in era of 'mega' blazes" (Bloomberg.com, 11/18/08)
"California's fire season used to start in August and end by Christmas. Now it lasts year-round, and the number of blazes across the state may double this year. Drought, heat, electrical storms and 60-year-old forest- management policies have all contributed to a threat of fire that exists every moment for residents of the most populous U.S. state. Firefighters are currently battling three wind-whipped blazes that have burned hundreds of homes near Los Angeles."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a8pdA6Wy9FOA
RELATED: "Fire information - National fire news" (National Interagency Fire Center)
Nov. 19, 2008: "Weather conditions continue to help firefighters in southern California. The Freeway and Sayre Fires continue to burn with less activity. Evacuation orders were lifted for residences affected by the Sayre Fire."
http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/nfn.htm |
HEADLINES and HIGHLIGHTS
"National Geographic project unveiled" (Crescent City Daily Triplicate, 11/11/08)
"It won't be just another tourist map. This one will carry the National Geographic seal of approval. Community leaders learned Monday morning of plans to produce a "Geotourism MapGuide" of the Northern California Coast, stretching from Del Norte to Marin County ... Starting in January, ... residents will be asked to attend forums or go on-line to nominate local features -- manmade, historical or natural -- that they think should be included in the guide ... The BLM is funding the project along with the California Ocean Protection Council."
http://www.triplicate.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=10801
 RELATED: "California Coastal National Monument" (BLM-California)
Located off the 1,100 miles of the California coastline, the California Coastal National Monument is comprised of more than 20,000 BLM administered small islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and pinnacles. The Monument includes those public lands that are exposed above mean high tide, within the corridor extending 12 nautical miles from the shoreline between Mexico and Oregon.
http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/content/ca/en/prog/blm_special_areas/nm/ccnm.html
 "Veterans Day 2008 observed at Patton Museum" (BLM-California News.bytes)
The General Patton Memorial Museum, at Chiriaco Summit in Riverside County, celebrated Veteran's Day 2008 with numerous observances. Along with featured speakers, music by the U.S. Navy Band Southwest, and a tribute to Native American code talkers, BLM-California's Palm Springs-South Coast Field Manager John Kalish and Museum Director Margit Chiriaco Rushe presented the General Patton Memorial Museum Founders Award.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2008/358xtra_veteransday08.html
"No one claims drone that crashed near El Mirage Dry Lake" (Victorville Daily Press, 11/18/08)
"One of the many flying contraptions that buzz above the desert crashed Monday morning near El Mirage Dry Lake. But details about the crash remain a mystery. No one will claim responsibility for what local officials said was an ultralight drone. It's not clear why the device crashed or what purpose it served before its demise ... No one was injured in Monday's crash..."
Note: this news site may require free registration to view this content online.
http://www.sbsun.com/search/ci_11018510
 RELATED: "Unmanned aircraft crashes in dry lake bed" (Victorville Daily Press, 1/17/08)
"An unmanned aerial vehicle went down Monday morning at El Mirage Dry Lake, said a spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management. Residents living at the edge of the dry lake bed reported hearing the engine of the aircraft begin to sputter and saw it crash, narrowly missing a couple of homes."
http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/mirage_9532___article.html/aircraft_unmanned.html
RELATED: "El Mirage Dry Lake Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area" (BLM-California, Barstow Field Office)
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/mirage.html
JOBS
"Current job openings - BLM California" (USAJOBS website)
Current openings include range technician (fire dispatcher), fire lookout and hotshot wildland firefighter.
http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/a9blm-ca.asp |
LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES
"Folsom pair pleads not guilty in artifact-theft case" (Sacramento Bee, 11/13/08)
"A Folsom father and son pleaded not guilty Thursday to allegedly removing archeological artifacts from public lands." The pair "allegedly unlawfully collected archaeological items that were at least 100 years old and had archaeological interest including Native American projectile points, stone tools, bifaces and flaked or ground stone from Nevada ... The two men face a potential prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to $850,000..."
Note: this news site may require free registration to view this content online.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/crime/archives/017016.html
"Main target held in alien smuggling" (Imperial Valley Press, 11/13/08)
"Federal authorities arrested a “major principal target” in an investigation into one of the Imperial Valley’s biggest alien-smuggling organizations Wednesday, a federal law enforcement official said ... The arrests were the result of an investigation by a task force called Border Enforcement Security Team that is headed by ICE agents and is made up of officers from Border Patrol, FBI, Bureau of Land Management and the Imperial Police Department."
Note: this news site may require free registration to view this content online.
http://ivpressonline.com/articles/2008/11/14/local_news/news05.txt
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 EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Leisyka (Lee) Parrott...
...says "my degree was in natural resources and I have known for a long time this is exactly where I want to be." She has been in BLM's Surprise Field Office for seven years. As a biological technician, she has been involved with a variety of projects, from environmental work for hazardous fuels reduction, to helping a local high school build a greenhouse to help grow plants for fire restoration. Read More:
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/employee_profiles/leisyka_parrot.html |
WILDLIFE TRIVIA answer and related websites
(b.) large meals that will last for quite a few days, as each hunt uses up a lot of energy
SOURCE: "Bobcat - Lynx rufus" (BLM-California wildlife database)
Hunting uses up a lot of energy, so the best meals for bobcats are large meals that will last for quite a few days. If food is scarce bobcats have the ability of going several days without food.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/forms/wildlife/details.php?metode=serial_number&search=2416
Bobcat caught on camera:
 "Big Brother is watching, even in Northern California wilds" (San Francisco Chronicle, 11/15/08)
"In one scene, a small bobcat crouched on a one-inch perch, appearing to gather the courage for a 10-foot leap over a stream to an equally tiny landing spot. In another, a large mountain lion crept along a creek, searching for a way across without getting wet. Then there was the phantom creature that snuck right behind the wildlife biologist and his camera, then disappeared - but only for a moment ... A 'critter cam,' also known as a 'trail cam,' can unveil the wildlife secrets of forests, streams and lakes ... They are like having hidden eye-witnesses in the wilderness."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/15/SPGB14428C.DTL
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News.bytes published by
Bureau of Land Management
California State Office
2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1834
Sacramento, Ca 95825
(916) 978-4600
http://www.blm.gov/ca/
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