A publication of Bureau of Land Management in California
Issue 395 - 8/12/09
THIS WEEK IN NEWS.BYTES:
- Bob Abbey confirmed as Director Of Bureau of Land Management
- Wilma Lewis confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management
- Youth and BLM
- Wildfires and Prevention
- Our Readers Write
- Marijuana on Public Lands
- Headlines and Highlights
Also see this issue of News.bytes online at:
http://www.blm.gov/ca/news/newsbytes/2009/395.html
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BOB ABBEY CONFIRMED AS DIRECTOR OF BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
 "Secretary Salazar Lauds Senate's Confirmation of Bob Abbey for Director of the Bureau of Land Management" (BLM News Release, 8/7/09)
"Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today praised the Senate?s confirmation of Bob Abbey, a veteran public land policy leader and chief architect of the Great Basin Restoration Initiative, as Director of the Bureau of Land Management. 'Bob has more than 32 years of experience working with states and federal land management agencies,' Secretary Salazar said. 'He has a proven record of strong leadership and accomplishments and will be an outstanding Director of the Bureau of Land Management.'"
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2009/august/bobabbey.html
"Reno's Bob Abbey talks about his goals as new director of the BLM" (Reno Gazette Journal, 8/7/09)
"Bob Abbey, a 13-year resident of Reno with more than 30 years of experience in public land issues, was confirmed Friday by the Senate as the new director of the Bureau of Land Management. Abbey, who served eight years as the BLM's Nevada state director, is a big proponent of renewable energy and hopes to help Nevada and other western states become major sources of solar, wind and geothermal power."
http://www.rgj.com/article/20090807/NEWS/90807030/1321/news
"Abbey confirmed as BLM director" (San Jose Mercury News, 8/7/09)
"A former state director of the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada, who worked to cool rhetoric and build partnerships for managing public lands, was confirmed Friday as national director of the agency. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar praised the U.S. Senate confirmation of Bob Abbey, saying he has a "proven record of strong leadership and accomplishments" that will make him an outstanding overseer of the 258 million acres managed by the BLM across the West"
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_13015315
WILMA LEWIS CONFIRMED AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR LAND AND MINERALS MANAGEMENT
 "Secretary Praises Senate's Confirmation of Wilma Lewis" (DOI News Release, 8/7/09)
"Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today lauded the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Wilma Lewis, a former U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and Inspector General at Interior, as Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management. 'President Obama?s comprehensive national energy plan charges us with creating energy-related jobs here in America, reducing our reliance on imported oil and confronting the dangers of global warming,' Salazar said. 'Wilma Lewis' extensive legal and managerial experience and personal integrity make her well-qualified to oversee the management of Interior lands that provide 30 percent of the nation?s domestically-produced energy.'"
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2009/august/wilmalewis.html
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 YOUTH AND BLM
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar established an Office of Youth in Natural Resources, "to provide jobs, outdoor experiences and career opportunities for young people." News.bytes will feature occasional stories on youth who take part in BLM-California programs.
 EMPLOYEE PROFILE: Focus on youth
Full time students, Sophia Berrey and Brad Johnston-Cox, find summer work as Park Rangers in BLM-California's Bishop Field Office. Read more:
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/employee_profiles/bishop_students.html
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WILDFIRES AND PREVENTION
"Knight Fire burns up nearly $12 million" (Calavaras Enterprise, 8/11/09)
With the fire contained, the emphasis now is on post-fire rehabilitation, which includes repairs of roads damaged by the onslaught of traffic from the equipment and crews brought in to fight the Knight Fire. Bureau of Land Management assisted with this multi-agency effort.
http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/articles/2009/08/11/news/news02_fire.prt
"Fire Restrictions Begin Aug. 14 on Northeast California Public Lands" (BLM News Release, 8/10/09)
"Seasonal restrictions on outdoor use of fire and firewood cutting begin Friday, Aug. 14, on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in northeast California and far northwest Nevada."
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2009/august/NC0975_SIFC_NErestrictions.html
"Fire Blazes Kernville Mountains" (KERO, 8/7/09)
"[F]irefighters from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land management and the Kern County Fire Dept. responded to a fire approximately 8 miles north of Kernville, burning across National Forest lands."
http://www.turnto23.com/news/20323116/detail.html
 "Smokey Bear has learned a 2nd language" (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8/10/09)
"'Solo tu puedes prevenir los incendios forestales.'
Who says you can't teach an old bear new tricks? At Smokey Bear's 65th birthday party today in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Forest Service will reveal that its iconic fire prevention symbol is bilingual, as it releases the new Smokey Bear Story "big book," an illustrated educational book in English and Spanish that officials hope will introduce his messages to a new generation of children."
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09222/989804-113.stm
"Camp Smokey at the California State Fair - Aug. 21-Sept. 7" (BLM Upcoming Event)
If your making plans to visit the California State Fair, be sure to stop by "Camp Smokey," an educational outdoor exhibit where children of all ages learn about fire and fire prevention. Each child receives a "passport to fire prevention education" and then works their way through a variety of activities. Upon completion of their passport, they receive a Smokey Bear reward.
https://www.blm.gov/ca/forms/calendar/view_event.php?id=863&eDate=1251180000
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WILDLIFE TRIVIA
Our News.bytes editor is on vacation this week. Wildlife Trivia will be back next week!
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MARIJUANA ON PUBLIC LANDS
"Anatomy of a pot bust" (Corning Observer, 8/7/09)
"Since July 1, there have been five illegal marijuana cultivation sites raided in Tehama County, and many more raids are in the works. Funding for the marijuana eradication division is through grant money from the Drug Enforcement Agency, National Forest Service and BLM, with the cooperative agreement the division will help enforce drug laws on state and federal jurisdictions in the county."
http://www.corning-observer.com/news/marijuana-5668-tehama-detective.html
"13,000 pot plants uprooted in raid near Whitewater" (Palm Springs Desert Sun, 8/11/09)
"More than 13,000 marijuana plants worth an estimated $45 million were found growing in the Whitewater area during an early Monday morning raid, Riverside County sheriff's officials said. The gardens were found growing on Bureau of Land Management property and nearby private property."
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090811/NEWS0801/908110324
"Zone A deer season set to begin Saturday" (Lake County Record-Bee, 8/6/09)
"Deer hunters who plan on hunting the national forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) properties should also be on the lookout for marijuana growers. This is especially true in the Mendocino National Forest. According to authorities, hunters should use extreme care in the more remote areas of the national forest."
http://www.record-bee.com/ci_13012756
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HEADLINES and HIGHLIGHTS
"Supervisors Approve Off-Highway Vehicle Enforcement Agreements" (Best Syndication News, 8/11/09)
"Enforcement team efforts will supplement Bureau of Land Management operations during several 4-day weekends during the year. Funds will be used to provide OHV law enforcement on peak off-road days, to safeguard the desert habitat and to provide information and educational materials to the public on the safe and legal use of off-highway vehicles."
http://www.bestsyndication.com/?q=20090811_offroad_enforcement_san_bernardino_co.htm
"Basis of plan to resume tortoise relocation at issue" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 8/10/09)
"Federal officials relied on unpublished, unfinished research in justifying their plans to resume moving hundreds of desert tortoises so the Army can expand military training grounds north of Barstow. An official of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which is overseeing the relocations, said the agency learned Friday that the research was unfinished."
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_N_tortoise11.45bfdc3.html
"Water dispensaries keep mountain bighorn sheep alive" (Riverside Press Enterprise, 8/12/09)
"Desert bighorn in the peninsular ranges -- the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto mountains and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park -- are on the federal endangered species list. The isolated populations there plummeted from an estimated 1,170 in 1971 to about 230 when it was listed in 1998."
http://www.pe.com/localnews/environment/stories/PE_News_Local_S_guzzlers12.469eda4.html
"Old gold mines will be filled in" (Redding Record Searchlight, 8/10/09)
"Arnold Sargent thought the Yankee John Mine about five miles west of Redding was a great place to explore. Now 60, Sargent says he is glad the old, abandoned mine is finally set to be filled in."
http://www.redding.com/news/2009/aug/10/old-gold-mines-will-be-filled/
"Boxer introduces bill to protect Wakamatsu settlement in Gold Hill" (Mountain Democrat, 8/9/09)
U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., has introduced the Gold Hill-Wakamatsu Preservation Act, legislation that authorizes the federal Bureau of Land Management to acquire and manage the Gold Hill Ranch near Coloma. This site was the location of the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Colony from 1869 to 1871, recognized by the state of California and the Japanese American Citizens League as the first Japanese settlement in the United States.
http://search.mtdemocrat.com/display.php?id=52082
"Seeking neighborhood-friendly ways to build wealth from timber" (Grass Valley Union, 8/8/09)
Editorial: 'There have been ongoing efforts to reduce the dense growth in our forests, starting with the FireSafe Council's attempt to create a fire-prevention wood-use center. They studied the issue with a Bureau of Land Management grant in 2004."
http://www.theunion.com/article/20090808/OPINION/908079967/1024/NONE
"Historic shooting range forced to close" (San Bernardino Sun, 8/6/09)
"The Inland Fish and Game Conservation Association shooting range...closed last Thursday due to a lawsuit filed by a developer who owns an adjacent property. The 64-year-old club has 1,500 members, and it is located on 40 acres of Bureau of Land Management property in the Santa Ana River Wash on Orange Street in Highland. In 2004, the BLM granted the club an additional 20-year lease because of its sterling record in public safety and serving the community."
http://www.sbsun.com/sports/ci_13012709
"Cattle ranch gives way to ultimate adventure" (Stockton Record, 8/12/09)
"[A] mix of privately held and Bureau of Land Management-owned lands are truly unspoiled and wild, giving nature viewers and hunters the chance to experience the outdoors."
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090812/A_SPORTS03/908120329
 "Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office hosts visitors from Jordan" (BLM California Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office)
The BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office recently hosted guests from the nation of Jordan at the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. The visit was part of the Department of the Interior's International Technical Assistance Program. The visitors are managers of nature reserves in Jordan. Along with visits to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and the Barstow Field Office, the guests met with staff and volunteers at the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. The visitors participated in the Summer Nature Encounter and interacted with the kids and volunteers. They also met Preserve Hosts, Dee and Betty Zeller, our volunteer educators Pat Stoner and Carol Mead, our junior docents, Dave Miller, President of the Friends of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, and several other volunteers.
RELATED: "Big Morongo Canyon Preserve" (BLM California website)
Nestled within the western extension of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the 31,000 acre Big Morongo Canyon Preserve and Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) is managed by BLM to preserve its outstanding natural and scenic values as well as recreational opportunities within a preserve environment.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/bigmorongo.html
"Current job openings - BLM California" (USAJOBS website)
BLM California is currently accepting applications for IT Specialist, Natural Resource Specialist, Administrative Support Assistant, Wildlife Biologist, Engineering Equipment Operator, Park Ranger, Laborer, and more! Apply Today!
http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/a9blm-ca.asp
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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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