News.bytes 529 - BLM California

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Title: News.bytes, issue 529 - BLM California - 05-04-12
News.bytes
A publication of Bureau of Land Management in California

Issue 529 - 5/4/12

a young goat looks at the camera recruiting card for emergency services wildfire engulfs trees mountain bikers cross an expanse of red rocks photo of a smiling woman

THIS WEEK IN NEWS.BYTES:

- America's Great Outdoors
- Get Outdoors tip of the week
- Wildfires and prevention
- Renewable energy
- Traditional energy
- Not for educators only: Wildlife trivia question of the week
- Wild horses and burros
- BLM Advisory Councils
- Meet your Advisory Council members
- Headlines and highlights: Assorted topics from your public lands in California
- National and Department of the Interior items
If this message does not show up properly in your email, you can see it online at:
www.blm.gov/ca/news/newsbytes/2012/529.html


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America's Great Outdoors logo features a family paddling a canoeAMERICA'S GREAT OUTDOORS

a volunteer hands concrete tools to another"Volunteers repair trails at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve" (News.bytes Extra)
Although nearly seven years have passed since the Paradise Fire in Morongo Valley, California, the damage to trails and facilities at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve ACEC is still being repaired. Recently a dedicated band of BLM volunteers completed an unfinished task from the fire: replacement of 687 feet of damaged boardwalk, including two bridges and three observation decks. The volunteers also replaced the original wooden stairs on the Mesquite Trail that were unaffected by the Paradise Fire.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2012/529_extra-big_morongo.html

two prospective hikers at get information at a boothpeople and
tents stretch across land near a lake"BLM at the Annual Pacific Crest Trail Kick-Off Event" (News.bytes Extra)
700 hikers and supporters of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail attended the 14th Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick-Off event. The event is organized by trail supporters and 'Trail Angels' for the estimated 276 through hikers that will attempt to hike the entire PCT from Mexico to Canada in 2012. The first section of the trail crosses the BLM’s Hauser Mountain Wilderness Study Area and the Cleveland National Forest before entering Lake Morena County Park, where last week hikers could take advantage of comfortable camp sites, hot showers, free food, and lots of support and encouragement.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2012/529_extra-pacific.html


people cut a ribbon opening Jawbone Visitor Center"Grand Opening at the Jawbone Station Visitor Center"(News.bytes Extra)
Several hundred outdoor recreation enthusiasts along with local city and county officials took part in the Jawbone Station Visitor Center expansion grand opening held last weekend. The 6,000 square foot addition includes an information counter, recreation brochures, offices, work rooms, books and maps for sale, and a large meeting room with state of the art audio and video capabilities.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2012/529_extra-jawbone.html

students gather around rangersrecruiting card for emergency
services"El Centro recruits for America's Great Outdoors" (News.bytes Extra)
The BLM's El Centro Field Office staff was on hand to recruit potential park and law enforcement rangers at Imperial Valley College's Career Expo 2012. The expo targets students enrolled in the applied sciences, including Emergency Medical Services and Law Enforcement. Over the past several years, Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area staff have partnered with the college to provide training scenarios of emergency medical responses in the dunes.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2012/529xtra_ec_fo_recruits_ago.html

"Young filmmakers take to the medium" (Eureka Times-Standard, 5/1/12)
Short films from elementary-school and high-school age filmmakers will be shown at the annual Big Screen Showcase Saturday in Arcata. "The filmmakers, ranging in age from 8 to 22, submit their final products for judging on such qualities as cinematography, sound, editing and more in seven different genre categories .... In years past, the contest has drawn entries not only from throughout California but from around the world." Entrants include South Fork High School students and Southern Humboldt home-schooled children who "worked with the Bureau of Land Management to produce videos about King Range National Conservation Area mountain biking trails, wildlife tracking and more...."
www.times-standard.com/entertainment/ci_20520221/young-filmmakers-take-medium

campground among trees near a rivera river roars over rocks and under a bridgeGET OUTDOORS TIP OF THE WEEK...
...visit the Pit River, the largest river in Northeastern California. The river flows through large mountain valleys and cuts its way through massive basalt flows to form incredible canyons. These canyons exhibit unusual geological formations that promote a variety of wildlife species unique to these landscapes. Visitors can also camp at the Pit River Campground located on the river near Fall River Mills, California. This isolated area is one of the most unique and aesthetic camping spots around. Pit River provides other recreational activities such as hiking, biking and sightseeing.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/alturas/pit_river.html


WILDFIRES AND PREVENTION

"Agencies urge homeowners to "Take Responsibility" during Wildfire Awareness Week" (BLM, 4/25/12)
Resource agencies in the Owens Valley are using Wildfire Awareness Week, May 6-12, to not only remind Californians of the dangers wildfires pose, but also to educate homeowners on defensible space. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Bishop Field Office and the Inyo National Forest remind residents to "Take Responsibility" for creating and maintaining 100 feet of clean, open space around their homes to reduce fire danger and the risk of fires spreading. See some actions homeowners can take:
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/04/wildfire_awareness.html

wildfire engulfs treesan airplane drops fire
retardant in front of a setting sun"Western states prepare for dangerous fire season" (Victorville Daily Press, 4/30/12)
"The West's 2012 wildfire season exploded in earnest last month with a wind-whipped blaze that killed three people in rugged alpine canyon country near Denver. It took a 700-strong federal firefighting team a week of labor, day and night, to tame the blaze -- and other states throughout the West took notice. This year’s drought, low snowpack and record-high temperatures have local fire authorities preparing for another scorching fire season with a combination of education and training .... Nearly all of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah have drought conditions that should persist at least through June...."
www.vvdailypress.com/news/season-34230-blaze-dangerous.html

"Report: Region’s fire risk 'above normal'" (San Diego Union-Tribune, 5/1/12)
"San Diegans can expect a cooler than average summer, although fire danger will remain high due to spreading drought conditions and large crops of grass that have sprouted during late season rains, according to official fire predictions released Tuesday."
www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/may/01/report-regions-fire-risk-above-normal/

“Firefighting training to be conducted in WNC by Military pilots” (Blue Ridge Times-News, 5/2/12)
"Military pilots from the 145th Airlift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard, will participate in annual training in the Carolinas that enables them to assist with wildland firefighting when needed …. Leading the training are support specialists and aviators" from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs; North Carolina Forest Service; and CAL FIRE.
www.blueridgenow.com/article/20120502/NEWS/120509953/1008/


Renewable energy graphics represent solar, wind and geothermal power, plus transmission linesRENEWABLE ENERGY

"How BrightSource's Solar Power Plant Reduces Its Footprint" (Forbes, 4/30/12)
"The $2.2 billion Ivanpah solar-power plant is expected to be the largest concentrated-solar plant in the world. It creates electricity ... with thousands of mirrors, called heliostats, that bounce the sun’s rays onto a tower." The need to generate power "while sitting astride fragile tortoise habitat ... has provoked a rethinking of what’s needed to make a power plant -- or rather what is not needed. Limits imposed by government, environment and environmentalists have pared the plant down to its essentials. The designer, BrightSource Energy, has figured out how to use these limits to its advantage by saving money on construction and maintenance."
www.forbes.com/sites/davidferris/2012/04/30/how-brightsources-solar-power-plant-reduces-its-footprint/

"BLM issues draft Haiwee geothermal environmental study for public comment"
(BLM, 5/4/12)
Draft Environmental Impact Statement and draft California Desert Conservation Area plan amendment for the Haiwee Geothermal Leasing Area analyzes proposed geothermal exploration and development on public lands managed by the BLM north of Ridgecrest, Calif. in the Rose Valley of southwestern Inyo County. Two public meetings will be scheduled in June to gather public comments on the DEIS.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/CDD1245_haiweeDEIS.html

"Solar standoff in the Mojave"
(Los Angeles Times, 5/1/12)
Editorial: "It can be hard to find that delicate balance between Indians' concerns about their cultural heritage and the forward-looking plans of modern society. In this case, the tilt should be toward the project. Solar power is a vital part of the move to clean, renewable energy as well as greater independence from foreign oil. The Genesis project should not be held up for years; the two sides should negotiate to keep this from going to court."
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/may/01/opinion/la-ed-solar-desert-20120501

"Balance Of Power: Clean Energy And Desert Wildlife" (Forbes, 5/3/12)
Guest column by Johanna Wald of the Natural Resources Defense Council: "Large-scale solar projects in our deserts come with risk. But we’d be wise to consider the return that comes with this risk. While we want to make sure we consider all of the environmental impacts that come with siting large-scale solar projects, the larger issue in the desert – and around the world – is climate change."
www.forbes.com/sites/toddwoody/2012/05/03/balance-of-power-clean-energy-and-desert-wildlife/?feed=rss_home



TRADITIONAL ENERGY

"Interior releases draft rule requiring public disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing on public and Indian lands" (Department of the Interior, 5/4/12)
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced the release of a proposed rule to require companies to publicly disclose the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations on public and Indian lands, with appropriate protections for proprietary information. Currently, there is no specific requirement for operators to disclose these chemicals on federal and Indian lands.
www.ca.blm.gov/wckd

RELATED: "Interior unveils ‘fracking’ rules amid industry boos" (The Hill, 5/4/12)
"The Interior Department floated plans Friday to regulate the controversial oil-and-gas extraction method dubbed 'fracking' on federal lands, drawing quick attacks from industry groups that said the requirements aren’t needed. Environmental groups welcomed the new oversight but called the proposal ... too weak."
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/225473-interior-unveils-fracking-rules-amid-industry-boos

"Proposed federal fracking rules draw fire at Colorado hearing" (Denver Post, 5/2/12)
"A proposal for federal regulations on the use of 'fracking' in oil and gas development on federal land drew fire from Utah, Wyoming and Colorado officials at a congressional hearing in Denver today. The officials said state rules adequately oversee the process in which thousands or millions of gallons of fluid are pumped into wells to fracture rock to release oil and gas .... The officials testified at a hearing held by the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held at the State Capitol."
www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20530786/


NOT for EDUCATORS ONLY:

wildlife question mark
WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION of the WEEK:
What is an American marten?
(a.) a bird similar to the purple martin, which prefers to nest near others of its kind.
(b.) a small, colorful fish that spawns in rivers along the coast of northern California.
(c.) A rare amphibian found along some streams in the northern Sierra Nevada foothills.
(d.) a small forest mammal that has a varied diet ranging from reptiles to rabbits.
(e.) a reptile, the size of a moderately large alligator, that lives under the sands of southern California deserts.
Answer - and more wildlife stories - near the end of this News.bytes


silhouettes of wild horse and of a burroWILD HORSES AND BURROS

"BLM Extends Scoping Period on Wild Horse Roundup Environmental Assessment" (BLM, 5/1/12)
The BLM is extending the issue scoping period for receiving public comments on issues that should be addressed in an environmental assessment for a proposed roundup of excess wild horses in northeast California and northwest Nevada. The BLM Surprise Field Office in Cedarville, Calif. is considering roundups for the Buckhorn and Coppersmith herd management areas in November 2012 and for the Carter Reservoir HMA in July 2013.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/04/NC1256_whbscoping.html

a young boy looks up a horse whose reains are held by a uniformed man"Border Patrol 'horses around' at Mains" (Imperial Valley Press, 4/27/12)
"Students’ eyes grew wide Friday at Mains Elementary School as they met Trojan, the newly named El Centro Sector Border Patrol mustang. The mustang and members of the U.S. Border Patrol Horse Patrol Unit visited the elementary school students during a school assembly, the culmination of a partnership between the school and Border Patrol to choose a name for the newly acquired mustang .... Trojan is part of the Border Patrol’s Noble Mustang program acquired through a cooperative agreement between the Bureau of Land Management and the Nevada Department of Corrections"
http://articles.ivpressonline.com/2012-04-27/wild-horses_31454418

"BLM wild horse citizen panel faces conflicts" (Associated Press in San Francisco Chronicle, 4/29/12)
The new chairman of the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board "has seen a lot in his 35 years as a veterinarian in rural northeast Nevada. But he admits, he's not sure what he's gotten himself into this time .... The members of the advisory board face a complicated task of trying to balance the needs of the federally protected herds against competing interests of birds, livestock, ranchers and hunters while an ongoing drought and shrinking budgets limit their options. 'An incredibly difficult issue,' said Joan Guilfoyle, the new national director of the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program. 'It is probably in my mind the No. 1 land-management, human-dimensions issue in the country'."
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/04/29/state/n080129D75.DTL

"A closer look at the Indian Lakes wild horse holding facility" (KRNV Reno, 4/28/12)
Video:" The Bureau of Land Management offers the public a chance to view their Indian Lakes Road holding facility a few times a year.  It is a privately owned and operated facility in Fallon, Nevada. BLM officials say adoptions are down these days due to the economy and right now they have a large number of horses at the Indian Lakes facility. Currently there are about 2,700 horses at the facility that can hold up to 2,850."
www.mynews4.com/news/local/story/A-closer-look-at-the-Indian-Lakes-wild-horse/7tV00GkmJ0mWbjate28RkA.cspx

"BLM offers $10,000 reward for information on killing of wild horses in Nevada and California" (Associated Press in Vacaville Reporter, 5/1/12)
The BLM "is investigating the shooting deaths of nearly a dozen federally protected wild horses and offering a $10,000 reward in connection with the four separate incidents reported in California and Nevada since the beginning of the year .... The most recent killings involved one horse and two burros on BLM land near Black Rock Canyon in Pershing County about 100 miles northeast of Reno. They were discovered April 9. The BLM earlier announced a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter or shooters responsible for killing two mustangs in California's Lassen County near the Nevada line."
www.thereporter.com/rss/ci_20520016

"BLM extends comment time for wild horse round up" (BLM Nevada, 4/26/12)
The BLM's Winnemucca District Office, Black Rock Field Office will continue to accept public comments on the Jackson Mountains Herd Management Area Wild Horse Gather Preliminary EA until May 18 ….The Proposed Action calls for a phased-in approach to reach the appropriate management level over a six to 10 year period … by conducting an initial wild horse removal in July 2012, implementing fertility control, adjusting sex ratios, and managing a non-breeding population of geldings in subsequent gathers …. High wild horse numbers and low precipitation have combined for poor forage and water conditions in the HMA.
www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/april/winnemucca__jackson.html


“The Feds Unnecessarily Round Up Wild Horses, Then Complain About Costs” (Atlantic, 5/2/12)
Opinion: "It surely cannot be easy these days being Joan Guilfoyle, the (relatively) new director of the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Program. On the one hand she works for a federal agency, the Interior Department, which is largely beholden to the powerful industries it is supposed to regulate. And on the other hand, she is responsible, under federal law and policy, for ensuring the survival and management of the nation's wild horses at a time when relentless political and economic forces threaten to decimate the herds."
http://www.ca.blm.gov/0ckd


BLM ADVISORY COUNCILS

"BLM Advisory Council plans meeting in Bridgeport" (BLM, 5/2/12)
Land management issues for Central California will be on the agenda when the Bureau of Land Management’s Central California Resource Advisory Council meets in Bridgeport on May 18-19. A business meeting will be held Friday, May 18 beginning at 8 a.m., followed by a field trip that afternoon to BLM lands in the Bodie Hills.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/CC1253_cencalRACmtg.html

"BLM extends nomination deadline for Northwest California Advisory Council" (BLM, 4/27/12)
The BLM has extended until June 4 the nomination deadline for membership on the Northwest California Resource Advisory Council, a citizen group that advises the agency on management of public lands. There are four vacancies for three-year terms.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/04/NC1255_NWRAC_noms.html

RELATED: "BLM extends nomination deadline for Northeast Calif. Advisory Council" (BLM, 4/27/12)
The BLM has extended until June 4 the nomination deadline for membership on the Northeast California Resource Advisory Council, a citizen group that advises the agency on management of public lands. There are five vacancies for three-year terms.
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/04/NC1254_NERAC_noms_ext.html

photo of a smiling womanMEET YOUR ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS:
Carol Montgomery represents the public-at-large on the BLM's Northeast California Resource Advisory Council.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/rac/nerac/members/carol_montgomery.html



HEADLINES and HIGHLIGHTS

"County outlines groundwater project agreement" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 5/1/12)
San Bernardino County supervisors advanced "a controversial proposal to draw water from ancient aquifers in the Mojave Desert" including "44 miles of pipeline to move surplus water from the Colorado Aqueduct to an underground basin the size of Rhode Island. The water rights under 34,000 acres belong to Cadiz Inc., which also wants to tap water from beneath nearby dry lake beds that it says would otherwise be lost to evaporation. The Cadiz project has been rejected and reworked since ... 1997. Environmentalists say it would deplete ancient groundwater that feeds area springs and sustains local wildlife. One-third of the aquifer sits below the Mojave National Preserve."
http://shar.es/2qM0I


"Water pipeline dreams revived in the desert" (San Diego Union-Tribune, 4/29/12)
"Eager to diversify its water supplies, the San Diego County Water Authority has resurrected a long-shot plan that could top $2 billion to build a pipeline for importing water directly from Imperial County .... Water brought from the desert would involve a combination of tunnels, pipes, canals and pump stations at a cost that was pegged at up to nearly $2 billion a decade ago .... A final report in 2002 noted the difficulty of navigating the extensive federal land holdings and the potential ecological impacts."
www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/apr/29/water-pipeline-dreams-revived-desert/

"EBMUD proposal to raise Pardee Dam drowns in vote" (Stockton Record, 4/30/12)
"The proposal to raise Pardee Dam and drown a popular whitewater run where the Mokelumne River crosses Highway 49 is officially dead. As expected, the East Bay Municipal Utility District Board of Directors unanimously voted last week to approve a Water Supply Management Plan for the next 30 years that omits the expansion of Pardee Reservoir."
www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120430/A_NEWS/204300314

RELATED: "Mokelumne River" (BLM Mother Lode Field Office)
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/folsom/mokelumne.html


"Examine the costs of leaving Klamath's dams" (Redding Record Searchlight, 4/28/12)
OpEd from Mike Connor, commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation: "On my trips to the basin, I have heard concerns about the costs of implementing the Klamath Agreements. I agree that we should have a vigorous discussion about the costs of the agreements, but this discussion must also consider the costs of not implementing these agreements -- costs which are significant and real."
www.redding.com/news/2012/apr/28/mike-connor-examine-the-costs-of-leaving-dams/

"Agencies will loan tools to defeat Scotch and French broom" (BLM, 5/3/12)
With its brilliant yellow flowers and dense, bushy stands along highways, Scotch broom is one of the most recognizable plants in northern California. It is also one of the most threatening to native plants and landscapes. To combat the invasive plant, member agencies of the Humboldt Weed Management Area are loaning tools to help property owners remove the plants.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/may/scotch_and_french.html

"Thompson bill would add southern Mendocino Coast to national monument" (Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 4/27/12)
"Stornetta Public Lands, 1,132 acres located along Mendocino County’s south coast, could receive additional protection" under legislation introduced last week. "H.R. 4969 would add the land -- overseen by the Bureau of Land Management-- to the California Coastal National Monument...."
www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20120427/ARTICLES/120429513/1036/

"Sacred lands" (Salinas Californian, 4/27/12)
Columnist: "As one who plods regularly over the hilly Fort Ord public lands, I hope the area's new designation as a national monument doesn't invite busloads of gawking tourists."
www.thecalifornian.com/article/20120428/LIFESTYLE/204280303

"Berryessa Chamber opposes conservation designation" (Napa Valley Register, 4/30/12)
Guest column by Peter Kilkus, a member of the Lake Berryessa Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors: "The Lake Berryessa Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors unanimously opposes the creation of a Berryessa Snow Mountain National Conservation Area. This is neither a good idea nor a bad idea; it is a 'non-idea.' There are no compelling arguments for its creation."
http://www.ca.blm.gov/zckd


"Inyo to participate in federal planning" (Inyo Register, 5/1/12)
"County leaders have began the process of joining two separate working groups to help decide how changes to public lands in Inyo County will impact residents and visitors. The Board of Supervisors approved two agreements with the Bureau of Land Management .... The BLM is planning to complete a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and associated Travel Management plans within the West Mojave portion of the California Desert Conservation Area."
www.inyoregister.com/node/2665

"Langley on film" (Inyo Register, 4/30/12)
Interview with Inyo County Film Commissioner Chris Langley, a "founding member of the Alabama Hills Stewardship Group" and "a board member and past director of the Lone Pine Film Festival," among other positions.
www.inyoregister.com/node/2664

RELATED: "Langley on film, part 2" (Inyo Register, 5/1/12)
Continuation of this extensive interview.
www.inyoregister.com/node/2668

Movie Road coverRELATED: "The Alabama Hills" (BLM Bishop Field Office)
Includes a link to "Movie Road:" Download this brochure and take a nostalgic drive through the Alabama Hills visiting film sites from movie greats like "How the West Was Won." (PDF 3.2MB)
www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/scenic_byways/alabamas.html


JOBS
"Current job openings - BLM California"
(USAJOBS website)
http://blm.usajobs.gov/JobSearch/Search/GetResults?location=California


NATIONAL AND DEPARTMENT of the INTERIOR ITEMS

low levels in a water reservoir"Drought: Will there be a call on the Colorado River?"
(Summit Daily News, 4/28/12)
"In times of drought, people start wondering what might happen if the drought continues in already-dry places like Arizona and southern California. They rely on the Colorado River, too, and when the river's headwaters sit at 70 percent below-average snowpack for the year, people's eyebrows begin to rise. Particularly when it's year 10 of the ongoing drought, despite the good news Rocky Mountain snowpack delivered last season. If water is needed, a 'call' is made to upstream entities, like the headwaters, to demand water downstream. It's called a Colorado River Compact call."
www.summitdaily.com/article/20120428/NEWS/120429822/1078

"Oil for Trees: Does the Land and Water Conservation Fund Offer a Devil's Bargain?"
(KCET Southern California, 5/2/12)
Commentary by Char Miller, the Director and W.M. Keck Professor of Environmental Analysis at Pomona College: "Here's what $1.5 million will get you: 1288 acres of the Fleming Ranch, high up in the San Bernardino Mountains, a site fully surrounded by the eponymous national forest. The working landscape abuts the San Jacinto Wilderness and the Pacific Crest Trail .... This is a fabulous use of funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Yet these federal dollars may also represent a bit of greenwashing ... the deceptive practices that corporations employ to make their products and actions appear to be more environmentally sensitive than they are in reality."
www.kcet.org/updaily/the_back_forty/commentary/golden-green/oil-for-trees.html


"Interior selects Google Apps for government for cloud email and collaboration services" (Department of the Interior, 5/1/12)
As part of a major efficiency initiative that will leverage modern technology to save up to $500 million in taxpayer dollars by 2020, the Department of the Interior announced a contract award for Department-wide cloud email and collaboration services using Google Apps for Government.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/2ckd

"WaterSMART funding boosts reclamation, re-use and efficiency projects to maximize water availability in the West" (Department of the Interior, 5/2/12)
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that the Bureau of Reclamation has selected $32.2 million in WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants and Title XVI Projects and Feasibility Studies to stretch water supplies and conserve energy in the western United States. Seven projects and seven studies in California will receive congressionally authorized Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse funding.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/1ckd

BLM Oregon:

a road stretches out ahead toward flat-topped mountains"Way, way out there -- a 160-miles roadtrip through eastern Oregon desert" (Bellingham Herald, 5/2/12)
"Snow-capped mountains tower dramatically from the desert floor and take your breath away as you drive over each rise along the back roads of the Steens Mountain high desert. Ramshackled rock buildings offer up memories of early settlers .... The vast valleys, plateaus, canyons and playas ... offer many recreational opportunities" including wildlife watching "Spring is one of the best times to visit the remote area at the northern edge of the Great Basin." Before you go: Get an Oregon highway map and BLM maps for the area.
www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/05/02/2506419/way-way-out-there-a-160-miles.html

"No gold rush on Oregon's federal lands even with record prices" (Portland Oregonian, 5/1/12)
"With mountain snows melting and gold prices at $1,620 per ounce, miners should be stampeding into Oregon's historic minerals districts around Baker City, Sumpter, Granite and Grants Pass. It's not happening."
http://www.ca.blm.gov/3ckd

BLM Utah:


a young goat looks at the cameraa goat eats
brown vegetation"Firefighting goats"
(St. George, Utah Spectrum, 4/28/12)
"To create fire lines to help prevent wildfires from getting out of control, the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is using the assistance of about 200 goats to eat the cheatgrass" on BLM land north of St. George. Said the manager of the Reserve, "We wanted to find a way to make some good progress on cutting down this huge fuel load for fires. Having the cheatgrass here is creating a high-danger risk when it comes to wildfires."
www.thespectrum.com/article/20120428/NEWS01/204280328/

mountain bikers cross red rocks"New trails renew excitement for mountain biking in Moab" (Salt Lake Tribune, 5/3/12)
"Moab, long known as a fat-tire magnet, lost much of its unique appeal" over the past few years. "But that has changed recently, with the addition of several new trails with beginners and experts in mind .... Spearheading the work has been the Moab Trails Alliance, a group that was formed in 2003 by concerned businesses and citizens who saw the need for a better trail system catering to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The group has worked with Grand County, the Bureau of Land Management and others to open several new mountain-biking options."
www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/53895892-80/trails-moab-trail-bikers.html.csp

BLM New Mexico-Oklahoma-Texas-Kansas:

"Bureau of Land Management adjusts price of 2013 federal crude helium" (BLM, 4/30/12)
The new price is the result of a revised methodology that relies partly on the Consumer Price Index, as in years past, but incorporates other factors aimed at better capturing the costs of production and the increasing value of crude helium.
www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/info/newsroom/2012/march0/bureau_of_land_management.html

RELATED: "Helium shortage a rising concern for many industries" (Cedar Valley, Iowa Business Monthly, 4/30/12)
"A nationwide helium shortage is doing more than deflating peoples' parties. The gas has a low boiling point, and is used by manufacturers as a cooling source. Liquid helium chills superconducting magnets like the kinds used in MRI scanners at hospitals. Helium is used in fiber optics, liquid crystal displays, quantum computing and other industrial applications. Distributors across the U.S. are on restricted allocations due to the shortage...."
www.ca.blm.gov/xckd

RELATED: "World-wide helium shortage deflates North State businesses" (KRCR Redding, 5/3/12)
The helium shortage hits northern California businesses, including a party center and a welding supply company.
www.krcrtv.com/news/31003712/detail.html

BLM Nevada:

"Cattle Battle Heads to Court"
(Mesquite Citizen Journal, 5/1/12)
A group "filed a formal notice of intent to sue" the BLM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Clark County, NV "for not taking required steps to protect the desert tortoise, a threatened species, from grazing in southern Nevada." The lawsuit refers to "Bunkerville rancher Cliven Bundy's cattle that have grazed in the Gold Butte region for years. The BLM planned to round up the cattle on Apr. 11 and move them off the land. Those plans were put on hold at the last minute by BLM officials in Washington D.C."
http://mesquitecitizen.com/viewnews.php?newsid=1849&id=3

"Nevada Fire Safe Council's fate still unclear, BLM says" (Lake Tahoe Bonanza, 5/2/12)
The BLM "is unlikely to have answers anytime soon for the Nevada Fire Safe Council regarding the council's ability to operate after a federal audit showed irregularities in its handling of funds." The council had no funds, after it "had not heard back from the three government agencies that have provided grants to the council since 1999 to help residents in its 135 Nevada communities ... create fire-resistant defensible space around their homes. The BLM told the Nevada Appeal on Monday that the bureau is still waiting for documents."
www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20120502/NEWS/120509988/1061

BLM Arizona:

"Wildfire in southeastern Arizona chars 1,000 acres"
(Arizona Republic, 5/1/12)
Apache Pass Fire: "A wildfire burning north of Fort Bowie in southeastern Arizona has doubled in size overnight, according to the federal Bureau of Land Management. Wind gusts reaching 20 mph helped fuel the blaze, which has blacken more than 1,000 acres by Tuesday morning. The fire had been just 500-acres in size the night before...."
www.azcenwww.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/05/01/20120501wildfire-southeastern-arizona-chars-acres.html

"Woman embarks of beekeeping adventure" (Lake Havasu News-Herald, 5/3/12)
After more than 10 years in a pest control business, Shirley Lovett Lovett "just began a new beekeeping venture a little more than two weeks ago." She "received approval last month from the Bureau of Land Management for a three-year lease of a 30-foot by 50-foot stretch of land .... 'The main reason I’m doing this is I’m tired of killing bees,' Lovett said." Thirty-four bee calls have come into her pest control business since the beginning of the year, she said. "Now, she has a place to keep them."
www.havasunews.com/articles/2012/05/04/news/doc4fa35d72b53fe362669203.txt

BLM Wyoming:

"Uranium mine proposed for Wyoming's Red Desert" (Associated Press in Casper Star-Tribune, 5/1/12)
A company is proposing what would be the first in-situ uranium mine in southern Wyoming, a roughly 150-acre site where hundreds of wells would pump uranium solution from the ground .... In-situ mining involves dissolving uranium out of sandstone deposits and pumping the uranium solution to the surface" for processing into yellowcake. After obtaining several permits, "about all that’s left" is BLM approval, a company spokesman said.
http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/uranium-mine-proposed-for-wyoming-s-red-desert/article_3998820a-4e3d-5093-8925-d02c7a69ef5d.html


WILDLIFE TRIVIA answer and related websites

SOURCE: "American marten - Martes americana" (BLM California wildlife database)
http://www.blm.gov/ca/forms/wildlife/details.php?metode=serial_number&search=2334

More wildlife news from your public lands:

"Mayors back Bump and Grind trail opening effort" (Palm Springs Desert Sun, 5/1/12)
"Mayors from across the Coachella Valley jumped into the Bump and Grind debate Monday by backing a state legislative effort to open the top of the popular trail," Assembly Bill 880 .... The popular Bump and Grind trail has been a matter of debate since June, when the Department of Fish and Game closed the top portion out of concern that hikers would negatively impact the endangered bighorn sheep that live in the surrounding mountains. In March, the desert's two Assembly members ... announced legislation that would compel the state to open the trail. AB 880 now awaits a committee hearing."
www.mydesert.com/article/20120501/NEWS07/205010320/Mayors-back-Bump-Grind-trail-opening-effort

RELATED: "Protecting bighorn sheep is more important than a trail" (Palm Springs Desert Sun, 4/26/12)
Editorial: "The debate over the closure of the top half-mile of the Bump and Grind trail has been one of the most emotional in recent years," but "The Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve should remain protected habitat for a threatened herd of Peninsular bighorn sheep, not a rewarding climax of a great hike .... There are 200 miles of trails in our local mountains. Closing this half-mile is worth the protection of a species that stands as a majestic symbol of our valley."
www.mydesert.com/article/20120427/OPINION01/204260358/Our-Voice-Protecting-bighorn-sheep-more-important-than-trail

a man carries plastic boxes near a helicopter that has landed"Fort Irwin: Relocation of desert tortoises OK to resume" (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 4/30/12)
"Federal wildlife officials have given the U.S. Army the go-ahead to move dozens of desert tortoises out of an area where the military had planned to conduct maneuvers." A 2008 relocation "was stopped because of a higher-than-expected death rate among the tortoises that had been moved .... To give the tortoises a better chance of surviving" relocations will be limited to spring and fall months, on days ... below 95 degrees. That gives the Army a few weeks to move the tortoises this spring. The tortoises will be moved to military land, according to a Bureau of Land Management spokesman."
www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20120501-fort-irwin-relocation-of-desert-tortoises-ok-to-resume.ece

"Bird Becoming Endangered Due to Wildfire Suppression" (Associated Press at Firehouse, 5/3/12)
"Smokey Bear has done such a good job stamping out forest fires the past half-century that a woodpecker that's survived for millions of years by eating beetle larvae in burned trees is in danger of going extinct in parts of the West, according to conservationists seeking U.S. protection for the bird. Four conservation groups filed a petition with the U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday to list the black-backed woodpecker under the Endangered Species Act in the Sierra Nevada, Oregon's Eastern Cascades and the Black Hills of eastern Wyoming and western South Dakota."
www.firehouse.com/news/10709252/bird-becoming-endangered-due-to-wildfire-suppression
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