A publication of Bureau of Land Management in California
Issue 587 - July 12, 2013
THIS WEEK IN NEWS.BYTES:
- America's Great Outdoors
- On our Facebook pages
- On our other social media pages
- Not for educators only: Wildlife trivia question of the week
- Renewable energy
- Fire News
- Headlines and highlights: Assorted topics from your public lands in California
- Selected upcoming events
- 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/2013/587.html
|
 AMERICA'S GREAT OUTDOORS
 Get Outdoors and lose sight of civilization on the Lost Coast Trail. It offers one of the few
coastal wilderness hiking experiences in the United States. Hikers can view sea lions, tidepools and spectacular spring wildflowers. Solitude can be difficult to find on holiday weekends, so try to plan your hike during weekdays, or the less crowded spring or fall months. Allow at least three days
for the entire hike. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/arcata/kingrange/krncatrails.html
|
NOT for EDUCATORS ONLY:
|
|
WILDLIFE TRIVIA QUESTION of the WEEK:
The brown pelican's preferred nesting sites are small coastal islands. What of these is the most important motivation?
(a.) Fish
(b.) Stable temperatures
(c.) Humidity
(d.) Raccoons
(e.) Lizards
(f.) Retaining higher property values
See answer near the end of this News.bytes. |
|
 RENEWABLE ENERGY
BLM Announces Availability of Final Environmental Review and Preferred Alternative for Proposed Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Development Project" (BLM, 7/05/13)
The Bureau of Land Management released the Final Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report (Final EIS/EIR) analyzing a proposal to develop geothermal resources near Mammoth Lakes in Mono County and detailing a preferred, environmentally superior alternative plan.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2013/july/casa_diablo_4_eis.html
RELATED: "Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Development Project" (Bishop Field Office)
The proposed Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Development Project would be built on the Inyo National Forest and private lands within four existing federal geothermal leases. It would include construction of a new geothermal power plant, up to 16 new production/injection wells, multiple
pipelines and an electric transmission line.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/casadiabloIV.html
"Land Order Facilitates Solar Energy Development on Public Lands" (BLM, 07/05/13)
As part of President Obama's comprehensive plan to reduce carbon pollution while promoting American-made clean energy sources, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced the withdrawal of lands identified for solar energy development in the West from new mining claims.The BLM
published a Federal Register notice announcing the approval of a Public Land Order that withdraws 303,900 acres of land within 17 Solar Energy Zones in six western states from the location of mining claims that could impede development of solar energy sites. http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2013/july/NR_7_5_2013.html
 "Brightsource Pulls Rio Mesa Permit Application, Leaving Just One
Project Underway in Riverside" (KPCC, 7/05/13)
Solar developer Brightsource Energy has cancelled plans to build a large project in Riverside County. The move dims the developer's prospects for getting more solar power on the grid in California.Rio Mesa was to be a 500-megawatt solar thermal development, with at least half the energy
going to Southern California Edison. Brightsource had put Rio Mesa on pause in January, citing scheduling and transmission problems, but now the company has withdrawn its permit application with the state's Energy Commission. http://www.ca.blm.gov/37kd
"Endangered Bird Found Dead at Desert Solar Power Facility"
(KCET ReWire, 7/10/13)
A bird found dead at a Riverside County solar project in May was a Yuma clapper rail, a Federally listed Endangered species. The rail is one of a number of water birds found dead at the site, according to one of the owners of the project. The fatality marks the first reported
death of a Federally Endangered bird at a renewable energy generation site in the mainland U.S. http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/solar/photovoltaic-pv/endangered-bird-dead-at-desert-solar-facility.html
RELATED: "Desert Sunlight Project" (Palm Springs Field Office)
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/Solar_Projects/Desert_Sunlight.html
|
|
FIRE News
"BLM Fuels Crew Members Join Weaverville Community in July 4 Celebration" (News.bytes Extra)
Members of the BLM Redding Field Office fuels module joined Weaverville's July Fourth celebration, participating in the community's annual holiday parade. Wearing their wildland fire gear and carrying firefighting tools, the crew members shook hands with parade spectators and gave
Smokey Bear fire prevention items to children. BLM firefighting support trucks rolled along the parade route as well.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2013/587_extra_-_weaverville.html
"Small Bone Yard Fire Ignites at BLM Corral" (The Daily Independent, 7/10/13)
A small fire sparked up Monday afternoon around 5 p.m. at the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Corral. Fueled by gusty winds, 108-degree temperatures and plenty of manure, the blaze was quickly knocked down by firefighters. BLM Resource Management Specialist Robert
Pawelek said the suspected cause of the fire was a spark from a chain saw. He said, while it is not known exactly how the fire started, there were crews at the sight of the blaze using chain saws to cut up pieces of trash and garbage.
http://www.ca.blm.gov/17kd
|
|
HEADLINES and HIGHLIGHTS
"Volunteers Help BLM Document History in Passport in Time Project"
(News.bytes Extra)
Volunteers with a passion for history and archaeological research recently helped the Bureau of Land Management Redding Field Office document historic life and work by Chinese miners on a public land site in Siskiyou County. Working and learning under the direction of BLM
Archaeologist Dr. Eric Ritter, the group of 40 mapped the research site, designed and planned research plots, excavated test units and documented their discoveries.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2013/587_extra_-_passport.html
"Mid-Summer Desert Festival at the Desert Discovery Center" (News.bytes Extra)
The Bureau of Land Management's Desert Discovery Center (DDC) recently hosted another successful Mid-Summer Desert Festival. This annual event celebrates the wonders of the Mojave Desert with activities and presentations that explore natural and cultural resources of the high
desert region.The Festival provided a vast array of informational booths that highlighted the diverse opportunities in the community of Barstow and the associated public lands close by.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2013/587_extra_-_desert.html
"Desert Advisory Committee Meeting Scheduled to Consider Imperial Sand Dunes Fee Proposal" (BLM, 7/10/13)
The Bureau of Land Management Desert Advisory Committee will meet in Riverside on July 27 to consider a fee proposal for the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.The meeting will be held from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Riverside Marriott Hotel, 3400 Market St. The meeting is open
to the public. However, discussion is limited to BLM staff and committee members.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2013/july/dac-isdrafeeproposal.html
 "Volunteers Build Trails, Restore Meadows"
(Redwood Times, 07/09/13)
Volunteers met with representatives from the Bureau of Land Management in the King Range last week to help with trail-building and meadow restoration. Armed with nothing more than folding handsaws and work gloves, volunteers manually cut back and removed young Douglas firs and tan
oaks -- one branch at a time. It's labor intensive -- but necessary. http://www.ca.blm.gov/27kd
|
|
NATIONAL AND DEPARTMENT of the INTERIOR ITEMS
"Nominations Open for Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board"
(BLM, 7/03/13)
The Bureau of Land Management is requesting public nominations to fill three positions on its national Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. Nominations are for a term of three years and are needed to represent the following categories of interest: wild horse and burro research, natural
resource management, and public interest (with special knowledge of equine behavior). The Board advises the BLM, an agency of the Interior Department, and the U.S. Forest Service, an agency of the Agriculture Department, on the protection and management of wild free-roaming horses and burros on
public lands administered by those agencies. http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2013/july/nr_07_03_2013.html
"This Week at Interior" (YouTube, 7/05/13)
Hundreds of thousands of visitors in Gettysburg to observe the 150th anniversary of the pivotal Civil War battle; Secretary Jewell visits incident command posts in Arizona as firefighters continue to fight two raging wildfires; a major clean energy announcement in Las Vegas; the
Statue of Liberty reopens in New York Harbor; and Fourth of July fireworks light up the sky over Washington DC.
http://youtu.be/RYeS5M0Wn7g
|
SELECTED UPCOMING EVENTS
July 13 - "BLM, Lost Coast Interpretive Association to Host Free Tidepool Tour at Mal Coombs Park" (BLM, 07/03/13)
The fascinating life in tidepools will be featured in a free interpretive outing Saturday, July 13, from 9 to 10:30 a.m., at Mal Coombs Park in Shelter Cove. Participants should meet at the Mal Coombs Park lighthouse. Bureau of Land Management Interpretive Specialist Rachel
Sowards-Thompson said participants should be prepared to get wet as they learn about the hardy forms of life that exist in tidepools.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2013/july/blm__lost_coast_interpretive.html |
--------------------
- If your e-mail program does not allow you to click on the above links to visit that Web page, copy and paste the URL into your browser's "Location" or
"Address" bar.
- Some online news sites require free registration to view their content online. Some news sites remove news stories from the Web soon after publication. If you plan to keep a story, you should print a copy or save the Web page to your computer.DISCLAIMER: By linking to Web sites, the BLM does not imply endorsement of those sites, or of products or advertisements on those sites.
News.bytes published by
Bureau of Land Management
California State Office
2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1834
Sacramento, Ca 95825
(916) 978-4600
www.blm.gov/ca/
We appreciate feedback. Send comments to the News.bytes team at:
mailto:canewsbytes@xxxxxxx
|
