by Laraine Turk
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on July 27, 2019
As noted in our
July 22 EBlast, MBCA signed on to support an effort by the
Tubbs Canyon Conservancy to urge the USDA Agricultural Research Service to develop a biologic control agent for the incredibly invasive Sahara Mustard that plagues the southwest United States. On July 26
an official request to designate Sahara mustard as a top priority target weed for developing biologic control was sent to the USDA/ARS with the support of 10 U.S. Representatives including our Congressman Paul Cook.
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by Laraine Turk
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on July 22, 2019
- Control the spread of Sahara Mustard
- Paradise Valley Development Threatens Joshua Tree National Park
- Stop Eagle Crest Energy
- Stop Cadiz! SB-307 on Governors desk
- Countywide Plan comments due August 15
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by Laraine Turk
1515sc
on July 22, 2019
Another strong case is made in
a July 12 opinion letter in the Desert Sun against the proposed Paradise Valley housing development of more than 20,000 residents on the south side of Joshua Tree National Park. The piece by Gail Wadsworth, executive director of the California Institute for Rural Studies, focuses on the unmet housing and support needs of rural communities near the proposed site and how the development would be detrimental rather than supportive for residents in those communities.
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by Laraine Turk
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on June 23, 2019
A judge's decision on June 21 has reversed the BLM's 2017 ruling (which was itself a reversal of their prior decision) regarding the need for federal environmental review for the railroad right-of-way that relates to the Cadiz pipeline project. The next action is back in BLM's court. More details can be found in this
Desert Sun article and with greater emphasis on the legal issues in this
Courthouse News Service article. Prior news updates from MBCA on this and other water conservation-related news can be found on our
"Water Issues" page.
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by Laraine Turk
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on June 21, 2019
The latest version of the Draft Countywide Plan was published this spring, and on June 17, the County published the Draft Environmental Impact Report for it, with a comment deadline of Thursday, August 15, 2019.
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by Laraine Turk
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on June 02, 2019
The 9th Desert-Wise Living Landscape Tour provided a chance for several hundred people from the Morongo Basin and beyond to explore 21 landscapes from Flamingo Heights to Twentynine Palms during the last weekend in April. Viewing different sized properties and a multitude of creative ideas and consideration for water conservation, visitors were both delighted and educated.
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by Laraine Turk
1515sc
on June 02, 2019
California Senate Bill 772, which would have provided a supportive policy for hydroelectric energy storage projects like the Eagle Mountain project, failed to pass a full Senate vote. The bill could be reintroduced next year. Read details in
this Desert Sun article and in the
pre-vote Los Angeles Times opinion piece against the bill.
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by Laraine Turk
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on May 29, 2019
- Stop Eagle Crest Energy: NO on SB 772
- Paradise Valley Development Threatens Joshua Tree National Park
- Stop Cadiz: Support SB-307
- Desert-Wise Living Essay Contest
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by Laraine Turk
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on May 28, 2019
MBCA is pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 Desert-Wise Landscape Tour Essay Contest. Six thoughtful and enthusiastic essays were submitted. The essays were ranked by a panel of 3 judges based on the instruction “Describe your experience and/or comment on how you will apply what you learned on the 2019 Desert-Wise Landscape Tour.”
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by Laraine Turk
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on May 24, 2019
While not directly supporting the Eagle Mountain hydropower and storage project, the passage of SB 772 would require California to support projects that would store energy as part of the state's plan to increase renewable energy production. The increasing amount of solar and wind energy is more than can be used as it is produced, so storage becomes more important to continue reducing non-renewable energy consumption. This
in-depth article in the Los Angeles Times provides perspective from both industry and environmental perspectives.
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