MBCA News

Eblast May 31, 2017

by
892sc
on June 01, 2017

Altamira Gate Community Housing Project
Joshua Tree Airport solar project
Eagle Crest Gen-Tie Project
Off Highway Vehicle Recreation Act: Senate Bill 249
Protecting Integrity of National Monuments

Dear MBCA Members and Supporters,

We can now provide you with updates on several projects and issues MBCA tracks. Let’s start with MBCA director David Fick’s news on three long-standing thorns in our sides: Altamira Gated Housing, JT Airport Solar and Eagle Crest.

The Altamira Gated Community Housing Project

Resident activist Janet Johnston and others tenaciously researched California law regarding the standing of Community Plans. Their organization, JT105, LLP Alliance appealed the Planning Commission decision and CEQA litigated after the San Bernardino Supervisors decision to allow the project to go forward. Their efforts proved to be a strong offense in the success of their lawsuit. Altamira is in a "legal stay" for six months as requested by the proponent YV105, LLP.

The project is now for sale through a San Diego area real estate broker for $3 million dollars. The proponent has stated that they've invested $4.5 million dollars on the proposed project.

For background on the history of Altamira Housing Project, click here.

Joshua Tree Airport Solar Project

NextEra /JT Solar project is also officially in a "legal stay" for six months as requested by NextEra. The Southern California Edison’s RAM Power Purchase Agreement for the project has expired and NextEra has stated no work on the project has gone forward. The group Joshua Tree Community for Responsible Solar took the lead in opposing the project and initiated legal action.

The JT Airport Solar page on our website contains a chronological history of MBCA’s reports on the JT Airport Solar Project via our E-blasts.

Eagle Crest Gen-Tie Project

The Desert Protection Society (DPS), Donna Charpied and Larry Charpied, have formally submitted comments appealing the BLM approval of the California Desert Conservation (CDCA) Land Use Plan Amendment (LUPA) Finding of No

Significant Impact and Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for Crest Energy Gen-Tie Project. They contend that the LUPA and EA are based on deficient environmental review that violate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and FLPMA (Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976).

BLM proposes to grant to the Eagle Crest Energy Company (Eagle Crest) a right of-way (ROW) to construct, operate, and decommission a 5000-kV gen-tie line and water pipeline to transmit electricity generated by Eagle Crest’s proposed pumped storage facility. This facility would be placed within a private inholding carved out of and surrounded on three sides by JTNP, and would have permanent and severe adverse impacts on Joshua Tree National Park.

DPS’s comments note that the area’s natural, ecological, scenic, wildlife and wilderness values should be preserved rather than sacrificed for unneeded industrial-scale energy development that uses more energy than it would generate, and exacerbates the ongoing overdraft of the Chuckwalla Basin aquifer. Further, they hold that an environmental impact statement (EIS) must be prepared as NEPA requires – to take a “hard look” at the Project’s cumulative impacts in compliance with NEPA.

MBCA joined conservation partners in an Environmental Assessment Comment letter to BLM state Director Jerome Perez. For MBCA’s background on opposition to Eagle Crest with a link to the comment letter detailing all the stages of insufficient analysis, click here.

Thanks, David for tracking these developments that threaten Joshua Tree and JTNP. Next, MBCA director Pat Flanagan reports on an OHV issue with important consequences for the Basin.

OHMVR, Senate Bill 249

MBCA initiated a letter also signed by representatives of Community ORV Watch

(COW) and the Alliance for Responsible Recreation, asking the California

Appropriations Committee to take action on Senate Bill 249, the Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Act (OHMVR). Here is a reader-friendly summary of key points in the bill, introduced by Senator Ben Allen. This bill would reauthorize the State Parks Off Highway Vehicle Recreation division that provides increased safeguards for landscape resources.

If the California Senate does not proceed to reauthorize the OHMVR, the program will end on December 31, 2017. This needed legislation will provide for both reasonable off-highway recreation and also for resource protection and appropriate law enforcement. Morongo Basin is among the many rural communities that have miles of trails incorrectly viewed as suitable for open riding. MBCA's letter states "Our concern is not with the legal but the illegal riders." While the bill is not everything the conservation community would like to see, it is a step forward in protecting California’s precious and fragile landscapes from rampant ORV damage.

Your letters in support of SB 249 are needed right now – this week is best! You can find all the details you need at the ORV Watch/COW website. In particular, most readers of MBCA’s E-blasts are likely to be constituents of 16^th District’s State Senator Jean Fuller. She is not on the Appropriations Committee, but you should call her (1-916-651-4016) and email her a message that you want her to support SB 249 when it comes to a vote. Readers outside of the Morongo Basin should check this list provided by ORV Watch to see if your State Senator is a critical voter – if so, please email them as a constituent.

Although emails from non-constituents are not accepted, you can make a phone call or send a faxed letter to any senator to urge their support of SB 249; again, a list of numbers and a sample script are available at the COW website.

Protect our National Monuments

I suspect you are already well aware of the threat the President is directing to the integrity of national monuments. The Mojave Desert Land Trust’s Desert Defender campaign: Protect our Desert National Monuments provides a forum for public expression in support of Mojave Trails and Sand to Snow National Monuments. Names and messages will be collected at this website during the open public comment period and sent to the Department of the Interior in demonstration of our support of these national treasures. If you haven’t already, it’s easy to do and important to register your support here – even if you’ve commented elsewhere.

To read MBCA director Pat Flanagan’s op-ed in the San Bernardino County Sun, Efforts to shrink, eliminate national parks will hurt economy, click here.

Thanks to David, Pat and all the stellar MBCA directors. It truly takes all of us on the Board of Directors in our attempt to track these issues, create informed opinions and generate a course of action in a timely way to educate our members and supporters. It is critical that MBCA as an organization and you as individuals submit comments to decision makers. Thanks also for your attention – we know we make a difference.

Ruth Denison Environmental Conservation Scholarship Award

MBCA presented the first annual Ruth Denison Environmental Conservation

Scholarship award of $500.00 to Nicole Serrano on May 17^th at the Yucca Valley

High School’s Senior Awards and Scholarships Program. Nicole also received The Wildlands Conservancy’s Environmental Education Scholarship presented by Cindy Zacks, and was honored as the Valedictorian of her 2017 graduating class. She will attend UC, Davis with majors in animal and environmental science. All our best, Nicole – you are an inspiration. We wish you every success in your studies!

This first award represents a fulfillment of a longstanding goal to increase MBCA’s support of environmental education of local students who plan to attend a university or college and prepare for employment in careers related to environmental or conservation work. You can learn more about the bequest from Ruth Denison that made this scholarship possible at MBCA website’s Denison Scholarship page.

MBCA Desert Wise Landscape Tour’s Essay Contest Winners

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Desert-Wise Living Landscape Tour. Congratulations to the winners Rosalie Mendoza, Ken Brock, and Susan Jordan, and to the 2017 Desert-Wise Landscape Committee. Job well done! The May 30 News Update about the Contest includes links to their essays. They do a great job of capturing the joy of the day for the many visitors. These are gratifying to the Landscape Tour Committee – they strongly reflect that the goal of educating and inspiring water-wise gardens is being accomplished.

On our News Updates page you will find links to Peter Brooks’ Los Angeles

Times op-ed on Cadiz: The ludicrous plan to pump Mojave Water to L.A.; Director Ruth Rieman’s presentation from the Black Rock lecture series on grassroots activism; a link to the story reported by KCDZ on the progress for the Morongo Basin bike trails; and much more! Thanks to Laraine Turk and the dedicated committee of Cathy Zarakov, Nora Lousignant, and Steve Bardwell in developing and maintaining MBCA’s digital communications. This dedicated committee works to keep you informed of conservation & quality of life issues in a timely fashion so that you are able to respond in defense of the Basin environment.

Sincerely,

Sarah Kennington, MBCA President

Your 2017 MBCA Board

David Fick, Vice President Laraine Turk, Director

Steve Bardwell, Treasurer Meg Foley, Director

Marina West, Recording Secretary Claudia Sall, Events

Pat Flanagan, Director

Ruth Rieman, Director

www.mbconservation.org

MBCA advocates for a healthy desert environment
that nurtures the region’s rural character, cultural wealth
and economic well-being.

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Landscape Tour Essay Contest Winners

by
892sc
on May 30, 2017

MBCA is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Desert-Wise Landscape Tour Essay Contest. The winners were selected in a very close vote. All of the submissions caught both the detail and the spirit of the "Desert-Wise" focus of the Tour. We thank the writers for submitting their thoughts and hope you will enjoy their creative essays. We also thank Unique Nursery and Cactus Mart for their support of the Landscape Tour by sponsoring the Essay Contest Prizes.

The First Place essay is by Rosalie Mendoza, who will receive a $200 Gift Certificate to Unique Nursery.

The Second Place winner is Ken Brock, who wins a $150 Gift Certificate to Cactus Mart.

And Susan Jordan is the Third Place winner. She will receive a $100 Gift Certificate to Cactus Mart.

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LA Times Op-Ed on Cadiz by MBCA Speaker

by
892sc
on May 21, 2017

We encourage you to read today's Los Angeles Times op-ed about the Cadiz water project, "The ludicrous plan to pump Mojave Water to L.A.". The author, Peter Brooks, has been a featured speaker at two of MBCA's Desert-Wise Lectures. His focus in September 2015 was "The Future of Water: Understanding the Worlds's Most Precious Resource," and in September 2016 he presented "The future of energy and the grid for Morongo Basin" for MBCA. His LA Times opinion piece will give you an overview and update about why MBCA and many conservation groups and desert residents oppose the Cadiz project.

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Denison Scholarship Winner Announced

by
892sc
on May 18, 2017

Nicole Serrano, graduating senior and valedictorian at Yucca Valley High School, has been awarded the first Ruth Denison Environmental Conservation Scholarship by MBCA. Nicole has been admitted to the University of California, Davis, to study animal science and environmental science. She is pictured here with Sarah Kennington, President of MBCA. Read more about Ruth Denison's inspirational life on our website's scholarship page.

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Concern about Tortoises in Joshua Tree National Park

by
892sc
on May 16, 2017

The Los Angeles Times published a comprehensive article on the status of tortoises in Joshua Tree National Park. The reduction in numbers over past decades, and especially the deaths of a number of female tortoises in the southern area of the Park in recent years is of concern. The scientists interviewed share data and hypotheses about the current and future status of the Park icon.

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National Monuments Guest Commentary

by
892sc
on May 11, 2017

A guest commentary by MBCA Director Pat Flanagan on the importance of National Monuments to the County of San Bernardino and its desert communities was published on Wednesday, May 10, 2017. We have made available a printable version of Pat's commentary or you can view the story on the Sun's website.

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Rieman Presentation - Grass Roots Activism

by
892sc
on May 08, 2017

MBCA Director (and prior President and Treasurer) Ruth Rieman served as a panel member at the April 21, 2017 Black Rock Symposium (a series sponsored by the Joshua Tree National Park Association through its Desert Institute), on the topic "Grassroots Activism in the Morongo Basin." Ruth's presentation explored the stories of several historic women desert activists who inspired her and also provided an overview of the organizations and causes she has been involved with for decades here in the Morongo Basin, especially with MBCA and the California Desert Coalition. Take a look at her PowerPoint Presentation titled "Grassroots" to understand more about the heart and soul of a true desert activist.

You can also view a YouTube video of the entire hour and a half Symposium (that also includes fellow Board Member Laraine Turk's presentation on the Morongo Basin Dark Skies Alliance).

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Progress for Morongo Basin Bike Trails

by
892sc
on May 04, 2017

A grant is now in place with the County to begin planning bicycle trails across the Morongo Basin. MBCA Board of Advisors member Greg Gilbert has worked toward this goal for a number of years. As reported on KCDZ radio, "The bike trails project would stretch approximately 100 miles altogether, uniting the Morongo Basin communities." Here is the full story.

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E-Blast May 2, 2017

by
892sc
on May 02, 2017

Before we update you on several important issues, we want to report that the 2017 Desert-Wise Landscape Tour was a huge success. Almost 400 participants visited the 21 sites located across the Morongo Basin on the weekend of April 22-23, and were educated and enchanted with the creative and water-wise landscapes they viewed. Over 60 volunteers served as hosts, docents, and registration workers. Read more about the Tour and view some photos on our Landscape Tour Review page.

Sponsors that make the Tour possible include Mojave Water Agency, Twentynine Palms Water District, Hi-Desert Water District, Southern California Edison, Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency, and Joshua Basin Water District.

One last note on the Tour - we urge all participants to consider writing a few paragraphs about their experience at the Tour and submitting it to the Essay Contest competition for gift certificate prizes from Unique Nursery and Cactus Mart. Gift certificate prizes range from $100-$200 - a nice reward to further your own landscape goals! Read all the details here - and submit your thoughts by Monday, May 15.

Desert National Monuments

Most of you will have learned from news media about President Trump's recent order for the Department of the Interior to review a number of recently-created National Monuments, including our two local Monuments, Sand-To-Snow and Mojave Trails, that hundreds of us worked so hard to bring to fruition. News reports from local radio station KCDZ FM, the Desert Sun, and the Los Angeles Times provide details. The LA Times editorial the next day was very clear about its position; it was titled "Leave the national monuments alone." There is much uncertainty about how rescinding National Monuments could happen. Morongo Basin residents are urged to let your federal representatives know your feelings on the matter. You can find contact information and links on our Decision-Maker Contact Information Page within our Resource Library.

Eagle Crest Pumping Project (at the old Eagle Mountain Mine)

We alerted you in March to the Desert Sun's editorial titled "Brown Misguided on Eagle Mountain infrastructure ask," commenting negatively on Governor Jerry Brown's request for federal funding to move this project forward. The use of desert aquifers to create a "giant battery in the desert" by filling two of the Eagle Mountain Mine empty pits with water and devising an energy-generating movement of the water would likely decimate desert aquifers that fuel desert life in Joshua Tree National Park. The Desert Sun has published a follow-up editorial that, while expressing some degree of inevitability about the project moving forward, strongly advises to "Keep close watch on Eagle Mountain hydropower project."

County Renewable Energy Element Final Draft

We recently posted a news item about the almost-final status of the San Bernardino County’s Renewable Energy Element of the County General Plan. Here is the link to that information.

Upcoming Events

(Bookmark MBCA’s Community Events Calendar page to keep up with meetings and events we think will be of interest to MBCA supporters.)

Monday, May 8, 6:30-8:00 PM, Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council at Joshua Tree Community Center. Along with reports from County safety and fire agencies and MAC representatives, Caltrans is scheduled to present an update on the Downtown JT traffic plan.

Wednesday, May 17, 4:00-6:30 PM, Celebration of Life for Victoria Fuller at the Joshua Basin Water District Demonstration Garden. Victoria was a member of MBCA’s Board of Advisors among many other community groups, and a contributor to countless community improvement initiatives. This event will give all of us a chance to remember her engaging personality and many contributions. Hope to see you there.

Thanks for your support.

Your 2017 MBCA Board

Sarah Kennington, President David Fick, Vice President
Steve Bardwell, Treasurer Marina West, Recording Secretary
Pat Flanagan, Director Meg Foley, Director
Ruth Rieman, Director Claudia Sall, Events
Laraine Turk, Director

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County RE Element Final Draft

by
892sc
on April 25, 2017

Here is a message from the County about the latest status of the Renewable Energy and Conservation Element of the County's General Plan. For more background, you can click the links in this November 2016 News Update from MBCA.

* * * *

April 25, 2017

April 2017 Final Public Hearing Draft Renewable Energy and Conservation Element Now Available for Public Review!

The Final Public Hearing Draft Renewable Energy and Conservation Element (REC Element) has been revised following the Planning Commission Public Hearing held November 3, 2016 and is now available for public review. The Board of Supervisors’ upcoming public hearing has not yet been scheduled, but the date will be posted on the Land Use Services Renewable Energy website and email notices sent out once scheduled.

The April 2017 Final Public Hearing Draft REC Element tracks the changes made to the November 2016 Draft and may be viewed via the following link:

FINAL PUBLIC HEARING DRAFT RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CONSERVATION ELEMENT April 2017

Comments and/or questions may be sent directly to [email protected] .

Linda Mawby

Senior Planner Land Use Services Department

Phone: 909-387-4002 Fax: 909-387-3223

385 North Arrowhead Avenue, First Floor

San Bernardino, CA 92415-0187

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