Posted
on
MBCA News
by
Laraine Turk
· March 13, 2020 10:51 AM
The National Environmental Policy Act has been a critical tool in defending the health and welfare of our Mojave Desert and its residents. The current Administration has proposed changes to NEPA regulations that decimate these protections. MBCA has submitted a
comment letter against these changes that references local experiences with NEPA and its relationship to our mission to "advocate for the healthy desert." In addition, MBCA has signed on to
a letter representing 328 organizations and tribal nations that comprehensively defines the value of NEPA and reasons for rejection of the proposed changes.
Posted
on
MBCA News
by
Laraine Turk
· January 31, 2020 3:11 PM
MBCA has added its voice of opposition to the
Crimson Solar project in Riverside County. A detailed analysis of and comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Report by our colleagues at
Basin and Range Watch and
Western Watersheds Project resulted in this conclusion:
"The BLM should select the No Action Alternative for the Crimson Solar Project. The project is not complete in planning. The BLM has not chosen or decided on adequate mitigation yet. The project's storage plan is full of flaws. California is overgenerating large-scale solar energy. It is not worth the risk to special status species, and to degrade so many resources on lands considered so sacred to Native Americans - especially when the project technology is so speculative."
Read
the entire comment letter for all the details.
Posted
on
MBCA News
by
Laraine Turk
· November 05, 2019 12:51 PM
Riverside County Supervisors have denied the Paradise Valley project on a 5-0 vote despite the project applicant's request for the typical 90-day continuance. A number of MBCA representatives attended the November 5th meeting and were among those cheering the result. Read more details in the
Desert Sun's November 6 story on the vote, and for background, read
our News Update from August 21st when the Riverside County Planning Commission recommended that the Supervisors deny the project.
Posted
on
MBCA News
by
Laraine Turk
· October 16, 2019 8:18 AM

The
Desert Sun reports that the Center for Biological Diversity recently filed a petition with the state's Fish and Game Commission for protection of the Western Joshua Tree from climate change by listing it as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act. The
news article provides scientific and political background on the issue. The Commission has 10 days to certify the petition and send it to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, which then has 90 days to provide an initial recommendation. Here is the
LA Times story on this topic.
Posted
on
MBCA News
by
Laraine Turk
· September 12, 2019 11:45 AM
Local resident Tom O'Key, who initiated and was critical to the success of the statewide campaign against bobcat trapping several years ago (see MBCA News Update "
End of Bobcat Trapping") has been a key part of a followup effort to end
all fur trapping in California. That campaign was successful and Tom is quoted several times in
this LA Times article describing the Governor's signing of this first-in-America bill.
Posted
on
MBCA News
by
Laraine Turk
· September 06, 2019 1:36 PM
In April,
MBCA submitted a letter in support of the Tubbs Canyon Desert Conservancy in their effort to convince the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) to seek new ways of controlling Saharan mustard. The Conservancy has alerted us of a positive response from the USDA, stating that their upcoming 5-year plan for 2020-2025
“will [emphasis added] include studies on identifying and assessing potential biocontrol agents that can be used for Sahara mustard mitigation and eradication." Here is the USDA-ARS letter for full details. (See MBCA's Invasive Plants page for more on Sahara mustard.)
Posted
on
MBCA News
by
Laraine Turk
· August 21, 2019 1:18 PM
We received word from MBCA President Steve Bardwell shortly after the decision on the afternoon of August 21 that the proposed Paradise Valley housing development planned for the southern edge of Joshua Tree National Park was voted down by the Riverside County Planning Commission, in a 4-1 vote. Read more details in
this Desert Sun article. Enjoy the photos below taken at the venue. MBCA Directors and supporters, especially Steve Bardwell, Sarah Kennington, and our stalwart science guru Pat Flanagan were vigilant in keeping track of the project, attending meetings, and
making comments against the ill-conceived project.
Pat Flanagan presenting her science-based and impassioned plea to deny the Paradise Valley project.

Sarah Kennington holding DENY Paradise Valley sign.

The post-vote celebration of the denial of the Paradise Valley Project.