Mojave Watch recently attended the BLM's DRECP Public Scoping Meetings in Hesperia and Joshua Tree.
Mojave Watch recently attended the BLM's Public Scoping Meetings in Hesperia and Joshua Tree. Both meetings were extremely well attended, with approximately 150 community members at each. Presentations in an adjoining room were conducted by representatives of organizations concerned about the potential impacts of reopening the DRECP for additional power project development.
Chris Clarke of the National Parks Conservation Association moderated the organizational panel discussions, with guests that included David Lamfrom of the NPCA, April Sall of the California Desert Coalition, Kate Hoit of Vet Voice Foundation, Frazier Haney of the Mojave Desert Land Trust, and others. The panel discussion was followed by a court reporter taking public comments for submission to the BLM.
The BLM presentation itself was extremely upbeat and lacking in specifics about any potential changes to the DRECP. BLM officials noted after the presentation that while they had been informed by the Department of the Interior that the power industry had complaints about restrictions imposed by the DRECP, they had few details. They did indicate that a required setback around the borders of developed site areas had been mentioned as being objectionable, despite the fact the DRECP helps streamline project development on included Development Focus Areas (DFAs).
A full house of approximately 150 people at the Joshua Tree public scoping meeting.
The DRECP panel discussion at the Hesperia public scoping meeting.
BLM staff provided good background information on the DRECP, while offering few details about the proposed reopening of the plan.
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