As off-roaders, we’re used to getting closed out, locked out, and legislated off of the lands we dearly love to recreate on. Anyone who remembers the California Desert Protection Act will recall how millions of acres of the Mojave Desert were systematically removed from vehicular access with the help of the Sierra Club, the late Senator Alan Cranston, and Senator Dianne Feinstein. Off-roaders had little say in the matter even though we were directly affected by this legislative juggernaut. Senator Feinstein, a longtime ally of pro-Wilderness, anti-OHV special interests, turned a deaf ear to our cries. This time, it’s different.
For those who haven’t heard, the USMC base in Twentynine Palms, California is looking to expand, and is considering the acquisition of the Johnson Valley OHV area. The new expansion area will be used for live fire exercises as Marines train for combat.
Those who think this only means the loss of the infamous Hammer rock crawling trails, which directly abut the western border of the Twentynine Palms USMC base, need to think again. The Marines might end up taking the whole Johnson Valley OHV area. This means we’ll also lose access to the areas off of Camp Rock Road, Bessemer Mine Road, and Boone Road. This isn’t just a threat to rock crawlers. This is a threat to truck and buggy racers and prerunners, a threat to dirt bike riders, a threat to quad riders, and a threat to side-by-side UTV drivers. As off-roaders, we’re all lumped into this together.
Overall, the Marines are our friends. As U.S. citizens, we depend on the USMC to keep us safe in the world. We deeply appreciate the service they provide and the freedom we enjoy. And on an individual level, many Marines are avid off-roaders and appreciate the need for open land on which to recreate.
Even though we generally feel positive toward the Marines, this is one instance where the off-road community needs to stand up for itself and respectfully request the Marines look elsewhere for new training grounds.
The Johnson Valley OHV area is to the west of the Twentynine Palms Marine base. The Marines are also considering expanding eastward. We need to encourage eastward expansion.
Why is it different this time? It’s different because off-roaders have a listening ear with the Marine Corps. “We want to expand our base of operations in the way that will do the most good and will negatively impact the fewest people,” USMC Dr. Jim Cassidy informed the author at an Open House Scoping Meeting in Ontario, California. His colleague, USMC public affairs specialist Captain Amy Malugani, concurred. “As we’ve held these meetings, we’ve heard lots of anecdotal evidence about how much the off-road community loves Johnson Valley. People have shared lots of emotion about their connections to Johnson Valley. While we appreciate the anecdotes and the emotion, we need quantification and hard facts in order to make our decision.”
What does quantification mean in this instance? Dr. Cassidy shed some light: “We need to know how many people use Johnson Valley for recreation. We need to know how often they go. We need to know how much money they’ve invested in their recreational equipment. We need to know where they’re from and how long they’ve been going to Johnson Valley. Recently, a couple told us that they use off-road trips to Johnson Valley as a reward to their grandkids for being good. That example means that Johnson Valley has inter-generational significance. These are the types of quantification we’re after.”
There are seven milestones along the way, three of which include opportunities for public comment. These are opportunities to make our voices heard.
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, federal agencies must analyze the environmental impacts of their proposed activities, producing an Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS.
1. Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS. This milestone was passed on October 30, 2008, and was an official public announcement of the USMC’s intent to expand the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base.
2. Scoping Period. This period ‘scopes’ around for the public’s input and presents a range of alternatives for the proposed expansion. There are six alternatives being presented. The Scoping Period began October 30, 2008 and will end January 31, 2009.
3. The Draft EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) is prepared. The Draft EIS will be prepared beginning February 1, 2009 and be finished by spring, 2010. No public comments are taken during this time.
4. Notice of EIS availability, followed by public meetings and comment period. Here’s where we get to speak up. A Federal Register will notify the public that the Draft EIS is available. This will happen during Spring, 2010. After the Draft EIS is available, there will be a 90-day period for public meetings and public comment. The Draft EIS will be available on the internet and in hard copy at selected public libraries around Southern California.
5. The Final EIS will be written, taking public comments into account, during winter 2010.
6. The Final EIS will be available for public comment for 30 days, and the public will be informed of its availability. This is another chance to voice opinions and state facts from our point of view.
7. A final decision will be made and announced during spring, 2011.
How to Take Action
Speak up! This means writing letters, sending e-mails, and making phone calls. You don’t have to go through your Congressional Representative. You can go directly to the Marines.
Here’s the easy way. Go to the project’s website at www.29palms.usmc.mil/las . From the main page, find the “Other Info” menu. From “Other Info,” choose “Scoping Displays/Handouts,” and then choose “comment sheet.” The comment sheet is a form that can be downloaded, filled out, and mailed in. Be sure to mail the completed form soon; the forms must be completed and received by the Marines before January 31st 2009.
Our basic message to the USMC: The off-road community wants the Marines to expand the Twentynine Palms base to the East.
We need to tell the Marines how much we love playing in Johnson Valley, and we need to tell them how many people we bring with us, and we need to tell them how much money we’ve invested in off-roading. The Marines recognize emotion, but they need the hard facts, too.
As previously mentioned, the Marine Corps has set up a website for this project. The site includes maps, links, and other information pertinent to this proposed expansion.
Visit often, and speak up.
Here’s hoping we’ll still get to play in Johnson Valley in 2011 and beyond.