Good afternoon, I wanted to send a quick letter and let you know what I have been up to this last week, and to invite you to a meeting hosted by Senator Feinstein on proposed desert monument designations on Tuesday, October 13th.
At the request of the NPCA I, along with three others, were in Washington D.C. all of last week lobbying for a new “national monument”, Sand to Snow, Mohave Trails and Castle Mountain to be exact. Not something I saw myself doing; even when I heard about this I didn’t grasp it until I was there doing it. I went undecided about the bill, not that I don’t want to protect the desert but I also use the desert, grew up in the desert and love the desert …every time I hear “conservation” I see closures, National Park or not. Most parks, if not all, were needed and history supports this fact. But more than once I‘ve thought had things been managed differently ALL who have lived and loved the desert could continue to enjoy the desert as well as protect it.
This plan was 6 years in the making and is going through the process yet again.
This bill has the makings to be a landmark moment in this balance of life we are all going through together. It will not only connects Big Bear to Joshua Tree to Castle Mountain, it will connect off-roaders to hikers to historians to miners. Tree huggers and off roaders can be one in the same.
The more layers I peel back the more it shows to be a well thought-out plan with overwhelmingly broad support allowing those who currently use the land for recreation in all forms to continue. It actually opens up areas that were not, it allows for mining to continue with one strong twist – an emphasis on respect as a national park should be respected. It does stop further development with a few provisions (assumption), ensuring for the next century and beyond that the harshest but most fragile of landscape that I know of is there for all to enjoy for centuries to come. But more important the enjoyment the desert will be given the chance to survive. It’s hard to imagine how closely tied our desert regions are, not only with each other but with the mountains that surround them, the life in them and least we forget the life they give.
We met with the office of both Senators as well as congressmen Ruiz and Cook, the Departments of Interior, Environmental Quality, BLM, the Parks Service and some others I am sure I am forgetting. The meetings were great and it seems Washington wants this to happen as well as the populace in the desert.
Congressman Cook introduced his bill last week, Senator Feinstein will be proposing her 6-year-old bill today the 8th and then will follow it up with a community meeting October 13th at Whitewater Preserve. I have been asked to help make sure there is a large showing of people with a diverse background, elected officials and so on. They also they stressed the point of inviting those who oppose the bill or don’t know about it.
So I am writing all of you to help this bill be a success (perhaps with changes from the meeting) for all who use the desert and also to show that the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, can work together. The last may be a small step because they all seem in favor, but really any step in that direction is a huge step for the healing of this country.
Please join and be heard. Regardless of your view, the more people who are present will show that this bill – our desert – deserves our policy makers’ full attention.
Click Here to See News Release >> News From Senator Feinstein
Thanks for your help.
Nate Otto
Hot Purple Energy
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