🚀 go-pugleaf

As most of you have probably heard by now, the California Desert
Protection Bill (SB 21) passed the senate on Tuesday 4/12 and
will now be moving forward in the house natural resources
committee, chaired by George Miller (D-CA). What may not have
been evident from the mainstream media stories, however, is that
the senate version of the bill has two major shortcomings:

1.   Senator Feinstein introduced and succeeded in passing an
     amendment to allow perpetual cattle grazing in the proposed
     Mojave National Park. However one may feel about grazing on
     the multiple-use public lands administered by the BLM and
     the U.S. Forest Service, it should be clear to all that
     grazing, or any other commercial activity that damages the
     environment, is wholly incompatible with the purposes of a
     national park. The purpose of a national park is to preserve
     a portion of the natural world "unimpaired" and to make it
     accessible to the public. Cattle grazing conflicts with both
     of these purposes. A "natural" area that is being grazed by
     some rancher's stock is certainly not "unimpaired," and the
     interests of the rancher often conflict with those of other
     citizens who want to visit and use park lands.

     Cattle compete with native wildlife for food and water. They
     strip the land of all edible native plants and open the way
     for the encroachment of invasive exotics (weeds). They
     destroy stream banks and riparian vegetation. Grazing forces
     land managers to put the economic interests of ranchers
     ahead of ecological considerations, e.g., in allowing the
     killing of predators, rather than maintaining a complete and
     healthy ecosystem in which predators and prey maintain a
     natural balance. The ecosystems of the Mojave did not
     co-evolve with large hoofed grazing mammals such as cattle,
     and cannot support them except to the detriment of native
     species. The Mojave N.P. should be managed for the bighorn
     sheep, the mule deer, the desert tortoise, and the many
     other native species currently resident, not for the
     domestic cow.


2.   Certain areas around the Lanfair Valley were excluded from
     the boundaries of the Mojave National Park at the urging of
     property owners in the valley; the exclusions go far beyond
     the valley itself, and include some of the most important
     areas in the proposed park from an ecological, recreational,
     or historical perspective. Collectively, they constitute and
     unhealthy bite taken from the heart of the proposed park.

*    Hole in the Wall--one of the few developed camp grounds in
     the area and a popular destination for artists and rock
     climbers. Also a trailhead for cross-country hikes.

*    Piute Spring/Piute Range--Piute Spring is one of the very
     few perennial streams in the scenic area. This rare riparian
     habitat deserves the highest level of protection. It is also
     the site of the ruins of historic Fort Piute, a U.S.
     military post dating from the 1860's

*    Caruthers Canyon--site of a relict costal chaparral
     community-an island habitat left over from a wetter climate.
     A favorite destination of bird watchers.

*    Woods Mountains/Table Mountain--location of several
     potentially important archaeological sites.

In addition to these amendments, it is expected that other
harmful amendments that were defeated in the senate will be
reintroduced in the house:

Rep. Larry LaRocca (ID) is expected to introduce an amendment to
downgrade the Mojave N.P. to a "preserve" in order to permit
hunting. The park area is not a particularly good hunting area
anyway, about 25 mule deer were shot there last year, along with
five bighorns (which, IMHO, ought not to be hunted *anywhere*
until healthy populations are restored throughout their former
range). But the NRA has apparently taken the position that no new
national parks should be created unless they allow hunting. I,
for one, like to be able to hike in a park in the fall with the
confidence that I am safe from trigger happy bozos who shoot at
anything that moves.

It is also expected that someone will introduce an amendment to
allow unlimited low-level military overflights of ALL desert
parks and wilderness areas, overriding the wilderness act and
federal land policy act. This amendment was introduced in the
senate by Malcom Wallop (R-WY), but soundly defeated.

I encourage you to contact your representatives and urge that
he/she work to correct these flaws in the house version of the
Desert Protection bill (HR 518). Of particular importance at this
stage are representatives on the natural resources committee:

Austin Murphy (PA)
Nathan Deal (GA)
Peter De Fazio (OR)
Karen Shepherd (UT)
Bill Richardson (NM)
Calvin Dooley (CA)
Thomas Barrett (WI)
Nick Rahall (WV)
Karan English (AZ)
Rick Lehman (CA--sponsor of the bill in the house)

Thanks, and don't hesitate to ask if you want further details.

--DBD