Challenging Moss Mill "Done Deal"

I do not agree, Jobe. A jury will accept the WEMO claim that safe and convenient access to Deep Creek Hot Springs has been provided. Fire trucks will surely be allowed to access through Bowen Ranch. You must contest WEMO to win your case.

WEMO is flawed with ethical and legal violations. Both the Moss Mill Rd. closure and opening J1299 through the Cottonwood Springs cultural site were secretive "Done Deals" made to favored persons and interests. The Moss Mill Rd. closure was kept off the table despite the fact that it is a historic route declared to be open in the Federal Record. Current BLM Field Manager Roxie Trost early advised that J1299 was a "Done Deal". The ensuing public storm over that declaration resulted in the Comment Clarification meetings. These meetings unfairly excluded most of the public. Nonetheless, at their conclusion , Trost stated that the public had been heard and she gave her pledge that J1299 would not be opened.

Ranger Nelson became visibly angry and threatened a property owner who had objected to J1299. (Nelson had made previous veiled threats to that same person.) OHV Coordinator Mike Ahrens had conducted the Comment Clarification meetings and was also clearly upset. What to do? The Decision Table completed by Ahrens and Biologist Casey Burns had mandated closure of J1299. Opportunity soon presented itself with the departure of biologist Burns. Ahrens modified the table deleting resource protection leaving the biogist's signature on the table. As a consequence of his falsification of a document, J1299 was again a "Done Deal".

The "Done Deals" will not survive legal challenge.