Re: Mike Castro and DCHS INC

DCHS, Inc. supports reasonable public access to Deep Creek. Currently routes JF3 and JF4 are more suitable 4-wheel drive high clearance vehicles. DCHS, Inc. would like to see these routes improved slightly to allow for 2-wheel drive vehicles. We believe that reasonable public access should be available and if these routes would be improved slightly that would suffice. (we are not into paving any route out there)

Because these routes are 4-wheel drive, this results in most of the public routed through the Bowen Ranch for access. This is not reasonable public access. In addition, DCHS, Inc. believes the person at the Bowen Ranch, Mike Castro, to be a dangerous unpredictable person who has committed violent acts against numerous individuals.

So, requiring the majority of the public to access through the Bowen Ranch subjects the public to unpredictable violence. This also allows Mike Castro the ability to decide who can access the springs and who can not through the Bowen Ranch. This means that the public driving 2-wheel drive vehicles are subject to Mike Castro's screening process.

Mike Castro does not limit himself to monitoring just the ranch lands, he patrols and has accosted people on public lands.

DCHS, Inc. believes that the increased use of Deep Creek Hot Springs should be dealt with in another manner. There is no doubt that with increasing populations and the introduction of the internet, that Deep Creek is facing increasing use. Perhaps making the hike longer is a solution, perhaps requiring reservations, etc. There needs to be a legal reasonable solution to this issue facing Deep Creek and we need to be a part of that decision process.

One of DCHS, Inc.'s purposes is to provide the necessary facilities and improvements needed to support the recreational use of the springs. For instance, down at the springs, there are no bathrooms or outhouses. This may cause a negative impact on the environment down there and may lead to closure. DCHS, Inc. would offer the solution by providing the funds needed for an outhouse down there.

Currently, there is an illegal cesspool at the Bowen Ranch. When DCHS, Inc. is in a position to take possession of the Bowen Ranch buildings this is one of the improvements that would have to be done. We would have to remove the cesspool and replace it with a septic system. We would like to see bathrooms and showers at the ranch.

Currently, there are no improved camping areas at the ranch or on the public lands. DCHS, Inc. would like to offer improved camping areas for the public. Otherwise, the public would be more likely to camp overnight at Deep Creek which is illegal.

DCHS, Inc. is not in favor of promoting a visitor center. The Bowen Ranch house would become a meeting place for the people who enjoy Deep Creek to meet, discuss the issues facing Deep Creek and offer solutions to the public agencies.

As far as the hotspringer's store, DCHS, Inc. has been funding expenses pretty much on its own for the past three years. We are not yet at the Bowen Ranch where we could then start setting up our organization. So, until then we needed a way to raise funds to pay for ongoing expenses and the funds needed for these future plans. Ongoing expenses include $30. a month for the website, $1,500 a year for insurance. There have been expenses for forming the corporation, attending meetings, writing letters, postage, ink, paper, audio tapes of meetings, etc.

We like the ruggedness of the area and are not into commercializing anything out there.

DCHS, Inc. has been attending public meetings and reviewing information about the new management plans being done by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. The plans call for drastic changes that have never been done before concerning the use of public lands.

The endangered species are to have priority over any human use. Deep Creek has endangered species and is being proposed as a Special Interest Area for cultural, scenic and zoological. A special interest area can also be for public popularity. This is not the case with Deep Creek. Deep Creek is also proposed for a designation as a Wild and Scenic River.

As to exactly what this will mean for Deep Creek remains to be seen. However, there are riparian areas that are being fenced off to prevent human access.

The Forest Service is scheduled to release their proposed changes to their management plan in June. Maybe then it will be more clear what is planned for the future of Deep Creek.

In the meantime, the Bureau of Land Management has been proposing that the Juniper Flats ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern) be expanded to a much larger area bordered by Tussing Ranch Road to the north, and the Forest Service boundary to the south. With an ACEC, decisions are made by the authorized officer at BLM. The public would have no ability to be a part of the decision process.

DCHS, Inc. is concerned about how these new plans by these two agencies may impact our right to access and enjoyment of the springs. We shall soon see more clearly when the two proposed plans are released.