Re: Fair Public Hearings?

The public has the right to notification of management plans that will affect them, full disclosure of the plan and its impacts, the right to participate in the planning process by attending public meetings, making verbal or written comments, with all sides of the issue being involved, hopefully the best plan for all would be the result.

If this was a true public hearing, then opposing viewpoints are part of the process. However, maybe this was not truly a public hearing and had only certain people chosen to speak. This is an opinion letter sent to the editor by Daniel Patterson who is strongly on the environmentalist side.

However, the Bureau of Land Management has been working on this plan for over 10 years, did you know it was going on? Were you at least notified so that you could choose to participate or not? Most likely not by the BLM. Maybe you became aware because of this forum. That is what I see as the problem.

There were certain people who were selected and/or participated in the BLM planning process for the past 10 years. Now within those people were various view points to include Daniel Patterson, the Sierra Club, and Ed Waldheim from CORVA and other participants. There is the struggle between the environmentalists and user groups.

Then there are politics at work here. There are four Government Entities here struggling over the control of land. Three counties and the Bureau of Land Management. Land is a very valuable comodity and is becoming increasingly valuable especially if there is water involved.

Then there are the special interest groups such as Sierra Club, Center for Biodiversity, CORVA, PEER, PLPU, Backcountry horseman, Cattlemen, Miners, AMA (American Motorcycle Assn), landowners, etc.

Let's get back to the County vs. Bureau of Land Management (Federal Government). Sure they both want control over this land. The County realizes that there is an economic benefit that the high desert receives from people coming up there to recreate. They spend their money going through town. There is also the benefit of development in the property tax dollars and the business development.

Then there is the Bureau of Land Management. What is their motivation? Are they strictly concerned about the endangered species and the environment? Did you know they were going to allow Cadiz, Inc. to drain water out of an underground aqueduct for financial profit? Are they truly stewards of the land and the creatures that live there?

What benefit would the Bureau of Land Management be after in gaining control over this land?

Would it surprise you to know that Daniel Patterson used to work for the Bureau of Land Management before leaving and joining the Center for Biological Diversity? Daniel Patterson is good friends with Tom and Tanya Eagan, who both used to work for the BLM but left under a cloud of suspicion. Then there is PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility). That means PEER is made up of Government employees. Then CBD, the Sierra Club and PEER, sue the Bureau of Land Management over the endangered species. The BLM settle with CBD paying them hundreds of thousands in settlement agreements and attorney fees.

Do you know of any other group, organization, individual, corporation, etc. who has been so successful at repeatedly suing the Federal Government?

There is more ................ recorded documents relating to public land. ......................... There is much more.

The American Public has a right to full disclosure of these underlying connections and financial benefits. The cards need to be displayed on the table for all to see. These changes in the management of public lands are historic and will forever change the landscape and the creatures that live there. Will we see more and more houses or more open space, will we be able to drive here or hike there, will the tortoise survive?