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California's magnificent desert is a magnet that draws tens of thousands of
visitors from all over the world each year. Because nature in this precious
resource is delicately balanced, it must be protected against mass intrusion
and destructive abuse. Special interest, therefore, attaches to legislation
Sen. Alan Cranston is reintroducing to protect 7.5 million acres of the desert
as wilderness and parkland. The California Desert Protection Act (S. 11) would expand the Death Valley and Joshua Tree national monuments and designate them as national parks. It would create an Eastern Mojave National Park and designate an additional 4.5 million acres of desert as a wilderness area. The expanded 7.5 million acres of desert in the public domain now under the jurisdiction of the federal Bureau of Land Management would pass to the National Park Service. Sen Cranton's desert bill died last year 1arge1y for want of support from Sen. Pete Wilson. The bill also was vigorously opposed by then-Interior Secretary Donald Hodel, who insisted the BLM's multiple use policy was preserving the deserts ecological balance even while encouraging people to enjoy its many splendors. His assurances were contradicted by BLM wildlife biologist Kristen Berry, who warned: "In fact, the desert habitat is deteriorating and being destroyed at a rapid rate by off-road vehicles, development of urban communities and sheep and cattle grazing among other things." Unfortunately, the alarming warnings of Miss Berry and many environmentalists were drowned out by a vociferous coalition of miners, ranchers, and off-road-vehicle enthusiasts. The group rained sufficient questions for Sen. Wilson to withhold support from the Cranston measure. This time around, S 11 contains some concessions that improve the odds of its passage. Sen. Cranston, for instance, has removed 82,600 acres from the original proposal that would have jeopardized access to specific utility easements, |
pipelines, and mining claims as well as grazing and agricultural
uses. The new bill would guarantee the military the right to continue air
flights over the protected areas. And it would not interfere with operations at
the China Lake Weapons Center and the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery
Range. Sen. Cranston's biggest challenge will be to pacify the off-road-vehicle users, many of whom oppose his bill. They are so accustomed to having the run of the desert, there maybe no reasoning with them. S 11 for example, would give drives of dune buggies and other recreational vehicles access to 37,000 miles of desert roads and routes, plus 770,000 acres of public and private lands. The bill would exclude those areas that are heavily traveled now by such vehicles. Nevertheless, off-road enthusiasts are unhappy, even though they would have access to an area larger than Yosemite National Park. Five years ago, Sens. Cranston and Wilson persuaded Congress to enact the California Wilderness Act, which placed an additional 1.8 million acres of state forest land under federal protection. The 7.5 million acres of California desert specified in S 11 are no less deserving of protection and should command the same effective Cranston-Wilson collaboration. Speaking of the need to protect natural wonders, the battle for Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has begun anew. State Sen. Cecil Greene, D. Norwalk, has introduced SB 603, which would let dirt bikes, dune buggies, and other off-road vehicles roam throughout the 600,000. acre state park. He's lined up such influential co-authors as Senate Minority Leader Ken Middy, R-Fresno and Senate Republican Caucus Chairman John Doolittle, R-Roseville. It's worth noting, however, that Sen. Marian Bergeson, R-Newport, is not among the measure's supporters. Sen. Bergeson, who represents the portion of San Diego County that includes |
the-park, is acutely aware of the damage that would be done to this
fragile natural resource should the Greene bill become law. In 1986, for example, more than $27,000 was required to repair the damage by irresponsible drivers in just one small section of the park. Many drivers of off-road vehicles have no regard for the plant and animal life in the desert, which they destroy in their reckless pursuit of pleasure. Yet,, this doesn't appear to bother the California Off-Road Vehicle Association, which is mounting a full-court press for the Greene bill The powerful lobby is angry because it feels betrayed by Parks and Recreation Director Henry Agonia. When Mr. Agonia was being confirmed last year, he promised to reopen some of the park to off-road enthusiasts. And he might have done so had it not been for a united front by Anza-Borrego park rangers and other park employees. Their strong objections persuaded the California Park and Recreation Commission, the department's policymaking board, to ban the operation of such vehicles in state parks except in specifically designated areas. The commission's enlightened policy is consistent with the state law that is very clear on this point. As a consequence, the California Park Rangers Association reports a dramatic reduction of resource damage done by off-road vehicles. It's not as though off-road-vehicle enthusiasts are being denied a place to go. In the desert Just east of Anza-Borrego there is the 25,000-acre Octillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area, which offers them plenty of room in which to rip and roar and roam. If Sens. Greene, Maddy, and Doolittle would take the time to visit Anza-Borrego, the park rangers there would gladly show them the destruction caused by off-road vehicles. Meanwhile desert preservationists should spare no effort to defeat SB 603. |