CONSERVATION
REPORT On the weekend of March 27 & 28, we joined Ron Jones, Steve Smith and 5 other hikers for a climb of Manly Peak and an exploratory hike through a Wilderness Study Area down Redlands Canyon. Aside from the historical value of this area (Redlands Canyon was the one used in 1850 by William Manly and John Rogers to find help for the Bennetts and the Arcane families camped at Bennett Well in Death Valley), the aesthetic value ranks among the top for sheer desert beauty. Emerging from the mouth of Redlands Canyon, you can see for miles in a 180 degree arc across Panamint Flat Dry Lake. Manly Falls, at the bottom of the mouth, forms the center of a former mining operation which has left a few buildings, some rock crunching equipment, and some roads zigzagging across the face of Redlands Canyon entrance, stopping just short of the beginning of the WSA boundary. The terrain here could be radically and permanently changed. A proposal is now being considered to permit an open-pit mine to operate at this location. This proposal, the Briggs Project, would disturb and reclaim 450 acres of land to move about 27 million tons of waste rock and process 18 million tons of ore over an eight year period. Conventional cyanide leaching processes would be used to recover gold and silver. The BLM and Inyo County are preparing a joint Environmental Impact Statement and Report. The effect on the landscape and on the water table are among the many concerns. Notice of public scoping meetings has been given. If you'd like more information or would like to voice an opinion, contact the BLM in Ridgecrest. BASE CLOSINGS - POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD IN OUR DESERT Over many years, through continuous use of desert land by our military bases, jet fuel and other toxic substances have built up. This is of concern as some of this land is turned back over to the public. Some of you may not know that Debbie Smith, long time DPSer, is very actively involved in this massive cleanup job from her post as Public Affairs Specialist for Environmental Public Involvement at the Naval Air Weapons Station at China Lake. Debbie consented to write a most interesting article on this for the Sage which appears in this issue. Thanks, Debbie. |
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