Everyone interested in the access to the Southern California deserts is encouraged to attend one or both of the recently announced meetings concerning travel management in the West Mojave area.  It is very important to ensure that your favorite routes are listed and marked on maps.  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has scheduled two additional open house meetings on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the West Mojave Route Network Project, released earlier in 2015. The meetings provide an additional opportunity for the public to receive information and provide feedback on the plan.

Meetings will be held Tues., Dec. 15 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 12603 Mariposa Road, Victorville and Thurs., Dec. 17 at the Kerr-McGee Center, 100 W. California Avenue, Ridgecrest. Both meetings will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and include a presentation and an open house format to review maps, ask questions and provide written comments to the BLM. The BLM will review input received through the public comment period, which closes Jan. 25, 2016, when making a decision on the final plan.The draft plan delivers a proposed solution for adaptive and responsible travel management planning and off-highway vehicle use within the West Mojave planning area while protecting important resources and maximizing public accessibility in the desert. The plan also outlines conservation provisions for sensitive areas including providing for threatened and endangered species such as the desert tortoise and plays an active role in recovery of their habitat..For more information about the Draft SEIS, including interactive mapping, please visit the BLM Website http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd/west_mojave__wemo.html To submit a comment, or for additional questions, please contact Edy Seehafer, West Mojave Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311, [email protected], (760) 252-6021.