Expansion of desert base faces opposition

[unhappycamper]

Expansion of desert base faces opposition
By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Sep 9, 2008 7:07:57 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — As the Marine Corps looks to expand its largest training base, off-road enthusiasts prepare to fight for a coveted piece of the Mojave Desert.

Marine officials have asked the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to set aside 442,000 acres adjacent to the Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms so the service can study those parcels for the proposed expansion.

“Together with the and the Federal Aviation Administration, we will study the best path forward for the Marine Corps to meet its training requirements, while analyzing and weighing the impact of the various alternatives on natural and socioeconomic resources,” Corps officials said in a news release.

The 589,400-acre base is located in the high desert three hours northeast of Los Angeles. The Corps and the Navy Department plan to conduct an environmental impact study, a lengthy process that begins with public “scoping” meetings tentatively set for December. It will analyze “reasonable alternatives” for meeting training requirements, officials said.

The plans have been poorly received by recreational groups and environmental conservationists. Local off-road riders fear they will lose access to the popular Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation area, which lies west of the base and is the site of rallies and races. Its rocky trails, including one boulder-strewn area called the Hammers, attract many four-wheel drivers.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/09/marine_twentyninepalms_090808w/%2e