Jump to content

blm get 8.3 million


draggindre
 Share

Recommended Posts

just read this in local paper just thought the ddr peeps would likr to see it

BARSTOW • Visitors to off-highway vehicle sites and campgrounds managed by the Bureau of Land Management’s Barstow field office may soon see a few changes to their favorite spots.

BLM’s California Desert District received about $8.3 million in grants from California’s Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program on Thursday, according to a release. The funds will go toward the operation and maintenance of OHV areas, the support of programs in the Dumont Dunes, El Mirage and Imperial Sand Dunes recreation areas, as well as increased law enforcement in those areas.

Mickey Quillman, chief of resources at BLM’s Barstow Field Office, said out of 3.2 million acres the field offices manages, OHV recreation areas include Stoddard Wells, Johnson Valley, El Mirage, Dumont Dunes and Rasor. There are also miles of open trails outside these areas that off-roaders can use.

Quillman said each BLM office writes grant proposals outlining their needs when competing for state motor vehicle recreation program grants. Whoever comes up with the best program, he said, is going to get a portion of the money. Much of the OHV grant money is used for things BLM wouldn’t normally have the budget or time for, Quillman said. This includes marking designated OHV trails with new signs and disguising blazed trails with vegetation or rocks.

“We’ll do vegetation planting and put rocks out there just to make sure people don’t think (it’s) a road,” Quillman said, adding that BLM will put volunteers from the California Conservation Corp and other organizations to work. “We’ll make sure it looks like normal desert again.”

David Briery, BLM spokesman for the California Desert District, said the grant money from the state’s OHV recreation program partially comes from green-sticker fees off-roaders pay to the state to register their vehicles. Funding for OHV grants also come from fuel taxes from off-road vehicles and fees collected at state vehicular recreation areas. Briery said the state OHV program also distributes grants to organizations such as Friends of El Mirage, which also operates on BLM land.

About $1.3 million of the grant money will be used to maintain public safety. Quillman said the money will be used go towards enhanced law enforcement at the different OHV recreation areas. Grant money also paid for a new helipad for rescue helicopters at Dumont Dunes. The extra law enforcement and BLM paramedics and search and rescue personnel will be able to maintain public safety during BLM’s major weekends, Halloween, Christmas, New Years and President’s Day.

Other uses for the grant money include upgrading Owl Canyon Campground with new barbecues, fire rings and shelters. Grant money will also be used for the junior ranger program at the El Mirage Dry Lake OHV Recreation Area.

“We’ll have somebody come out there with live animals that you typically find in the desert,” Quillman said. “(They’ll) talk about recycling, trash pickup and what you can do in the desert.”

Representatives from the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program were unavailable to answer questions Friday due to state furloughs.

Contact the writer:

(760) 256-4123 or jcejnar@desertdispatch.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just read this in local paper just thought the ddr peeps would likr to see it

BARSTOW • Visitors to off-highway vehicle sites and campgrounds managed by the Bureau of Land Management’s Barstow field office may soon see a few changes to their favorite spots.

BLM’s California Desert District received about $8.3 million in grants from California’s Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program on Thursday, according to a release. The funds will go toward the operation and maintenance of OHV areas, the support of programs in the Dumont Dunes, El Mirage and Imperial Sand Dunes recreation areas, as well as increased law enforcement in those areas.

Mickey Quillman, chief of resources at BLM’s Barstow Field Office, said out of 3.2 million acres the field offices manages, OHV recreation areas include Stoddard Wells, Johnson Valley, El Mirage, Dumont Dunes and Rasor. There are also miles of open trails outside these areas that off-roaders can use.

Quillman said each BLM office writes grant proposals outlining their needs when competing for state motor vehicle recreation program grants. Whoever comes up with the best program, he said, is going to get a portion of the money. Much of the OHV grant money is used for things BLM wouldn’t normally have the budget or time for, Quillman said. This includes marking designated OHV trails with new signs and disguising blazed trails with vegetation or rocks.

“We’ll do vegetation planting and put rocks out there just to make sure people don’t think (it’s) a road,” Quillman said, adding that BLM will put volunteers from the California Conservation Corp and other organizations to work. “We’ll make sure it looks like normal desert again.”

David Briery, BLM spokesman for the California Desert District, said the grant money from the state’s OHV recreation program partially comes from green-sticker fees off-roaders pay to the state to register their vehicles. Funding for OHV grants also come from fuel taxes from off-road vehicles and fees collected at state vehicular recreation areas. Briery said the state OHV program also distributes grants to organizations such as Friends of El Mirage, which also operates on BLM land.

About $1.3 million of the grant money will be used to maintain public safety. Quillman said the money will be used go towards enhanced law enforcement at the different OHV recreation areas. Grant money also paid for a new helipad for rescue helicopters at Dumont Dunes. The extra law enforcement and BLM paramedics and search and rescue personnel will be able to maintain public safety during BLM’s major weekends, Halloween, Christmas, New Years and President’s Day.

Other uses for the grant money include upgrading Owl Canyon Campground with new barbecues, fire rings and shelters. Grant money will also be used for the junior ranger program at the El Mirage Dry Lake OHV Recreation Area.

“We’ll have somebody come out there with live animals that you typically find in the desert,” Quillman said. “(They’ll) talk about recycling, trash pickup and what you can do in the desert.”

Representatives from the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program were unavailable to answer questions Friday due to state furloughs.

Contact the writer:

(760) 256-4123 or jcejnar@desertdispatch.com

So I guess those grant apps got approved. Sounds good to a point, but also sounds bad at the same time. "Visitors may soon see a few changes to their favorite spots." :booty: Change isn't always good. Be careful what you wish for. I've heard some rumors floatin around about Barstow BLM and to tell you the truth...it scares the hell outta me. I just hope they don't "plan" to change too much like the previously mentioned FENCES and what not. :pics::thumb:

thats cool :blink: now i don't feel that pist off on paying 52 for my green sticker on my quads.......well i hope they built the road going in to dumont that will be cool :laughing:

So they get 8.3 million, and that makes you feel BETTER about giving them the money for green sticker fees? How so and why?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that 8.3 million has to be spread around to all the areas that barstow blm manages they dont just manage dumont! That being said i bet the entrance fee's will stay the same.

lol ill bet they go up .................... :blink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i heard the BLM for the Needles/ Dry lake bed area is going to completely close that area of trails AND the dry lake bed to any OHV's. that seems like a far cry, but i would be really pissed of they have the power to do that. just what i heard though, could just be gossip flying around. Just wanted to see if anyone else heard about something similar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that 8.3 million has to be spread around to all the areas that barstow blm manages they dont just manage dumont! That being said i bet the entrance fee's will stay the same.

and in the trt meeting we all knew they had to spread there money but that wasnt there issue there issue was there grants were denied . so they said we duners had to make up the costs. well now they have grants.

ill bet they dont give us any kind of a break. but our off road reg fees have gone up. so it costs californians more money to dune in our own state. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

and dont forget johnson valley there is no fee, el mirage there is no fee, big bear no fee unless you stop and get out. then your supposed to get an adventure pass. so it costs more to dune than to go 4 wheelin. and it cost a cali resident even more than out of staters................................ fairness in our government i love it !!!!!

Edited by barefoot bob
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt that fees are going to go up and I also can assure you that if they want to fence the whole area of Dumont I will be the first one throwing a fit.

I believe that the Needles dry lake is in the BLM district office of Needles and not Barstow.

Edited by ynot
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I guess those grant apps got approved. Sounds good to a point, but also sounds bad at the same time. "Visitors may soon see a few changes to their favorite spots." :mog: Change isn't always good. Be careful what you wish for. I've heard some rumors floatin around about Barstow BLM and to tell you the truth...it scares the hell outta me. I just hope they don't "plan" to change too much like the previously mentioned FENCES and what not. :mog: :laughoff:

So they get 8.3 million, and that makes you feel BETTER about giving them the money for green sticker fees? How so and why?

well it makes me feel a lil better because they hadn't done :poop: with my reg fees until now....i really hope they do the road going in to dumont.....& i really hope they don't do some dumb :poop: (like the fence)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • VIP RV

×
×
  • Create New...