Direct Threat to the Dunes!!!! Read up and sign

[AZXJ]

Hi fellow duners

*/Fish & Wildlife Turn Their Backs on
Science/*

Dear Fellow Duners,

The ASA learned late last week that the Fish & Wildlife Service has
chosen * NOT* to de-list the Peirson's Milkvetch. Their reasons are *
weak and unsupported*, and are a slap in the face to Dr. Phillips, who
probably knows more about this plant than any other scientist in the
country. The ASA Board of Directors is consulting with our legal
advisors and will decide on a course of action soon. If we pursue this
in the US 9th Circuit Court, we anticipate a very expensive legal
fight.

The Endangered Species Act is seriously broken--this action by the FWS
simply illustrates it in stark detail. Ignoring 3 years worth of
studies and using inflammatory language in their decision only makes
their statements less valid.

Please sign our on-line petition to * reform the ESA* at
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/esa2004/ ) and please tell all of your
friends!

Join in our protest rally this FRIDAY JUNE 11th, at the FWS office in
Carlsbad, CA. For pre-rally information and instructions go to one of
the following locations @ 10:00am

*B&R Buggies*, 1523 So.Coast Hwy, Oceanside (Oceanside Blvd exit off
the I-5)

*Mech-Tech* Motorsports, 1277 Simpson Way, Escondido (Near 78 / 15
Intersection)

*ACE Cooling*, 7852 Raytheon Rd. San Diego (BTW 52, 163 & 805 FWY)

More details and maps here: Protest Rally )

The all-volunteer ASA can use your help--either financial or time or
talent. Just let us know. We will see this action through! For the
latest information, visit our website at http://www.asasand.com )

Best Regards,

The ASA

[Sandee McCullen]

DUNES, DUNES, DUNES............. we'll get them back!

KUDO's to BUSH!!!!!................ even just before elections!!!

PLEASE............. ALL OHV............... It doesn't matter your personal choice between Bush or Kerry. THINK of the end results if we lose BUSH at this time. BIG "POSITIVE" changes are happening within the F/S and BLM due to Chief Bosworth, F/S; and Gale Norton, Sec of Interior; and Kathleen Clarke, BLM Director. If we lose Bush.............. we lose these three and you can bet your boots whomever gets in will NOT be positive to OHV!!!

This is not intended to start a political debate............ just notes for some to think about.

For the TOP to be taking a stand in defense of the dunes is a phenominal step for US.

Sandee

U.S. move fuels fears over dune plant
> >
> > HABITAT: A cut in proposed land threatens the Peirson's milk-vetch,
> > environmentalists say.
> >
> > 01:10 AM PDT on Wednesday, August 4, 2004
> >
> >
> > By JENNIFER BOWLES / The Press-Enterprise
> >
> > At the California desert's most popular off-roading area, the Bush
> > administration on Tuesday reduced by 60 percent the amount of land
> > considered critical for the survival of a threatened plant.
> >
> > The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dropped most off-roading areas
> > from
its
> > final habitat designation, thus removing these areas from potential
> closures
> > due to habitat impact. Instead, the agency placed most of the
> > habitat in
a
> > wilderness area of the 160,000-acre Imperial Sand Dunes that already
bans
> > motorized vehicles.
> >
> > Environmentalists said the reduction of critical habitat favored
> off-roaders
> > and would lead to further destruction of the Peirson's milk-vetch, a
> > flowering plant that grows on the wind-sculpted dunes.
> >
> > "It's a political hack job," said Daniel Patterson, desert ecologist
with
> > the Center for Biological Diversity, which has sought protections
> > for
the
> > plant.
> >
> > Grant George, president of the American Sand Association, an
> > off-roading group with 17,000 members, said he didn't know the
> > details of the designation for the milk-vetch but thinks the plant
> > doesn't deserve to
be
> on
> > the Endangered Species list, let alone any protection of its
> > habitat.
> >
> > "We don't feel there is any justification for any protections," said
> George,
> > of Rancho Cucamonga, whose group had unsuccessfully fought to take
> > the
> plant
> > off the list.
> >
> > The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the decision to cut 30,000
> > acres
> of
> > critical habitat from a proposal a year ago was based on the
> > potential economic impacts to Imperial County and Yuma County in
> > Arizona. The
> original
> > proposal, if it led to off-roading closures, would have cost those
> economies
> > between $55 million and $124 million through 2013, said Jane
> > Hendron, a spokeswoman for the wildlife agency.
> >
> > With the final designation, that figure is $2.8 million for the same
time
> > frame.
> >
> > "The secretary does have the discretion to exclude areas if, after
> weighing
> > the pros and cons, it's determined that the benefits of excluding an
area
> > are greater than the benefits of including critical habitat," she
> > said.
> >
> > In this case, the decision was signed by Craig Manson, assistant
secretary
> > for fish and wildlife and parks in the Interior Department.
> >
> > Hendron said a critical habitat designation doesn't automatically
> > lead
to
> > closures.
> >
> > Doran Sanchez, a spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management,
> > which oversees the dunes, said the agency had not seen the final
> > decision. The
> BLM
> > is awaiting further analysis from the wildlife agency before
> > reopening
> about
> > one-third of the dunes that were closed in 2000 under a legal
> > settlement agreement with the Center and other environmental groups.
> >
> > George said he feared the areas would still remain closed at the
beginning
> > of the riding season in October.
> >
> > Reach Jennifer Bowles at 951-368-9548 or jbowles@pe.com
> >
> > http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories...es04.5805f.html
> >
> <