POLICY Engagement Letters
Federal land management agencies work to implement projects on lands they manage on an ongoing basis. It is important that the public take a close look at such projects and make sure they undergo proper environmental review, adverse impacts to natural resources are considered, and when appropriate, projects are redesigned and/or mitigation measures are implemented.
Land management agencies often seek to do the right things but need the public’s help to guide them. Without public engagement and comments to the agencies, public lands can succumb to unsustainable recreational use, industrial development, and misguided management. It is our responsibility to make sure our shared public lands are protected for generations to come.
We track public lands projects, known as Proposed Actions, across public lands in Inyo and Mono Counties. This includes both small actions as well as landscape level decisions. Our policy team tracks notices from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and county governments.
You can view our engagement letters and applicable project files from the past by clicking on the links below.
Mining
Conglomerate Mesa
Request for Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 2021
Expanded Drilling Requires EIS 2020
Perdito Project Coalition 2017
Timberline Resources Drilling 2008
Resource Documents:
Tip Sheet Comment Suggestions
Comment Period Announced BLM 2021
Evidence of Mineralization Report 2017
Finding of No Significant Impact
Record of Decision
Conglomerate Mesa Environmental Assessment (EA)
Record of Decision Appendices Figures
Mammoth Area Long Valley
Kore Mining’s Drilling Project 2021
Panamint Valley
Panamint Valley Lithium EA 2019
Resource Documents:
Lithium Project Record of Decision
Hains Tech Report for Lithium Project
Death Valley National Park Comments to BLM on Lithium 2019
Panamint Lithium EA
Other
Bureau of Land Management
Amargosa River Management Plan 2021
West-wide Energy Corridor Plan 2019
Change of Planning Rules 2016
Alabama Hills
Alabama Hills Management Plan 2019
Tribal Sovereignty
Recognize the Mono Lake Kutzadika’a tribe 2019
Winnedumah 2019
Forest Service Management
Comprehensive River Management Plan 2022
Comprehensive River Management Plan 2021Solitude Canyon and Sherwins Area Trails 2020
Woolly’s Adventure Summit & Snowmaking 2020
Prescribed Fire 2019
NEPA Rule Changes 2019
Inyo County Roads Project 2019
ROLG/FOI Bridgeport Southwest Rangeland Project Comment Letter 2021
Bridgeport Southwest Rangeland Project Aug 2019
Bridgeport Southwest Rangeland Project June 2018
NEPA Rule Change Compliance Prescoping 2018
Fuels Reduction Reds Meadow 2018
Mammoth Land Exchange 2017
Reds Meadow Environmental Assessment 2017
R5 trails 2017
Over-snow Vehicle Use 2016
Invasive Plant Management Proposed Action EA_2016
Jeffrey Pine Forest Health&Restoration 2016
Travel Analysis Process 2015
Motorized Routes Modifications_2012
Forest Planning
Forest Plan Revision Objections 2018
DEIS Comments 2016
Forest Plan Scoping 2014
Forest Plan Revisions 2014
Desired Conditions & Wilderness Inventory 2014
Inyo NF Assessment Topic Papers 2013
Resource Documents:
Attachment A – ROS Plan Components
Attachment B – ROS Setting Characteristics
Mono County
Mono County Legislative Platform 2018
Renewable Energy
Rush Creek Hydroelectric Relicensing Scoping 2022
Haiwee Geothermal Draft Environmental Impact Statement 2019
Haiwee FERC Applicaton Comment 2019
Resource Documents:
Haiwee Supplemental Draft EIS and Draft Plan Amendment
Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) 2018
DRECP Comment Letter 2016
Renewable Energy General Plan Amendment 2015
Resource Documents:
DRECP BLM LUPA Record of Decision
DRECP BLM LUPA
Eastern Sierra Water
Owens Lake Test Pumping March 2021
LADWP Comment Letter June 2018
Owens Lake Management Plan 2015
Wildlife & Plants
List the Whitebark Pine 2021
List the Sierra Nevada Red Fox 2020
List Joshua tree under California Endangered Species Act 2020
Stop rodenticide poisoning in California 2020
Bi-State Sage Grouse June 2019
Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Mono County 2017
Parker Bench Sage Grouse Enhancement project 2016
West Mojave OHV Route Network
Environmental Impact of OHV Route 2018
WEMO Public Meeting Talking Points 2018
Death Valley National Park
Saline Warm Springs July 2018
Rogers Peak 2017
OHV Grant 2017
Stewardship Plan 2012
Devils Postpile National Monument
Wastewater Comments 2021
Fire Management Environmental Assessment 2018
Fire Management Scoping 2018
General Management Plan 2014
Other National Monuments
Support for California’s National Monuments 2017
Sand to Snow National Monument 2017
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument 2017
Mojave Trails National Monument 2017
Giant Sequoia National Monument 2017
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument 2017
Carrizo Plain National Monument 2017
CA Monuments Mono County 2017
Berryessa National Monument 2017
Updates
(Photo by Diana Tomback) In a December 14 press release, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced a final action to list the whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Service has concluded that the whitebark pine is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future throughout its range. Service Regional Director Matt Hogan said, “As a keystone species of the West, extending ESA protections to whitebark pine is critical to not only the tree itself, but also the numerous plants, animals, and watersheds that it supports.” The final rule to list…
On August 3rd, attend virtually the first ever Great Basin Water Justice Summit, which is bringing together diverse water protectors from Eastern California, Nevada, and Utah to discuss water justice issues. Then, later in the week, attend in person a movie screening of award-winning local short films on water justice. Two dates and locations to choose from: Cerro Coso Community College Bishop Campus Friday, Aug. 5th, and Mammoth Campus Saturday, Aug. 6th. These events are FREE and open to the public.
For the Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP) to fulfill its protective purpose, it is essential that the plan go beyond a simple recitation of resources and issues and focus on current and future actions that could harm the free-flowing condition, outstandingly remarkable (OR) values, segment classification, and water quality of the protected river. Unfortunately, the draft CRMP for the Owens River Headwaters Wild and Scenic River (WSR) fails this test. In particular, the CRMP and accompanying Resource Assessment fail to provide crucial information about groundwater extraction from aquifers that contribute to the flow of the Owens River Headwaters WSR.
The plan for a wastewater treatment system in Devils Postpile National Monument represents proactive efforts of the National Parks Service (NPS) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to address the current failing wastewater system. This project as currently described will protect public lands and reduce the maintenance burden on management agencies. Specifically the proposed septic system will protect waterways from contamination by eliminating the need for aging mechanical force mains and lift stations. Removing the aging mechanical infrastructure will reduce danger of failure and accidental discharge, reduce the agency’s energy costs, and reduce maintenance needs.
The Amargosa River is one of the crown jewels of the desert southwest, providing a globally important resource for biodiversity, hydrology, and recreation. It is also one of the most fragile ecosystems in North America, and must be managed with the highest possible level of conservation. Water and protection of flows The Amargosa River is unique among the Wild and Scenic River system in that it is entirely reliant on groundwater discharge for its flows. Essentially all of the ORVs for which the Amargosa Wild and Scenic River was designated depend on sustained groundwater flows for their survival. As such,…
Coalition Opposes Forest Service’s proposed Categorical Exclusion to Drill for Gold in the Long Valley Read the full letter here Background and Main Objections Kore Mining intends to proceed with exploratory drilling under a catagorical exclusion (CE) to, circumvent environmental review, from the Forest Service. Friends of the Inyo coauthored a 40 page with a powerful coalition of local, regional, and national groups. argued wrote a 40 has long enjoyed serving and recreating in the Alabama Hills. This important document outlines how the plan does not meet Forest Service regulations for a categorical exclusion, and should require an environmental assessment…