Mark it down on your calender August 12, 1997. That is when the El Centro BLM officially informed me that effective immediately the Yuha desert and the West Mesa were CLOSED to competitive events. That?s only about 70% of the land we race on. Here we go again, another fight. But that?s not all, on the afternoon of August 15, 1997 while marking the Nite Team race I saw, for the first time, that the Navy has expanded target 103 (North of Plaster City West) south almost to the bank of Coyote Wash. It appears to be over 4 1/2 square miles.

The BLM decision to close these area?s is a result of a Management Strategy for the Flat Tailed Horned Lizard. According to the BLM they had to take these steps to prevent the lizard from being listed as a threaten or endangered species. Not according to Fish and Wildlife. As stated in the July 15, 1997 Federal Register and I quote ?...withdrawal of the proposal to list this species as threaten is not based solely on the CA and Management Strategy.? Three times in this document the phrase is repeated. Plus it also states, and I quote ?Participation in the CA/Management Strategy is voluntary and the agencies may withdraw from participation with 60 days notice.?

What all this means is even if this plan was not enacted the lizard did not qualify to be listed as a threaten species. Plus if you don?t want to implement this plan just give us 60 days notice and you can dropout.

When the 1980 California Desert Plan was passed by Congress it mandated that the BLM come up with a management plan for limited use areas. We have been very fortunate to have had very competent heads at the El Centro BLM Resource office. Area Manager Mr. Roger Zortman started the ball rolling in 1980 when the management plan for the Yuha Desert drawn up and approved. The 1985 Plan Amendment changed the West Mesa from open to limited use. This plan amendment mandated that a management plan for the West Mesa be enacted. Area Manager Mr G. Ben Koski accomplished said mandate.

In a nutshell, the management plans allowed competitive events (including racing) if the following rules were obeyed Competitive events were allowed during the lizard hibernation period on designated routes of travel only 100 feet wide. These boundaries were marked by bright pink course boundary markers. While we were permitted to have more events in these areas, to cut down on impact we have only had two per year in the Yuha Desert and two on the West Mesa. We took another step, we rotated use of these designated routes of travel for every event. It takes 3 years before the identical course is run in the Yuha Desert. These plans worked. There has never been a recorded take (kill) of a Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard. During the 1996 24 hour endurance world championships for buggies, cars and trucks a study was done to find out the effects this would have on a lizard colony near the track. When I asked the BLM what the results were I was told the lizards didn?t even notice. Their habits were the same.

Fish and Wildlife in the July 15, 1997 Federal Register states and I quote...

"While OHV (Off Highway Vehicles) activity poses a potential local threat to individual flat-tailed horned lizard populations, there is no documentation that OHV use poses a significant threat throughout the range of the species.?

It goes on to say, and I quote

?The overall impact of OHV activity on habitat and individual lizards likely depends on the frequency and intensity of use.?

With this documentation why would competitive be banned from the Yuha Desert and the West Mesa? One person thinks he knows why. A short time ago he represented the San Diego County Sports Committee, Inc at meetings in the District office of the BLM in Riverside. They were trying to figure out how to mange the limited use areas.

The other BLM officials could not believe that the El Centro Resource Area had had management plans in use for years. Even though Congress had mandated that these plans be drawn up years ago, none were. The Flat-tailed Horned Lizard Rangewide Management Strategy is an opportunity to make BLM resource areas other then El Centro legal with no work. It instantaneously creates a management plan for limited use area?s, something Congress mandated them to do way back in 1980. Approximately 2-3 years ago Mr. G. Ben Koski saw thru this. He had invited me to a meeting with him and his representatives that were part of the planning process for the lizard management strategy. He told his representatives to go back to the committee and tell them competitive events HAD to be allowed in the Yuha Desert and the West Mesa. If they were banned he would not approve the document. Every few months I would inquire about what had happen to this plan and each time told in was on hold. Last year Mr. G. Ben Koski accepted a large bonus to take early retirement. Bingo! The new Area Manager approved the lizard management strategy and we were sold down the tubes.

However, it?s not over yet. Why should we be punished for doing everything by the book? As a famous captain said when asked to surrender, ? I have not yet begun to fight!? Instant replay time!

As of this letter we still don?t know enough about the Navy expansion of target 103 to comment. BUT We will!!!

thanks.......Fud