Virginia Cramer, virginia.cramer@sierraclub.org
Los Angeles —Today, the Trump administration’s Bureau of Land Management released a proposal to undermine conservation protections in the California Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP). The proposed rollback will make the land more accessible to mining and development interests, and its reopening is widely objected to by conservation and community groups, including California Energy Commissioner Douglas. The original management plan was a result of 8 years of negotiations by over 50 stakeholders that included dozens of public meetings and thousands of comments; it carefully balances conservation, recreation, and renewable energy development on more than 10.5 million acres of California Desert public lands.
In response, Jenny Binstock, Senior Campaign Representative for Sierra Club’s Our Wild America Campaign in California, released the following statement:
“This proposal is a parting gift to harmful development interests, undermining planning for climate solutions when they are needed most.
“If allowed to proceed, the administration’s proposal will cause irreparable damage to California’s lands while setting us back on developing renewable energy to meet clean energy goals. It risks important cultural sites, habitat and carbon sinks as the region faces the worsening impacts of the climate crisis.
“The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan is a model for smart clean energy planning on public lands. It’s a carefully balanced plan that should not be undercut by stripping protections. We look forward to the incoming Biden administration’s focus on climate change and the vital role that public lands can play in providing solutions to the climate crisis; keeping the DRECP intact is foundational to that.”
Proposed changes include:
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Reducing the California Desert National Conservation Lands by approximately 2.2 million acres. The California Desert National Conservation Lands are public lands scattered throughout California’s southeastern corner and include a variety of landscapes including rocky peaks, saltscrub lowlands and rich riparian corridors. These lands offer nationally significant places for endless exploration and protect critical wildlife habitat.
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Reducing the number of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) from 129 to 97 and thus reducing the acreage of the ACECs by approximately 1.8 million acres. ACECs are entitled to special management to help protect their important and fragile historical, cultural, and scenic values, or wildlife or other natural resources.
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Modifying or eliminating 68 Conservation Management Actions (CMAs), which would allow for greater impacts on the California Desert National Conservation Lands as well as allow energy development in Special Recreation Management Areas (SRMAs). SRMAs are intended to offer recreational opportunities, such as creating trailhead areas for hikers, mountain bikers, or off-road vehicle users.
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.