Category Archives: News

National Forests, News

Nestle pumping water out of the San Bernardino Forest without a valid permit

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Nestle Waters North America – the bottler of Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water (one of my absolute favorites bottled waters; yes, I am a water snob!) – is in a bit of trouble over their water extraction operation in the San Bernardino National Forest.  It appears that during California’s current environmentalist caused drought catastrophe, Nestle has been pumping out water under permits that may have expired as far back as 1988.

Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water, which takes its name from a natural rock formation in the San Bernardino Mountains that’s shaped like a giant arrowhead, is a brand of drinking water that is sold primarily in the western United States, including California, Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest.  The company was acquired by Nestlé in 1987 – a year before the oldest permit expired.

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News, Offroading - General

Name change: California Four Wheel Drive Association

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Just got an email from the California Association of 4WD Clubs, Inc. letting me know that they’re not them anymore. They’re now the “California Four Wheel Drive Association, Inc.” which does roll off the tongue a bit better. From the email:

During the annual meeting in February the association’s delegates approved the bylaw proposal put forth by Steve Egbert to change the name of the association from the California Association of 4WD Clubs, Inc. to the California Four Wheel Drive Association, Inc. A new logo was also approved. The changes will be phased in slowly — we’ll keep you posted on when new decals and other items will be available.

You can visit their website HERE.

You can join the club HERE.

News

BLM Releases Draft West Mojave Planning Area Route Network Project for Public Review

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the Draft Amendment to the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) Plan and Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the West Mojave Route Network Project, providing guidance and management direction for over three million acres of public lands in San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Riverside and Los Angeles counties.

The release of the draft plan delivers a proposed solution for adaptive and responsible travel management planning and off-highway vehicle use within the WEMO planning area while protecting important resources and maximizing public accessibility in the desert. The plan also outlines conservation provisions for important wildlife species such as the desert tortoise, taking an active role in protection and recovery of their habitat.

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National Forests, National Parks, News, Wildfire

Legal posturing begins in Rim Fire aftermath

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Both sides are girding their loins over the Rim Fire case.

Keith Matthew Emerald, a 32 year old man and resident of Columbia, a town in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California, is accused in a four-count indictment or starting the Rim Fire when he lost control of an illegal campfire on August 17,2013.  In August of this year he pled not guilty to the charges.

The Rim Fire burned 400 square miles of land in California, including parts of Sequoia National Forest and Yosemite National Park over the course of two months.  The fire destroyed 11 homes and cost $125 million to fight.

In August a grand jury returned the four-count indictment against Emerald, alleging that he started an illegal campfire on August 17, 2013 in an area where such fires were prohibited and that the fire spread beyond his control.

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Conservation, National Forests, News

Rally to oppose National Monument designation of the San Gabriel & San Bernardino Mountains

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Rally will be Monday, October 6, at 2PM in Pasadena

On Monday, the field office of Congresswoman Judy Chu will hear from a growing movement of citizens and elected officials against her lobbying efforts to have 620,000 acres of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains designated as a national monument.

They will deliver letters of opposition to Representative Chu on Monday October 6, 2014 at 2pm. Local groups will speak out against the plan and hold a media event outside Rep Chu’s office at 527 S. Lake Ave, Pasadena CA 91101.

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