Federal Government Issues Plans For California Deserts
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released two 30-year desert management plans that are intended to balance the needs of recreation, development, and wildlife in the Mojave Desert and Imperial Sand Dunes in southeast California. Both are popular destinations for off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts. The BLM plan for the western Mojave Desert encompasses 9.3 million acres and distinguishes between land targeted for development or conservation and protection of more than 100 endangered plant and animal species. The plan adds more than 800 miles of Mojave Desert roads to the off-highway inventory, increasing the total to 5,098 miles. The plan for the Imperial Sand Dunes, also called the Algodones Dunes, covers 160,000 acres. It would open more than 85 percent of the dunes to OHVs, reversing a five-year-old temporary court order. Under both plans, builders, miners, utilities, and others could develop at one location if they set aside or pay to preserve wildlife habitat elsewhere.
Quick Hits
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that tire-pressure-monitoring systems will be required by the '08 model year on all vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds.
Congratulations go out to Jeep, whose Grand Cherokee has surpassed the 3-million units mark.