PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is hosting several in-person and virtual public and stakeholder meetings to gather input to develop off-highway vehicle grant proposals for submission to the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. Grants support off-highway vehicle management activities, including visitor services, law enforcement, resource protection, planning and monitoring, and maintenance on BLM-managed public lands.

“The BLM uses these important grant funds to help manage, operate, and maintain the many BLM-managed off-highway vehicle recreation areas in the District,” said Acting California Desert District Manager Brandon Anderson.

Grant applications are being prepared for the 2025 grant cycle. Public comments will be most helpful to the field offices if received prior to the grant submission deadline of March 3.

Stakeholders and members of the public are invited to attend any of the meetings below. Participants are invited to join meetings virtually, by phone using the dial-in information, or attend in-person. The meeting schedule is as follows with options for participation below:

Needles Field Office: Tuesday, Feb. 11

9 – 10 a.m. public meeting and 10 -11 a.m. stakeholder meeting
Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/NzFQ50UONeb

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 868 2430 / Passcode: 948817

 

Ridgecrest Field Office: Tuesday, Feb. 18

4:30 – 5:15 p.m. stakeholder meeting and 5:15 – 6 p.m. public meeting
In-person: BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S Richmond Rd, Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/LXuX50UNZo0

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 544 4745 / Passcode: 408376

 

Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office: Tuesday, Feb. 18

5 – 6 p.m. public meeting and 6 – 6:30 p.m. stakeholder meeting

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/EAxb50UOMNW

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 160 146 2122 / Passcode: 245615

 

Barstow Field Office: Wednesday, Feb. 19

5 – 6 p.m. public meeting

In person: BLM Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/OJIl50UNZhl

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 710 5577 / Passcode: 693916

 

El Centro Field Office: Monday, Feb. 24

3 – 4 p.m. public meeting and 4 – 4:30 p.m. stakeholder meeting

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/xVqF50UNZn2

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 973 9827 / Passcode: 776862

 

After the proposals are submitted to the state, preliminary applications are available for review and comment from March 4 to May 5, by visiting the OHV grants web page  at https://ohv.parks.ca.gov, or by submitting written comments to the field offices by mail or email:

• BLM Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, 92311, ATTN: Caleb Scruggs; cscruggs@blm.gov
• BLM El Centro Field Office, 1661 S 4th Street, 92243, ATTN: Michael Mujica; mmujica@blm.gov
• BLM Needles Field Office, 1303 S Highway 95, 92363, ATTN: Sabrina Bice; sbice@blm.gov
• BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, 92262, ATTN: Caroline Gish; cgish@blm.gov
• BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S Richmond Road, 93555, ATTN: Katrina Meyer; kmeyer@blm.gov

The California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division state program supports off-highway vehicle recreation in California by distributing funds collected from gas tax, entrance fees and off-highway vehicle registration. For information on the OHV grant program, past grant allocations, program regulations, and more, please visit the website.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is hosting several in-person and virtual public and stakeholder meetings to gather input to develop off-highway vehicle grant proposals for submission to the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. Grants support off-highway vehicle management activities, including visitor services, law enforcement, resource protection, planning and monitoring, and maintenance on BLM-managed public lands.

“The BLM uses these important grant funds to help manage, operate, and maintain the many BLM-managed off-highway vehicle recreation areas in the District,” said Acting California Desert District Manager Brandon Anderson.

Grant applications are being prepared for the 2025 grant cycle. Public comments will be most helpful to the field offices if received prior to the grant submission deadline of March 3.

Stakeholders and members of the public are invited to attend any of the meetings below. Participants are invited to join meetings virtually, by phone using the dial-in information, or attend in-person. The meeting schedule is as follows with options for participation below:

Needles Field Office: Tuesday, Feb. 11

9 – 10 a.m. public meeting and 10 -11 a.m. stakeholder meeting
Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/NzFQ50UONeb

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 868 2430 / Passcode: 948817

 

Ridgecrest Field Office: Tuesday, Feb. 18

4:30 – 5:15 p.m. stakeholder meeting and 5:15 – 6 p.m. public meeting
In-person: BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S Richmond Rd, Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/LXuX50UNZo0

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 544 4745 / Passcode: 408376

 

Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office: Tuesday, Feb. 18

5 – 6 p.m. public meeting and 6 – 6:30 p.m. stakeholder meeting

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/EAxb50UOMNW

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 160 146 2122 / Passcode: 245615

 

Barstow Field Office: Wednesday, Feb. 19

5 – 6 p.m. public meeting

In person: BLM Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/OJIl50UNZhl

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 710 5577 / Passcode: 693916

 

El Centro Field Office: Monday, Feb. 24

3 – 4 p.m. public meeting and 4 – 4:30 p.m. stakeholder meeting

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/xVqF50UNZn2

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 973 9827 / Passcode: 776862

 

After the proposals are submitted to the state, preliminary applications are available for review and comment from March 4 to May 5, by visiting the OHV grants web page  at https://ohv.parks.ca.gov, or by submitting written comments to the field offices by mail or email:

• BLM Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, 92311, ATTN: Caleb Scruggs; cscruggs@blm.gov
• BLM El Centro Field Office, 1661 S 4th Street, 92243, ATTN: Michael Mujica; mmujica@blm.gov
• BLM Needles Field Office, 1303 S Highway 95, 92363, ATTN: Sabrina Bice; sbice@blm.gov
• BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, 92262, ATTN: Caroline Gish; cgish@blm.gov
• BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S Richmond Road, 93555, ATTN: Katrina Meyer; kmeyer@blm.gov

The California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division state program supports off-highway vehicle recreation in California by distributing funds collected from gas tax, entrance fees and off-highway vehicle registration. For information on the OHV grant program, past grant allocations, program regulations, and more, please visit the website.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management today announced the Desert Quartzite Solar facility, located near Blythe in eastern Riverside County, is now fully operational and producing clean energy to power up to 120,000 homes. The 300 megawatt (MW) solar facility also has 150 MW of battery storage, increasing reliability and availability of clean energy on the state grid.

“The Desert Quartzite solar facility will deliver a combined total of 450 MW of renewable energy and battery storage to the southern California grid, marking another significant milestone in the BLM’s commitment to renewable energy development,” said California Desert District Manager Shelly Lynch.

EDF Renewables acquired the Desert Quartzite Solar project in 2022 and modified it for a more efficient layout and increased solar energy generation. Additional information about the project is available at the BLM National NEPA Register.

Since January 2021, BLM has approved 45 renewable energy projects on public lands (11 solar, 14 geothermal, 2 wind, and 18 gen-ties) and exceeded the goal to permit 25 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2025. Overall, BLM has permitted clean energy projects on public lands with a total capacity of more than 33 gigawatts – enough to power more than 15 million homes. This year BLM also issued a final Renewable Energy Rule that will lower consumer energy costs and the cost of developing solar and wind projects, improve project application processes, create jobs, and incentivize developers to continue responsibly developing solar and wind projects on public lands.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management will host an in-person public meeting of the BLM California Desert District Advisory Council on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, 861 NV-160, Pahrump, NV 89048. The meeting is open to the public with a public comment period scheduled at 9:30 a.m.

The Desert Advisory Council meeting will include a presentation on the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Business Plan fee proposal with an opportunity for public comment and a DAC vote, and a presentation and DAC vote on the U.S. Forest Service’s Angeles National Forest fee proposal. The five field offices and fire program will also report on their activities.   

The meeting will include a virtual option via Zoom. Meeting participants must register in advance to attend in Zoom. Upon registering, participants will receive an email including the meeting link and dial-in numbers. The public will have the opportunity to address the Desert Advisory Council only during public comment periods and time for individual comments may be limited due to the number of persons wishing to speak. Written comments may also be emailed in advance of the meeting to kmiyamoto@blm.gov and will be recorded in the meeting minutes.

The BLM will host a field tour on Friday, Dec. 6, and visit public lands managed by the Barstow Field Office including Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area, the borehole at Tecopa Hot Springs, and sites in the Amargosa River watershed. The tour will also include a stop at China Ranch Date Farm. Members of the public are welcome on the field tour, but must provide their own transportation, meals, and water. To attend the field tour, please RSVP by Friday, Nov. 29 to kmiyamoto@blm.gov. The meeting agenda and field tour can be reviewed in advance.

Advisory councils, such as the Desert Advisory Council, provide advice and recommendations for BLM consideration on resource and land-management issues within the agency. These citizen-based councils consist of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities who assist in the development of committee recommendations that address public land management issues.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The California Desert District is lifting seasonal fire restrictions as of Thurs., Oct. 24, by midnight, to safely allow campfires and target shooting on BLM-managed public lands in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, southern Inyo, eastern Mono, San Diego, and eastern Kern counties. Restrictions on smoking will also be lifted on BLM-managed public lands within San Diego, eastern Kern, western Riverside, western San Bernardino, and eastern Los Angeles counties.

“We continue to ask the public to practice safety and awareness when using fire or participating in recreational target shooting on public lands,” said BLM California Desert District Manager Shelly Lynch.  

Use of campfires, barbecues and gas stoves on BLM-managed public lands will be allowed with a valid California campfire permit. Campfire permits are required outside of developed campgrounds and are available for free online at ReadyForWildfire.org and at the BLM, Forest Service and CAL FIRE offices.

During Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches, as determined by the National Weather Service, all recreational target shooting and use of campfires will be suspended to reduce the potential of unintended wildland fire ignitions. Check with your local BLM Field Office for more information on specific locations.

Year-round fire restrictions including the statewide Fire Prevention Order and the California Desert District Year-Round Fire Prevention Order, will remain in place for all BLM-managed public lands in California. Year-round fire restrictions require a year-round campfire permit, maintaining a five-foot diameter clearance around campfires, guidance for extinguishing campfires on BLM-managed public lands in California and prohibit the possession and use of steel jacketed or steel core ammunition and all campfires and recreational target shooting during any Red Flag Warning or Fire Weather Watch.

The public is reminded to exercise extreme caution when using fire and to follow these precautions:

• Always have a five-foot circle cleared around your campfire.
• Always have a shovel and plenty of water on hand and put your campfire DEAD OUT, before leaving.
• Never use steel targets, steel jacketed or steel core ammunition for recreational shooting as they are more likely to cause a fire.
• Always park vehicles away from areas where exhaust could cause grass or other combustibles to ignite.

Visit the California Fire Information and Fire Restrictions website for an interactive map and listing of fire restrictions throughout BLM California. For alternative recreational target shooting locations visit WhereToShoot.org.

For more BLM information about wildfire prevention, please contact the California Desert District Office at 951-697-5200; Barstow Field Office at 760-252-6000; El Centro Field Office at 760-337-4400; Needles Field Office at 760-326-7000; Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office at 760-833-7100; or Ridgecrest Field Office at 760-384-5400.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management will host an in-person public meeting of the BLM California Desert District Advisory Council from 9 a.m.– 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, in the Monterey Bay Conference Room at South Point Hotel, 9777 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV, 89183. The meeting is open to the public with a public comment period scheduled at 9:30 a.m.

The California Desert District Advisory Council meeting will include a presentation from the U.S. Forest Service on the Cleveland National Forest’s fee proposal with an opportunity for public comment on the proposal and a DAC vote, and ethics and Federal Advisory Committee Act training for DAC members. The five field offices and fire program will also report on activities.   

The meeting will include a virtual option via Zoom. Meeting participants must register in advance to attend in Zoom. Upon registering, participants will receive an email, including the meeting link and dial-in numbers. The public will have the opportunity to address the Desert Advisory Council during the public comment period and time for individual comments may be limited due to the number of persons wishing to speak. Written comments may also be emailed in advance of the meeting to kmiyamoto@blm.gov, and will be recorded in the meeting minutes.

The BLM will host a field tour on Friday, Aug. 9, and visit public lands managed by the Needles Field Office including a future desert tortoise augmentation site, Horse Thief Campground, and Crystal Springs. Members of the public are welcome on the field tour, but must provide their own transportation, meals, and water. To attend the field tour, please RSVP by August 2 to kmiyamoto@blm.gov. The meeting agenda and field tour can be reviewed in advance.

Advisory councils, such as the California Desert District Advisory Council, provide advice and recommendations for BLM consideration on resource and land-management issues within the agency. These citizen-based councils consist of 10 to 15 members from diverse interests in local communities who assist in the development of committee recommendations that address public land management issues.

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management is hosting several in-person and virtual public and stakeholder meetings to gather input on the development of off-highway vehicle grant proposals for submission to the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. Grants support off-highway vehicle management activities, including visitor services, law enforcement, resource protection, planning and monitoring, and maintenance on BLM-managed public lands.

“These grant funds help us manage, protect, and maintain the many BLM off-highway vehicle recreation areas in the District,” said California Desert District Manager Shelly Lynch. “We welcome public input on these important grant funds, as the input received at these meetings is used to develop our grant applications.”

Grant applications are being prepared for the 2024 grant cycle. Public comments will be most helpful to the field offices if received prior to the grant submission deadline of March 4.

Stakeholders and members of the public are invited to attend any of the meetings below. Participants are invited to join meetings virtually, by phone using the dial-in information, or attend in-person. The meeting schedule is as follows with options for participation below:

 

Needles Field Office: Feb. 21

4:30 – 5:30 p.m. scoping meeting and 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. stakeholder meeting

In person: BLM Needles Field Office, 1303 S Highway 95, Needles, CA 92363
Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/VBbS50QwTix

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 160 805 1054 / Passcode: 304433

 

Barstow Field Office: Feb. 22

4 -5 p.m. scoping meeting and 5 – 6 p.m. stakeholder meeting

In-person: BLM Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/YH1g50QznW1

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 291 7162 / Passcode: 636079

 

El Centro Field Office: Feb. 22

3 – 4 p.m. scoping meeting and 4 – 4:30 p.m. stakeholder meeting

In-person: BLM El Centro Field Office, 1661 S 4th St, El Centro, CA 92243

Phone: 866-763-8176 / Passcode: 9991496#

 

Ridgecrest Field Office: Feb. 22

4:30 – 5:15 p.m. stakeholder meeting and 5:15 – 6 p.m. scoping meeting
In-person: BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S Richmond Rd, Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/wR4o50QwTpN

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 161 942 9567 / Passcode: 990837

 

Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office: Feb. 27

2 – 3 p.m. scoping meeting and 3 – 3:30 p.m. stakeholder meeting

Virtual via Zoom: https://ow.ly/MzyA50Qzn4P

Phone: 833-568-8864 / Meeting ID: 160 121 0531 / Passcode: 436977

Once the proposals are submitted to the state, anyone interested can review and comment on the preliminary applications from March 5 to May 6, by visiting the grants section at https://ohv.parks.ca.gov, or by submitting written comments to the field offices by mail or email:

• BLM Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, 92311, attention Caleb Scruggs; cscruggs@blm.gov
• BLM El Centro Field Office, 1661 S 4th Street, 92243, attention Michael Mujica; mmujica@blm.gov
• BLM Needles Field Office, 1303 S Highway 95, 92363, attention David Roan; droan@blm.gov
• BLM Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, 1201 Bird Center Drive, 92262, attention Kris Ellis; kellis@blm.gov
• BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, 300 S Richmond Road, 93555, attention Katrina Meyer; kmeyer@blm.gov

The California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division is funding the planning efforts through an off-highway vehicle planning grant. The state program supports off-highway vehicle recreation in California by distributing more than $35 million annually collected from gas tax, entrance fees and off-highway vehicle sticker registrations. The program supports off-highway vehicle recreation in California by providing financial assistance to cities, counties, districts, federal agencies, state agencies, educational institutions, and federally recognized Native American Tribes and non-profit entities.

The Bureau of Land Management California Desert District today announced it is seeking public nominations for positions on the Desert Advisory Council (DAC).  This citizen-based committee assists in the development of recommendations that address public land management issues within the California Desert District.   

The Committee, which is formally chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, provides recommendations to the BLM on public land issues.   

“The Desert Advisory Council assists the California Desert District with recommendations on a dynamic and wide range of programs from grazing to renewable energy,” said BLM California Desert District Manager Shelly Lynch. “I appreciate our council members and their commitment of time and dedication to come together and provide their insight on the BLM’s management decisions.” 

The diverse membership of the DAC is critical in assisting the BLM in continuing to be a good neighbor in communities served by the Bureau, providing recommendations on issues including land use planning, fire management, off-highway vehicle use, recreation, noxious weed management, grazing issues, wild horse and burro management issues and more.   
 
The descriptions for DAC positions are as follows: 

• Category One – Public land ranchers and representatives of organizations associated with energy and mineral development, the timber industry, transportation or rights-of-way, off-highway vehicle use, and commercial recreation. 

• Category Two – Representatives of nationally or regionally recognized environmental organizations, archaeological and historical organizations, dispersed recreation activities, and wild horse and burro organizations. 

• Category Three – Representatives of state, county, or local elected office; representatives and employees of a state agency responsible for the management of natural resources; representatives of Indian Tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the DAC is organized; representatives and employees of academic institutions who are involved in natural sciences; and the public-at-large. 

Individuals are invited to self-nominate to serve on the DAC. Nominees, who must be residents of the state, will be reviewed based on their training, education and knowledge of the Committee’s geographic area. Nominees should also demonstrate a commitment to consensus building and collaborative decision-making. Letters of reference from any represented interests or organizations should accompany the application and any other information that speaks to the nominee’s qualifications. 

As published in a notice in the Federal Register, the BLM will consider nominations for 30 days until November 27. For more information, please contact California Desert District Public Affairs Officer Michelle Van Der Linden at mvanderlinden@blm.gov.