September 25, 2004                                                                               

EIS Scoping, Continued

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Today I published the BLM's EIS Scoping document on the Salinas Rambler's web site for all to see since the BLM has failed to publish it.  Only took them 47 days to produce this report after I originally requested it.  Sure must be hard to create a scoping document after the fact.

Originally the story from Sky Murphy, the NEPA coordinator, was that he was waiting for a copy of the report from George Hill.  Now the story is that he had a draft of the report back in July and was waiting for George to finalize it.  Sound like a cover-up to me.  Scratch another BLM person from my confidence list. 

In the scoping document the BLM states:  "In preparation for the DRMP & DEIS, BLM determined that another round of open-house public meetings for route designation and expansion of the SBMRNA would result in the same scope of issues identified during the 1995 public scoping meetings ."  Excuse me, but the scoping meetings for the 1995 EIS were held back in either 1991 or 1992, not 1995.  Regardless, apparently nothing has changed in twelve years according to the BLM!  Can you believe these guys???  They know everything and we, the public, know nothing?  Talk about arrogance (or is it stupidity?)

The NEPA process calls for the definition of alternatives during the scoping phase of an EIS and for the public to have an opportunity to comment on same.  This scoping document lacks any discussion of the alternatives that appeared in the DEIS.  In fact there is no discussion at all as to the merits of various comments made by the public.  Of course, there was no need for this since the BLM had already decided what to ram down our the public's throat.  Why waste time with analysis when you already know what you are going to do.

In another area of the scoping document they claim that the TRT endorsed the inclusion of acquired lands made through previous land tenure adjustments as part of the EIS.  I check with OHV members of the TRT and none of them recall that discussion.  I also checked with Brian LeNeve of the CNPS and he could not recall any discussion at a TRT meeting about these lands.  This issue apparently was thrown in at the last minute without anyone from the public knowing or commenting on it.

This scoping document is just another example of the BLM's arrogance towards the public, both the environmental and OHV communities.  This is why, at the Hollister meeting, I called for the BLM to reopen the scoping process.  Whether they do or not we will learn soon, I hope, before then end of the public comment period.  If they don't, the this scoping document will just be more fodder to present to a judge when the EIS process is concluded.