Desert Gazette

Evolving Vision

15 years of photographing the Mojave Desert — by Walter Feller

Eclipse Gallery – February 4, through February 25, 2012

Artist’s Reception – February 4, at 7pm – 10pm

The Artist Speaks – February 25 at 7pm – 9pm

California State Parks Celebrates the New Year with First Day Hikes
at Saddleback Butte State Park and Red Rock Canyon State Park
Rejuvenate by taking a family friendly trek through a state park close to home

California State Parks will sponsor free, guided hikes at Saddleback Butte State
Park on New Year’s Day as part of America's State Parks First Day Hikes initiative
in all 50 states.  America’s State Parks First Day Hikes offer individuals and
families an opportunity to begin the New Year rejuvenating and connecting with the
outdoors by taking a healthy hike on January 1, 2012 at a state park close to home.
 First Day Hikes offer a great way to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and
welcome the New Year with friends and family.

“We are excited to host First Day Hikes as part of this national effort to get
people outdoors and into our parks.  First Day Hikes are a great way to cure cabin
fever and burn off those extra holiday calories by starting off the New Year with an
invigorating walk or hike in one of our beautiful state parks,” said California
State Parks Director Ruth Coleman.

“What better way to kick off the New Year than with a hike at a state park?” said
Coleman, who is also President of the National Association of State Park Directors
(NASPD).  “Think of it as the start of a new and healthy lifestyle for the whole
family. Whether you’re staying close to home or traveling, join us at one of
America’s State Parks on New Year’s Day.”

America’s State Parks boast a variety of beautiful settings for year-round outdoor
recreation, and each First Day Hike will offer an opportunity to explore the unique
natural and cultural treasures close to home.  From California to Maine, hikers can
climb hills and mountain tops, walk along ponds and beaches, and traverse trails
through forests, fields and prairies.  Visitors can listen to birds, breathe in the
fresh air, discover wildlife tracks, feel the wind and the warmth of the sun or the
coldness of the snow. Visitors can expect to be surrounded by the quiet beauty of
nature in winter, experience spectacular views and vistas and benefit from the
company of a knowledgeable state park guide.
“Studies have proven that getting outdoors is one good way to relax and recharge the
body, mind and spirit.” stated Phil McNelly, NASPD’s Executive Director.  “We hope
that hiking along a trail in a state park will become part of an individual’s or
family’s regular exercise routine.”

First Day Hikes originated over 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation, a state
park in Milton, Massachusetts.  The program was launched to promote both healthy
lifestyles throughout the year and year-round recreation at state parks.  Many other
states have offered outdoor recreation programs on New Year’s Day, however, this is
the first time all 50 state park systems have joined together to sponsor First Day
Hikes.

Saddleback Butte State Park, created to preserve the Butte and surrounding Joshua
Tree habitat, is slated for closure on July 1 as part of the State-wide budget cuts.
The Save Saddleback Committee has been organized in an effort to find ways to keep
the park open, and will be leading three hikes in conjunction with California State
Parks staff to raise the public’s awareness and appreciation of the park. All hikes
leave from the picnic area, at the corner of 170th St E and East Avenue J (19 miles
east of Hwy 14, near Lake Los Angeles). Address: 17102 East Avenue J, Lancaster. Day
Use fees are waived for event participants, and kids are welcome! Bring a lunch to
eat in the park’s Picnic Area when we return from the hikes.  Detailed information
about Saddleback Butte State Park can be found at
www.parks.ca.gov<http://www.parks.ca.gov/>.
10 a.m. – Hike to top of Saddleback Butte
Moderately strenuous. Five miles roundtrip, 1000 ft of elevation gain.  Meet at the
picnic area at 9:45. Bring water for the hike and wear good hiking shoes and layered
clothing – it can be quite windy at the top.  Participants will be required to sign
a Sierra Club liability waver.

11 a.m. - Dowen Nature Trail
Easy.  Ranger-lead, interpretive tour along the nature trail.  Learn about the
unique natural and cultural history of the local area. Paved, wheel chair/stroller
accessible.  1/2 mile loop with little elevation gain.

12 p.m. - Hike to the south end of the park
Easy to moderate.  4 1/2 miles, little elevation gain, should take about 1½ hours.
Dress for the weather; bring water and hat, and walking sticks optional.  You will
enjoy the beautiful high desert views of our Antelope Valley.  A great winter’s
hike.

A hike will also be led at Red Rock Canyon State Park, 22 miles north of Mojave on
Highway 14.

9 a.m. - Hagen Canyon Trailhead, off Abbot Rd.
This is a 9 mile, all day hike in Nightmare Gulch and participants will be back by
approximately 4pm.  The hike begins with a strenuous stretch of three ridges with an
elevation gain/loss of approximately 1100’ .  The hike then evens out and is easy to
moderate.  This hike is for those in good physical condition, ages 12 and up. Dogs
are not recommended but may be brought on leash.  Wear layered clothing and bring
water and lunch. Hikers are responsible for their own health and safety. Visit
www.redrockrrcia.org<http://www.redrockrrcia.org/> for more information.

Nation-wide First Day Hike locations are listed on the America’s State Parks website
at www.americasstateparks.org<http://www.americasstateparks.org/>. America's State
Parks is committed to promoting outdoor recreation in state parks as a way to
address obesity, especially among children.  Getting kids outside and unplugged from
video games and other electronic media creates a unique connection with nature that
promotes physical and mental well-being and encourages creativity and stewardship of
our shared resources.

Please forward this e-mail to your US Representative sent by Jim Harvey. The purpose
is to stop wasting massive taxpayer dollars and stop this senseless blight of our
beautiful Mojave Desert.   Bill Lembright
----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Harvey AREP
To: Bill Lembright ; Chuck Bell ; Linda Gommel ; Richard Selby
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 7:26 PM
Subject: Fw: Fwd: Please forward: Letter to Congress regarding 1603
From: Nettie Pena
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 6:36 PM
To: jim harvey
Subject: Fwd: Please forward: Letter to Congress regarding 1603

  Hello All,

  I am forwarding a letter on behalf of Lisa Linowes, Executive Director of the
Industrial Wind Action Group in New Hampshire (see http://www.windaction.org/).

  IWA is working on a multi-state campaign that involves sending letters to
Congressional House members asking that they not permit Section 1603 grants to be
extended past December 31, 2011 --- including generous taxpayer subsidies to
multibillion-dollar energy corporations for utility-scale wind projects. 

  According to IWA, eighty-percent of the $9.8 billion in Section 1603 cash grants
went to wind energy developers (see: http://www.windaction.org/faqs/33759 and
http://www.treasury.gov/initiatives/recovery/Documents/Status%20overview.pdf).

  Lisa is asking for a minimum of twenty endorsements from California residents to
send a letter representing the State of California to Congress. Please contact me
if you are interested in signing the letter (be sure to include your name and
address). 

  Thanks,
  Helen

  Rep. ---------------------------------

  US House of Representatives
  Washington, DC 20515

  Dear Representative ---------------------------------,

  As residents of California we urge you to vote NO on any further extensions of
Section 1603 grants due to expire this year.

  While the goal of Section 1603 is to increase the use of renewable energy,
including utility-scale wind, the high costs and limitations of this program
cannot be ignored.

  High Cost: Eighty-percent of the $9.8 billion in Section 1603 cash grants went to
wind energy developers. This represents a more than 10-fold increase in federal
subsidies to the industry over what it received prior to the program's adoption.
As an open-ended subsidy there are insufficient safeguards for taxpayers. Since
the grants are not made public until projects are placed in service, taxpayers
will not know the true cost of 1603 until 2013 or later. Total outlays for wind
alone could reach nearly $20 billion with no extension.

Exaggerated Job Claims: It takes only 0.1 jobs per megawatt to operate a wind
facility Of the 12.3 gigawatts installed with 1603 funds, only about 1200
permanent jobs were created. Most of the 75,000 jobs claimed by the industry are
temporary construction positions. Many of the manufacturing plants/jobs cited by
wind industry proponents build components for industrial uses and are not
wind-specific.

  No production accountability: The Treasury assumes that 1603-funded wind projects
operate with a 30% capacity factor (that is, produce 30% of the projects’
potential production levels) but many projects do not meet this assumption. Five
wind facilities in New York, for example, received $300 million in grants and
operated 25% BELOW this level in 2010. Section 1603 imposes no performance
criteria, and imposes no penalty for projects that under-perform or do not meet
developers' claims. This lack of accountability shifts performance risks to
taxpayers

  Inflated Turbine Pricing: Upfront cash grants provide minimal incentive to
negotiate lower prices with suppliers. In fact, the higher the capital costs the
greater the 1603 grants. With turbines representing 55+% of project costs,
manufacturers are encouraged to keep prices high.

  There are cheaper, more effective opportunities for achieving clean energy goals
that will also help the economy. Direct cash outlays go in the wrong direction by
rewarding higher construction costs, higher energy pricing, and marginal to poor
performance. It's time for Section 1603 grants to expire.

  Respectfully,

  cc:

Enjoy Country-Style Christmas at"Holidays on the Homestead" Museum Fundraiser

Visit the Antelope Valley Indian Museum on Saturday, December 17th from 4 p.m.-8
p.m. for a country-style holiday fundraiser. The museum, which was built as a
homestead in the 1930's, will feature a chili cook-off, country craft boutique,
homestead-era holiday décor, and cowboy singer Michael Tcherkassky performing around
a blazing bonfire! Explore the unique museum and soft, warm lighting of the
whimsical historic grounds, with the winter night sky sparkling over the desert.

Artist and professional set designer Howard Arden Edwards built the Indian Museum to
house his collection of Indian artifacts, and decorated the Swiss chalet-style
building with colorful representations of Indian culture and creative hand-made
furniture. His wife Rose was known for her tasty chili and cornbread feasts at their
1930's holiday celebrations.  Their talents are being recognized with a chili
cook-off, and a craft boutique of country style items- a great opportunity for
holiday shopping. Participants are still being sought for the chili cook-off and
craft booths; contact Jean Rhyne at (661) 946-6900 or jrhyne@parks.ca.gov for an
application.

Michael Tcherkassky, also known as "The Saddle Serenader", has performed cowboy
songs at the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival and other events around the country for
many years. Traditional cowboy songs are tales of life on the range that were
composed by cattlemen during their journeys across the old west, passed on at the
end of their long workdays around the campfire. Michael brings the romantic imagery
of this folk music to life under the stars!

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6-16, and ages 5 and under are free.
Proceeds go to the non-profit organization Friends of the Antelope Indian Museum, to
help keep the park open through the upcoming State Park closure period. Only cash or
checks will be accepted for event admission and boutique purchases. Please come out
for this special holiday event, rain or shine, and support the museum!

When: Saturday, December 17, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Where: Antelope Valley Indian Museum, 15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster
From Hwy 14, take Avenue K east, turn right on 150th Street East, and left on East
Avenue M. The museum is on the left.

Admission: $10 adults, $5 ages 6-16, ages 5 and under free.

True Facts of the Mojave – #9: Desert Seasoning

There are 4 seasons in the Mojave Desert: There is Winter. During the short, hard winter it can be brutally cold and windy. Next is Summer; long hot, dry, windy- very windy in fact. After summer is a season all of its own called Wind. Of course it is windy. After Wind, there is another season, the season known as More Wind, and it too is windy. So there you have it.

“Out here there are no hearthstones,
Hot grains, simply. It is dry, dry.
And the air dangerous. Noonday acts queerly
On the mind’s eye erecting a line
Of poplars in the middle distance, the only
Object beside the mad, straight road
…”

- Sylvia Plath

Beale Adobe–The oldest building in the Mojave Desert. Built in 1846 by Jose Maria Flores to ‘prove up’ on his Rancho la Liebre (the ranch of the jackrabbits) grant, it was purchased in 1855 by E.F. Beale to become the first part of the 420 square mile Tejon Ranch. 

Explore the historic Antelope Valley Indian Museum as darkness falls outside, during the first-ever “Night at the Indian Museum” fundraiser.

The 85-year-old museum houses artifacts from the American Indian cultures of the Great Basin, Southwest and California regions; some items were carefully made thousands of years ago. The Swiss-chalet style building was built into the butte behind it and integrates the granite boulders into the 1930s-era decor. The State Historic Park is currently on the closure list due to state-wide budget cuts, but funding is being raised to remain open for the 3-year closure period.

The museum’s history comes alive through knowledgeable volunteers that staff each room. Night hikes will also be offered to search for wildlife coming out for the evening.

Entrance fee is $10 for adults and $5 for ages 6-16, ages 5 and under are free.

Where: Antelope Valley Indian Museum, 15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster (near Lake Los Angeles).

Directions: Go east on Avenue K, right at 150th Street East, left on East Avenue M. When: Fridays October 14 and 28, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Cost: Adults: $10, Children 6-16 $5, Children 5 and under free.

I finally did the talk I’ve been working on for several months. I’ve done maybe 5-6 of these and do enjoy them. I’m getting better and loosening up more with every one. The subject matter was different from my previous talks. Check it out…

Entering the Palm Springs library, a very nice building in fact, there was a poster in a case that everyone had to walk around. I’ve never been on a poster before. After the talk and when the library had closed, they gave me the poster. I’m going to frame it and an accompanying brochure and hang it like I’m a rock star. It should impress the heck out of the grandkids. 

About two dozen people made it. They were all watching me and shifted their heads in unision when I picked up the camera while I was getting ready.

It was like startling a flock of birds. The talk went well. Only one person left early. It did take me awhile to loosen up. With every laugh I got, things became easier.

Here I am at about the point where we were all having fun. It went on for another 40 minutes. One guy in the audience kept yawning. I had to skip about one third of my stories. I talk too much. I designed the talk to skip what I had to though. My last joke, which ran throughout the talk, I ended by displaying a toothpick. That was the biggest laugh of the night. About 6 or so folks came up after the talk with questions and to thank me. My mission was to try to interest people in exploring their local desert verbal and casual histories. a couple of older couples thought it was great that I had ‘seasoned’ my grandchildren by telling them some of these very same stories. At the end of the 90 mile drive home we stopped at a Denny’s for coffee and a light dinner. A very casual and enjoyable evening. -

I received the following in an email today- I thought it would be interesting to share:

Subject: letter from former Anza-Borrego State Park Superintendent on 12,000 acre
wind project in Ocotillo, Imperial Valley

Mr. Cedric Perry, Project Manager
U. S. Bureau of Land Management
22835 Calle San Juan de Los Lagos
Moreno Valley, CA 92553

Mark Jorgensen
Borrego Springs, CA

September 22, 2011

SUBJECT:   Draft DEIS, OCOTILLO EXPRESS WIND PROJECT

Mr. Cedric Perry:

Thank you for the opportunity to voice my deep concerns on the Ocotillo Express Wind Turbine Project, proposed by BLM and Pattern Energy.

I recently retired as the Superintendent of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  I worked for State Parks at Anza-Borrego since 1972, studying desert bighorn sheep, working as a State Park Ranger, Park Naturalist, Resource Ecologist, Environmental Scientist, and for the last eight years of my career, the Park Superintendent.

I am astounded the Ocotillo Express Wind Project has been proposed in this location, with total disregard for the natural and cultural resources of our desert.

BLM has the mandate to protect our public lands, and in this case I believe your agency has failed us.   Under the California Desert Conservation Plan, BLM designated the area as “Limited Use”, meaning vehicles are restricted to existing trails.  This was determined after years of public input and review.  Now, here is a proposal to destroy 13,000 acres of our public lands for a private industrial investment zone.  This site will be desecrated, but so will hundreds of thousands of acres of surrounding lands with their viewshed qualities destroyed.

So, we Americans are being asked to give Pattern Energy 13,000 acres of our precious land.  Why is BLM advocating for a private company, and not for the protection of lands it’s legally obligated to manage?  What will we citizens get out of this deal?  Discounted electrical rates?  Private industry taking over our land, producing energy, and we will be paying some of the highest electrical rates in the Nation, thanks to SDG&E, Pattern Energy, and our own BLM.

I read the environmental impact documents to see how this project would affect the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, only yards from the project, with a common boundary of more than five miles.   What a surprise to find Anza-Borrego’s impacts had not even been considered in the development of this proposal.  No detailed analysis—not a single Key Observation Point considered for visual impacts!  The State Park had to make critical comments on previous drafts in order to have KOP’s within the Park analyzed—and then only when the Park staff did all the work.  Why did the BLM not consider impacts to the largest State Park in the contiguous United States?  What of the newly designated Cultural Preserve at Piedras Grandes, just west of Ocotillo Express?  Was there any consideration given to this Sacred Site?  What of the wildlife corridors?  What of the desert bighorn sheep?    

I stood just inside Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and tried to imagine the sea of 450’ tall steel towers looming above me.  What I saw was an IRON CURTAIN, a massive industrial mega-complex conceived by some money-hungry mongers from another world.  BLM sanctions this proposal?  Who is BLM representing here, the citizens of the United States, or Pattern Energy?  From what I observed at the “Open House” in Ocotillo, it certainly is clear BLM is a partner of the private developer, Pattern Energy, and not the citizens.

In reading the Wildlife Impacts Section of the Document I considered the impacts to the desert bighorn sheep, which I have studied here since 1967.  I found it convenient that the USF&WS had just recently Undesignated a huge swath of Critical Habitat in this region, just in time for the Ocotillo Express to be able to state their project is not within Critical Habitat.  So much for the Endangered Species Act.  Mitigation for bighorn sheep?  How about NOT building wind turbines within bighorn habitat, or within wildlife movement corridors?

What of the 14 FTHL’s observed on-site, which means there are actually many more?  What of the golden eagles which use this desert site for foraging ?   An average of sixty golden eagles are killed each year at the Altamont Pass Wind Generation site, near San Jose.   SIXTY a year!!  It takes 10-20% of all the golden eagle nests in CA to supply that sixty birds killed in one wind generator project!  What of the CA Condors being restored in N. Baja?  One was documented traveling into the US, as far as Cuyamaca and Anza-Borrego.    What of the 16 burrowing owls, and the W. Mastiff Bats, both listed as BLM Sensitive Species?  BLM should be ashamed of approving this environmental document for public release.

The analysis results in a wildlife monitoring system to take care of  wildlife concerns—-So, they’re going to monitor the death of countless birds species, monitor all the dead bats, pick up the dead golden eagles, Swainson’s hawks, burrowing owls, and peregrine falcons?—at least we’ll know how many were killed in this travesty of “Green Energy”.   I call it RED Energy, for all the bloodshed it will be responsible for.  The radar based “early warning system” is a ridiculous excuse for monitoring bird movements in the region, as is the “observation tower staffed by a professional biologist”.  How can one person stationed in an observation tower possibly watch over 13,000 acres?   The observer cannot see birds, even large raptors, from across the project landscape.  These are tactics created to appease the critics, rather than provide a measure of safety for wildlife of the area.

About 155 wild turbines are now proposed for this project.   According to sources it is estimated that 6-7% of all energy sent into a 500Kv powerline such as the Sunrise Powerlink is lost in transmission.  This means that 6% of all the energy generated by the wind turbines will be wasted—their electrical generation lost on the trip to SD—sparking into space, or someone’s backyard.  Energy generated by nine wind turbines, built at huge expense will be wasted—forever…….How many acres will they cover, how many birds will they kill in their 30 year life?  

This is yet another vote for not building Ocotillo Express, and putting the money and energy into rooftop solar power generation where it will be used—in the city.

The “Public Meeting” sponsored in August 2011 in Ocotillo was not really a public meeting, but an “Open House”.  I received a press release entitled, “Public Meeting”.  Public testimony was not accepted, or welcome.  The BLM staff and representatives of Pattern Energy made it easy on themselves that night, not having to answer questions in public, or having to listen to testimony of the 75 members of the public who were prepared to offer their opinions in the public forum.  I found this meeting a waste of my time and gas, in that I drove 170 miles round-trip to attend.  We, the members of the public, were offended by this sham of a public meeting.  

We moved to this desert because we love it.  We fight to protect it.  Energy should be developed in the regions where it will be consumed, not hundreds of miles away and then wastefully transported into the cities.  This project is an insult to us, and I hope this IRON CURTAIN, mega-industrial complex never exists. 

Sincerely,

Mark C. Jorgensen, Borrego Springs, CA