Ecosystems Advisory Committee

Ecosystems Advisory Committee

The Ecosystems Advisory Committee (EAC) supports the mission of the Desert Tortoise Council by bringing the best available science to the federal, state, and local agency decision-making process. The EAC committee members do this by submitting comment letters on proposed projects and other issues (e.g., policymaking, regulatory applications, funding, etc.) associated with the conservation and management of desert tortoises and their habitats. The EAC committee members also work with other conservation organizations to provide a larger and more effective voice to support the implementation of conservation actions for desert tortoises and desert ecosystems, and to oppose actions that contribute to declines of their populations and degrade or destroy their fragile desert ecosystems.

EAC Correspondence

Click on the links below to view correspondence from the Desert Tortoise Council’s Ecosystems Advisory Committee.

2018 / 2017 / 2016 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013

2018 Correspondence

12/21/18
Comment Letter on the Draft Environmental Assessment for Test and Evaluation and Training Activities at the Cuddeback Range at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake

11/18/18
Comment Letter on Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment and Draft Environmental Assessment for Dry Lake East Designated Leasing Area (DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2018-0131- EA)

11/07/18
Comment Letter on Desert Quartzite Solar Project Draft Plan Amendment/ Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Report (DOI-BLM-CA-D060-2017-0002 / CA State Clearinghouse No. 2015031066)

10/08/18
Comments on Environmental Assessment for a Modification to Keystone Mine Plan of Operations CACA-33965

08/26/18
Comment Letter on the Bureau of Land Management’s Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Land Use Plan Amendment, and a Notice of Segregation, both for the Proposed Gemini Solar Project in Clark County, Nevada

08/25/18
Comment Letter on the Bureau of Land Management’s Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and a Notice of Segregation for the Proposed Yellow Pine Solar Project, Clark County, NV

07/27/18
Arizona Department of Transportation’s Draft Application for Assumption of Federal Highway Administration’s National Environmental Policy Act Responsibilities

07/27/18
Environmental Impact Report for the San Bernardino County Master Storm Water System Maintenance Programs

05/15/18
Mojave National Preserve Management Plan for Developed Water Resources Environmental Assessment

05/14/18
Dry Lake East Designated Leasing Area DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2017-0131-EA

05/08/18
Draft Buckeye Hills Travel Management Plan, Pinal and Maricopa Counties, Arizona

04/29/18
Halloran Springs Communication Site Lease (DOI-BLM-CA-D090-2018-0011-EA, CACA-053336) Environmental Assessment

04/25/18
Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Proposed Daggett Solar Power Facility, San Bernardino County, CA

04/20/18
Scoping Comments on Joint Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIS/EIR) for the RE Crimson Solar Project and Input on Potential Plan Amendments to the California Desert Conservation Area Plan

04/02/18
Comments on 2017/2018 Grant Applications (Off Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation)

04/02/18
Letter of Support for the Preliminary Grant Application by the Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee for Western Expansion Area Restoration

03/29/18
Interconnect Towers Ash Hill Communications Site (DOI-BLM-CA-D090-2016-0007-EA)

03/20/18
Do not sign Letter of Intent for the Cadiz Pipeline

03/18/18
Scoping comments to consider changes to the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

03/16/18
Paradise Valley Specific Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report No. 506

03/08/18
Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) Military Land Withdrawal Legislative Environmental Impact Statement (LEIS)

03/07/18
Scoping Comments for the Lower Colorado River Travel Management Plan

02/13/18
Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Lower Centennial Complex

02/12/18
DOI-BLM-CA-D080-2018-003, CalNev Pipeline Dig JT-34440 and JT-38470

2017 Correspondence

02/23/17
Letter to the National Governors’ Association on Protecting the Endangered Species Act

03/15/17
Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)Translocation Throughout the Species Range within the Southern Nevada District and Caliente Field Office, Nevada, DOI-BLM-NV-S000-2017-0002-EA, Population Augmentation (BLM 2017)

06/20/17
Spectrum Article on Desert Tortoises in the Northern Corridor in Red Cliffs National Reserve, Utah

06/12/17
Coalition Letter on Infrastructure Legislation

06/28/17
Green Planet EA for St. Philip Placer Mine – El Paso Mountains, Kern Co., California

06/20/17
San Bernardino County General Plan Renewable Energy and Conservation Element

Related Documents

November 2016 Report: Mohave Ground Squirrel 2016 Trapping Results for 11 Grids in the “Bowling Alley,” San Bernardino County, California

1 November 2016: Renewable Energy and Conservation Element of the San Bernardino County General Plan

12/04/17
Scoping comments for an Environmental Assessment for testing, evaluation, and training activities at the Cuddeback Range at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake

12/24/17
Notice of Intent to Prepare and Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report for the Edwards Air Force Base Solar Enhanced Lease Use Project

Introductory Course

Introduction to Desert Tortoises and Field Techniques is a two-day basic course that includes important information on ecology, habitat preferences, life history, health, physiology, and threats; applicable state and federal laws and required permits; and two field sessions on surveys and identification of tortoises and tortoise sign.

The 2019 Introduction to Desert Tortoises and Field Techniques course will take place November 2-3 at the Kerr-Magee Center in Ridgecrest, California. Registration should begin in July.

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