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.

2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2016 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013

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

2016 Correspondence

01/22/16
Scoping comments of the Final Stump Springs Translocation Plan

02/12/16
Pakoon Springs Public Use Environmental Assessment (DOI-BLM-AZ-A030-2016-0004-EA)

02/18/16
Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-CA-D050-2016-0006 for Sampling the Purple Sage Placer Claim Plan of Operations CACA-56420

03/30/16
Comments regarding a well permit for the Soda Mountains Solar Project for Supervisor Lovingood, San Bernardino, CA

03/30/16
Comments regarding a well permit for the Soda Mountains Solar Project for Supervisor Ramos, San Bernardino, CA

04/18/16
Sign-on letter to Nissin Foods regarding its Cup Noodles “wildlife” flavors

07/05/16
Interstate 11 Corridor – Nogales to Wickenburg

07/06/16
Camino Solar Project

07/29/16
Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining hearing about shortened public comment periods in BLM’s Planning 2.0 rule

09/22/16
Pakoon Springs Public Use Environmental Assessment (DOI-BLM-AZ-A030-2016-0004-EA)

10/12/16
Department of Defense’s intent to withdraw 300,000± acres of Desert National Wildlife Refuge for use by the Air Force

10/24/16
Scoping comments for proposal to renew Ord Mountain Allotment grazing lease

11/20/16
Report: Mohave Ground Squirrel 2016 Trapping Results for 11 Grids in the “Bowling Alley,” San Bernardino County, California

11/01/16
Renewable Energy and Conservation Element of the San Bernardino County General Plan

12/10/16
Department of Defense’s intent to withdraw 300,000± acres of Desert National Wildlife Refuge for use by the Air Force

2015 Correspondence

01/07/15
Dry Lake Solar Energy Center (Dry Lake SEZ Parcels 5 & 6) Environmental Assessment (NEPA#: DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2014-0126-EA; Case file #: N-93337)

01/07/15
Harry Allen Solar Energy Center Project Environmental Assessment (NEPA#: DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2014-0125-EA; Case file #: N-93321)

01/07/15
Playa Solar Project (Dry Lake SEZ Parcels 2, 3, & 4) Environmental Assessment (NEPA#: DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2014-0127-EA; Case file #: N-93306)

02/06/15
Las Vegas and Pahrump Field Offices Draft Resource Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement

03/05/15
Comments on San Bernardino County’s Renewable Energy and Conservation Element Framework: Purpose, Values and Standards (Framework)

03/16/15
Comment on Indian Wells Valley Land Use Management Plan Draft EIR/EIS (IWVLMP)

04/15/15
Nomination for a Soda Mountains Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC)

05/31/15
Defenders of Wildlife letter entitled “Mohave ground squirrel recommendations for DRECP Land Use Plan Amendment”

06/03/15
West Mojave Route Designation Final Comment Letter and Table

06/16/15
Scoping comments on the Lucerne Valley Solar One Project

06/28/15
Formal comments concerning the Aiya Solar Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement

09/18/15
Comments on Revisions to Endangered Species Act Petition Regulations

09/20/015
Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Small Mining Operations in Ridgecrest Resource Area

09/24/15
Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative 2.0

10/15/15
Comments on the Beaver Dam Wash and Red Cliffs National Conservation Area Draft Resource Management Plans

11/07/15
Notice of Preparation for Specific Plan No. 339, General Plan Amendment No. 686, Change of Zone No. 6915 (Paradise Valley), EIR No. 506

12/11/15
Comments on Rands Area Arsenic Cleanup

12/28/15
Scoping comments for Eagle Crest Pumped Storage Project in Riverside County

2014 Correspondence

01/06/14
Draft EIR for the Fremont Valley Preservation Project by AquaHelio Resources, LLC

01/06/14
Nominations of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management for National Conservation Land status

01/08/14
Review of focused desert tortoise surveys for Searchlight Wind Energy Project

01/20/14
Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the Beacon Photovoltaic Solar Project, Springbok Solar Farm 1 and Oryx Solar Farm

01/21/14
Fremont Valley Preservation Project by AquaHelio Resources, LLC: Public Workshop of 1/20/2014

02/02/14
Fremont Valley Preservation Project by AquaHelio Resources, LLC. Formal Comments

03/01/14
Formal comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Soda Mountain Solar project (CACA 49584)

03/07/14
Desert Tortoise Council Support for Keeping the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center Operational

03/12/14
Proposed release of captive desert tortoises into the Piute-Eldorado Critical Habitat Unit, Clark County, Nevada

03/13/14
Desert Tortoise Council Support for Keeping the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center Operational

03/20/14
Moapa Solar Energy Center, Final Environmental Impact Statement

04/01/14
Decision Record and Rationale for (DOI-BLM-NV-S010-2014-0032-DNA) – Hidden Valley Tortoise Translocation

04/04/14
Support for Western Watersheds Project’s “Appeal and Request for Stay of the Decision Record and Rationale for The Eldorado Valley Tortoise Translocation (DOI-BLM-NV-S0l0-2014-0038-DNA)”

05/25/14
Formal comments on the proposed Silurian Valley Solar Project

06/16/14
Exploratory Drilling of the Dragonfly Placer Claims by Glacial Minerals, Inc. in El Paso Mountains, Kern County, California

07/27/14
Proposed translocation of desert tortoises from the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center into Stump Springs Translocation Area in southern Nevada

09/02/14
Scoping comments on the proposed Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Coolwater-Lugo Transmission Project, Application No. A.13-08-023

10/07/14
Soda Mountain Solar and Silurian Valley Solar Project

10/31/14
Comments on the Draft “Best Management Practices for Ranching in Sonoran Desert Tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) Habitat in Arizona”

11/07/14
Soda Mountain Solar and Silurian Valley Solar Project

2013 Correspondence

02/05/13
Public meeting on proposed project: Marisol Energy

03/20/13
Joint notice of preparation and notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report for Omya Sentinel and Butterfield Quarries Expansion Project

04/11/13
Rehabilitate Katherine Landing Access Road EA

04/16/13
Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP)

06/01/13
Shared use of Johnson Valley by Marine Corps and off-highway vehicle recreationists

09/11/13
Vehicle route designation on the Arizona Strip

09/23/13
Comments from the Desert Tortoise Council to San Bernardino County Supervisors James Ramos and Robert Lovingood

09/27/13
Public Input on the TransWest Express Transmission Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement

10/11/13
Moapa Solar Energy Center, Environmental Impact Statement

10/16/13
Maricopa Solar Park Scoping

10/19/13
Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) for the Silver State Solar South Project

10/20/13
Protest of the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment for the Silver State South Solar Energy 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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