I saw this on the Friends Of Jawbone Site and I thought some of the toyhauler owners would like to know about this. I hope some day that the off-roaders and environmentalist can get along. Or at least come to a fair middle ground.

FOJ ENews — June 22, 2010

• SPECIAL EDITION •

R5 & R50 Temporarily Closed Again

The BLM Ridgecrest Field Office, acting on orders from the California Desert District Office, again implemented a closure of routes R5 and R50 in the Rand Mountains. The BLM acknowledged that the closure will impact a significant number of outdoor recreationists.

The two routes were among several in the area that were originally closed in 2002 due to off-route travel by OHV users. In 2007 the Friends of Jawbone, under a grant from the California OHV Trust Fund, created a fenced-in corridor for both R5 and R50. In October 2008 the BLM completed an Environmental Assessment and a Decision Record that allowed the R5 and R50 corridor routes to re-open as part of the new Rand Mountains OHV Education and Permit program. The BLM’s decision was based on the fact that the routes had been completely fenced-in to prevent further off-route travel by OHV users.

Despite being misinformed on the issue, the Center for Biological Diversity recently succeed in getting an administrative law judge to uphold their appeal against the reopening of R5 and R50. The issue has been remanded to the BLM pending the outcome of a Federal lawsuit regarding OHV routes in the West Mojave desert. Friend of Jawbone and BLM had hoped that R5 and R50 could continue to be open while the case was pending.

“As land managers, we recognize this “back and forth” is confusing to the public and it is difficult for us to enforce as well. BLM hopes the matter will be decided soon in the pending Federal Court case on the 9.9 million-acre West Mojave Plan,” said BLM Desert District Manager Teri Raml.

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