Sunday, January 15, 2012

Annual Meeting Saturday January 21, 2012

All MBCA members and supporters are encouraged to attend our Annual Meeting on Saturday morning, January 21, at the Joshua Tree Community Center, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. What will you learn? You’ll hear what MBCA accomplished last year, what we’re planning for 2012 (and how you can help!), and as a bonus, a very timely update from members of the Morongo Basin Dark Skies Alliance.

The alliance is focused on promoting energy-saving lighting and improving the San Bernardino County lighting ordinance. Come to hear their creative proposal to improve the chances of maintaining our precious dark night skies and saving energy in the Morongo Basin.
 
The Milky Way over Hidden Valley image courtesy of Wally Pacholka

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Issues: Year in Review

Our annual meeting is Saturday, January 21st from 9AM-1 PM at the Joshua Tree Community Center. The first part of our program will focus on our 2012 goals, followed by a presentations on Dark Skies and Lighting Ordinances. We have an interesting meeting planned and many challenges ahead---Please join us!

Part of planning for the future is evaluating past efforts. In 2011, a number of concerns were presented to MBCA and our high desert community. Here is a partial list of issues that we acted upon this past year:

o    Continued to support S. 138, the California Desert Protection Act of 2011
o    Supported Joshua Tree National Park in the ongoing campaign against invasive Saharan mustard
o    Requested modification of CalTrans’s Hwy. 62 concrete highway divider to accommodate wildlife crossings
o    Commented, in cooperation with NPCA, against creating a County OHV Park in the Gold Park area east of 29 Palms
o    Continued to review and comment on development of industrial solar in inappropriate places in the Mojave Desert
o    Commented with concerns about Granite Construction’s expansion in 29 Palms
o    Supported the fight against the Eagle Mountain Dump and supported return of that land in that area to Joshua Tree National Park
o    Commented, in cooperation with NPCA, against the proposed Cadiz Water Project
o    Partnered with Twentynine Palms Water District in updating and improving the 10-year old “Let’s Go Native” brochures
o    Commented against AB 628, which would allow Inyo County to expand OHV traffic on a trial basis
o    Commented against adoption of SB 108, a mining bill that could reopen the possibility of a dump at Eagle Mountain.

More information about these issues is available here or on the MBCA website. Thank you for your continuing support.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Monthly Board Meeting

The next regular board meeting of the Morongo Basin Conservation Association is Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 5:00 PM at 7491 Barberry Avenue in Yucca Valley (NE corner of Pueblo Trail and Barberry Avenue).

Please join us and add your voice and experience.