Lewis and Desert Protection Act

* Thank you for your editorial on July 9 dealing with Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands) and the so-called California Desert Protection Act (CDPA). It certainly helps point out the absurdities of what has become known as “Feinstein’s Folly.”

Imagine a national park, actually a preserve in this instance, which has roads built with the taxes of the people of San Bernardino County which the National Park Service (NPS) says they now control and that commercial traffic is not allowed! Perhaps they never heard of rights of way across the public lands. Next thing you know, they will be telling Santa Fe that their railroad (commercial traffic also) can no longer transverse this “pristine wilderness” and that all the utility corridors must be closed!

Then there are the ranchers who were originally told by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) that ranching would be allowed in perpetuity, but in the final bill perpetuity lost out. The NPS does not recognize the Taylor Grazing Act, so fifth-generation ranchers will not be allowed to make improvements to their range.

Your editorial mentions roads in wilderness areas. Has the Wilderness Act of 1964, which defined wilderness as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man,” been repealed? Roads are works of man! The CDPA makes a mockery of the Wilderness Act!

You say the CDPA was heavily supported by the public. I was at every House and Senate field hearing on this bill. The opponents always heavily outnumbered the proponents, especially at the final Senate hearing in Palm Desert.

Rep. Lewis, however, did not go far enough in my estimation. The entire East Mojave should revert to National Scenic Area status under the direction of the Bureau of Land Management. At least the BLM knows the desert. The NPS does not!

MERWYN H. HEMP

Steering Committee Member

California Desert Coalition

Northridge

* Your editorial is right on. There is not much the Park Service can do with $1. Lewis’ misguided efforts show how we treat our natural land resources. How many places like the Mojave National Preserve that are not protected or set aside as parks are left in Southern California? Not many by my count! Laguna Canyon is a prime example of preserving the land selling out to progress.

However, we should not protect what is left to the extent that it adversely affects the local residents and businesses. This legislation appears to strike the appropriate balance. Perhaps Lewis needs the same education as the local residents.

SHARON COTTA

Long Beach