Proposed Pahrump Airport (April, 2009)

Owen Maloy, who was the lead person for ROLG on proposed expansions of the Mammoth-Yosemite Airport, has submitted Environmental Assessment comments for ROLG to the FAA on a proposed general aviation airport in the town of Pahrump, Nevada, to be located on BLM land. One of the two proposed sites is literally on the California/Nevada border. Relevant issues concern impact on nearby Death Valley National Park and on the newly designated Amargosa Wild and Scenic River area.

Death Valley Wilderness Stewardship Plan:

Death Valley National Park has invited public comments on the plan they intend to develop to guide the National Park Service and to make decisions regarding the future use and protection of the wilderness lands. It is anticipated that this process will take 2-3 years to complete and there will be several times in the process where we will actively invite public input; this is the first such occasion. Initial comments are due by the end of May, 2009. Note this plan will only include the formal wilderness designated areas within the park. ROLG will follow developments and consider submitting comments.

Mammoth Mountain Ski-Back Trail:

ROLG submitted comments to the Forest Service on the ski-back trail from the mountain to North Village that the mountain proposes to build during the summers of 2009 and 2010. The plan, with some modifications, was approved by the Forest Service. Appeals have been submitted by two local residents against some aspects of the approved plan. The Forest Supervisor will consider the appeals and make a final decision.

Whitney Portal Preserve Project DEIR:

ROLG submitted a letter (January, 2009) to the Inyo County Planning Dept. regarding the DEIR findings on the proposed single family housing project to be located in the Whitney Portal area. Our letter contended that the DEIR is inadequate for a number of reasons and suggested the project should not be approved in its current form on the proposed site.

Fibre-optic line (Verizon) between Bishop and Mammoth Lakes:

This line is mainly completed and would provide Verizon additional capacity to extend phone and broadband interest access service in Mammoth Lakes. A group of local citizens in the Swall Meadow area have been opposing this issue because a portion of the line will be aerial and visible from Highway 395 (a Scenic Byway), when according to Forest Service regulations should be buried. Verizon contends that burial of the line is cost prohibitive. The issue was pursued by local residents (who also maintained that as the line ran through Swall Meadows, Verizon should provide service from the line to Swall Meadows residents) in 2008. As of spring, 2009, the line was not completed and the issues were unresolved pending action by the Public Utilities Commission.

Turner Propane Tank Farm: 

Turner Propane proposes locating a propane tank farm adjacent to the Snowcreek VIII project, in the Sherwin borrow pit located off Sherwin Creek Road. The facility would consist of four 30,000 gallon tanks along with supporting facilities. ROLG has concerns about its visibility, location adjacent to residential area, and whether this is an allowed use of the proposed sites according to agreements for this area reached earlier. ROLG has generally supported locating the facility in the area of the commercial park and water district lands.

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