McCain Valley Wind Farm

[amgems 79]

Ground breaking in a few weeks.

 

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/sep/01/tule-wind-groundbreaking/

[Yeti 0]

Any idea whether this will impact the OHV riding area?

[amgems 79]

Yes it will. They show the turbines in the riding area. The map is not very detailed. I've sent them an email to get more info....

[amgems 79]

Looks like about 11 windmills in the OHV area.

http://tulewindeccmp.com/CACA-049698.pdf

More maps here: http://tulewindeccmp.com/

http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/environment/info/dudek/ecosub/TechStudies/Tule_Visual.pdf

http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/wo/MINERALS__REALTY__AND_RESOURCE_PROTECTION_/energy/priority_projects.Par.63830.File.dat/Tule%20Wind%20map.pdf

[Bp619 104]

Yeah map is very basic but i bet going to effect riding area especially during the construction time frame. Looks like to me its going on that ridge west of main road that we all ride to get north and south and transfer down into the single track

[Bagstr 287]

Page 32  cpuc.ca.gov  Document shows visual impact from lower road .

Thanks Jim for the Heads Up.  Does look like the OHV Ridge to me.    Trying to remember the BLM declarations from a few years back.

[crfxer 87]

11 towers???  Along with all the service roads and grading, that place will be ruined.  Wasn't very big to begin with

[darylhunter 1]

Would be nice if they would make available a GIS file for the project, including a grading layer for the service roads, etc.

That way we could plot the affected areas on one of the various GIS programs like ArcGIS or MapInfo.

[Ken S 164]

Maybe they'll give us the East side of the road. 

We can always dream. 

[Bagstr 287]

"From 2015"

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Posted 30 March · Report post

This is Ed. president of SDORC. I have been active with SDORC a long time and I have never wanted windmills at Lark Canyon. I fought it vigorously through comments and getting others to comment. Another off-road group backed having windmills in Lark. That was the group that makes up Ecologic, who works to help off-road problems. They made a deal that if they go for windmills, they get money for Lark Canyon. I don't remember how much, but its a lot relative to what the place needs. They were gonna put them in about 8 years ago. I went out there and met with the people from the project. They want to put 17 in Lark, 100 in all of McCain Valley. I really tried to keep them out of Lark. That project went away because the State figured how to reach the 20% renewable energy mandate without that project. Now the State needs 30%, in a few years 50%. So a different company wants to bring them to Lark now. The company 8 years ago was Eberdrola, a Spanish company. I commented that its not even an American company, all profits go to Spain. That's how we use American public land? I commented that windmills can cause fires and linked to a video of a windmill near Palm Springs on fire.

This land (Lark) is managed by the El Centro BLM office. They have told me that windmills will not stop dirtbikes in the area. The windmill people actually told me we will get more trails. They are counting the wide smooth dirt road that goes between the windmills as trail. I personally hate the whole thing. I have ridden out there lots of time, even won the Advanced class in observed trials a few times there. Windmills, may not close the place, but it won't feel like it does now. I always feared some kid would park his bike and chuck rocks at the blades. So he breaks a blade, the windmill people will scream and yell. Those windmills cost like $5 million each. So what happens when there is a conflict? Who wins? Not us. Its possible everything will be fine. Only time will tell. If anyone has any more questions on this or other OHV land use stuff, email me at info@sdorc.org.

 

[robertaccio 405]

ticketed for for riding trails out of bounds.......why? ecological damage..... Its all a smoke screen. As usual whoever has the most cash wins.....been watching the sioux land grab up north for some other pipeline......guarantee the indians will lose that land....they may get loads of cash for it , oh but they will lose that land you betcha. 

 

just ride ...................................

 

[DDH 0]

Was just out there this weekend. The destruction of the trails was heartbreaking. My son and I, who have ridden there for a decade, actually got LOST because it's so unrecognizable in parts now. They just bulldozed the entire center of the park. Very very sad.  

[robertaccio 405]

what DDH said.....I could not have imagined how crazy it would be........for those that have not seen it, its lke a 50yard wide swath of plowed landscape with moved boulders and chewed up manzanita and scrub brush/cactus. completely nutty especially when in the past I paid a $75 dollar fine for out of bounds riding........warned from rangers that the "big rock slab" is technically out of bounds. really?  

[350thumper 336]

enjoy it while the gates are still open. This is why ive taken to free-riding.

if only they could push the boulders into an endurocross trac on the side .

im sorry thyre wrecking the place 

[dirt dame 559]

I manage to ride around the parts that are screwed up.  There are plenty of routes that are lots of fun that don't cross that torn up stuff, although I was atking a shortcut back to the car yesterday and saw the extent of it through the middle of the place.

[kkug 146]

Has anyone talked to the BLM about the future of the place. ? I think they would have to complety close it due to liability during and after contruction .

[carguy 1]

Some of the area has already been closed. It's all about the greed!!

[Bagstr 287]

SDORC MEETING WITH BLM and Ocotillo Managers

 

 

Attended the meeting managed by Ed Stovin.  The Prez / Randy and a couple of SDAR members I don't know where also present. BLM managers Neil and new ranger Alexia made statements and took questions.  Neil is a 22 year veteran with a good partnership going with Ed. They trust on another. Alexia is a one year veteran of the El Centro District and will be in charge of the Tule / Lark / McCain site going forward.

Statements by Neil -

The site is going to be different.  There will be no loss of recreation mileage, although routes will change.  There will be no general shutdown of riding during construction.  There may be delays on roads of 15 minutes or so, when machinery is moving. Work areas will be off limits. This project has 55 turbines being installed in total for the entire area, much of it outside Lark Canyon. There are many trails in existence that are " Outside the official park boundary". The turbines are on the west border of the The service roads will have access gates and not legal to ride in the future. There is an $800, 000 Improvement Fund for the general use area. This property has been on the radar since George W. Bush in 2001, but the build out only approved now as part of the goal to reach 50% renewables statewide. The project is scheduled  for completion in September of 2017, working six days a week. The El Centro BLM office is at 30% of authorized staffing.

A MOU - Memorandum of Understanding is the best method to move forward on Input and Management of the resource going forward.

 

Statements by Ed Stovin -

" I have been working on this Turbine issue for 10 years. I fought the battle to the best of my abilities and Lost."  Neil is a good guy and has our interest in mind. We have a good working relationship.  You can go file a law suit against the BLM, but then the Office will shut down it's interaction with out group. It is better to maintain the dialogue and work within the system.  We have $800k available for improvement to facilities. The MOU is the best way forward.

Statement by Devon Schneider - A rider and professional Grading Contractor.  619-504-4613

I work professionally grading Pro Supercross and Outdoor tracks locally.  "Please Do Not ask for new trails to be installed. That has been a disaster at Gorman and other locals. Let the area recover by riding the routes. It will be best.

I would like to start a Friends of Lark Canyon support group to manage rider input and lobbying. (  This guy is serious and appears capable. I sat next to him and we talked. )

Comments by Bagstr / Dave

I believe the opinion of Neil that he turbines are at the west boundary to be only accurate at the north 1/4 of the park. Many acknowledged that the fans are located down the middle of the ridge where the main north south trail ran. Although there will be gates at service road entrances, crossing perpendicular to road may be an option. ( Although not authorized! )  

The biggest impact may be visual, in that the view of isolation will be significantly impacted. Flying " Under the radar / turbines" may be the best way forward. Using the MOU for lobbying and lines of communication will be best.

 

Ocotillo Well ORV PARK

Statement by Andy - Manager

December 8th the Judge ruled the Horned Lizard was  Not to be Listed as Endangered at Ocotillo Wells. By next year the group use permits should be back to normal. Randy was going to chat Andy up as I departed.  There were only 2 DUI citations issued over the two week holiday period. This is a miracle!  " The Word is getting out that it is Not Acceptable to Drink and Ride." There were only a handful of injuries during the holiday and Zero Fatalities. 

Dave   619-994-9481

[KTMrad 508]

Great write-up Dave, thanks for taking notes.

[Bp619 104]

Awesome news thanks for notes

[Ken S 164]

The basic message I got out of it is it's going to remain open but will never be the same. 

I think it's time to start putting in trails in the In Co Pah area. 

[Getsmacked440 0]

3 hours ago, Ken S said:

 

I think it's time to start putting in trails in the In Co Pah area. 

I'm in. 

[robertaccio 405]

to top off my on holiday monday I got pulled over on the dirt road out for speeding on a construction zone. on the holiday with NOONE working out there. the entire road is now 15mph...... truth is I always baja that road when its clear way above the posted 30mph signs. I was really doing right at 35mph       this time.     He gave me a warning and let me roll.   PS there was a rock crawler crew riding up the big slab up the east side rocky bushy side from next to the tree spot and up. with one of those crazy articulated suspension freakish things.

Here is my ironic foto of the day. without explaining its obvious why I took it. (there is basically a construction freeway running through there now.)

this is the old sick bird other side of the road entry trail with accompanying keep out sign......

 

 

[robertaccio 405]

what ever is built out there we will continue to have trails, bank on that.

 

[ADV Bum 205]

 

Thanks for going guys. Great write up Bag's with lots of info. SDAR will try to be part of any group it can to keep trails open.