Call To Action: ALAA ALERT - Clear Creak Public Meetings

The Clear Creek area has been a collecting area for Serpentine, (California State Rock), Benitoite, (California State Gem) and a multitude of other agates, rocks and minerals for over 50 years. It has been a recreational and camping area for a lot longer. Please help keep the Clear Creek Area open for all users. If you live in the area please try to attend the public meetings and show your support. If you can not attend the meetings please mail or fax your comments to the responsible parties by the deadline date.

Clear Creak Public Meetings: BLM to Host Public Meetings for Clear Creek Draft Plan

• The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Hollister Field Office will host three public meetings to gather comments on the Clear Creek Management Area (CCMA) DraftResource Management Plan (RMP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in January 2010.

"We encourage the public to attend these meetings to find out more about Clear Creek and help us plan for its future management," said Rick Cooper, BLM Hollister Field Office manager. The draft RMP/EIS covers about 75,000 acres of public lands administered by BLM in southern San Benito and western Fresno counties. The draft RMP/EIS does not include public lands outside of the CCMA.

The draft RMP/EIS was developed through a public planning process and considers seven alternatives. The primary issues addressed are public health risk from asbestos exposure in CCMA, recreation, protection of sensitive natural and cultural resources, energy and mineral development, land tenure adjustments, and other planning issues identified during the public scoping process.

Each public meeting will begin with an open house where the public can gather information, talk with BLM specialists, and provide written comments on the draft RMP/EIS. Following the open house, the BLM will give a brief introduction followed by an opportunity for the public to provide oral comments on the draft RMP/EIS. Although oral comments will be noted on flip charts, BLM will only respond to written public comments in the proposed RMP and final EIS.

Comments must be postmarked or received by BLM no later than March 5, 2010.

The public is encouraged to attend the public meetings to gather information and provide comments on the draft RMP/EIS. All public meetings will take place from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. at:

• January 13, 2010: Harris Ranch Garden Ballroom, 24505 W. Dorris Ave., Coalinga
• January 14, 2010: Veterans Memorial Hall, 649 San Benito St. Hollister
• January 20, 2010: Santa Clara Convention Center, Great America Meeting Rooms, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara

The draft RMP/EIS is available on-line for public review at the Hollister Field Office webpage:

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/hollister/clear_creek_management_area/CCMA_RMP.html

Compact disks of the document are available by request from the Hollister Field Office at the address above.

For additional information contact the Hollister Field Office at (831) 630-5000.

Two websites for those interested in keeping Clear Creek Management Area open:

http://www.foccma.org is friends of Clear Creek.

http://salinasramblersmc.org motorcycle club site - for history of Clear Creek use

Photo - Webmineral http://webmineral.com