As many of you know IWP is a member of a 32 group coalition (the Owyhee Canyonlands Coalition) fighting to stop a proposed expansion of an expanded training (aka "bombing") range by the Air Force in Owyhee County, Idaho.
The Owyhee Canyonlands Coalition (OCC) has been provided a unique opportunity to expand the public lands debate over the expanded Bombing Range and to fight its many impacts (supersonic flight, flares, chaff, harm to vegetation and wildlife) on public lands. OCC has filed an application to lease the same Idaho school endowmwnt lands as the Air Force. An auction is scheduled for January 22, 1999 in Boise. Normally the Idaho Land Board will award the lease to the high bidder (except,of course, when IWP is involved !), but even if the Air Force outbids OCC, money will be raised for Idaho's school endowment fund.
Your financial support is requested to aid this effort. Please note that any funds committed will be returned to you if OCC's bidding is unsuccessful, unless you would prefer your funds to remain with IWP for our work.Send checks ASAP to IWP, Box 1602, Hailey Idaho 83333 marked "OCC auction return"(if you would like your funds returned if the auction is lost) or "OCC auction no return". Your contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
For more information read on:
BACKGROUND
At the December 1998 Land Board Meeting, the Land Board was on the verge of handing over the lease for state land associated with the ETI Bombing Range to the Air Force. OCC became aware of this impending action and responded by writing a letter to the State and appearing before the Land Board voicing our concerns - the Air Force had failed to complete necessary steps in the application process to lease state lands, and had no Management Plan for the lands. OCC also stated that we were interested in leasing these lands. Perhaps realizing their paperwork ducks were not in a row, the Land Board decided to delay action on the lease until the upcoming January meeting.
On December 30, OCC received a letter from the Idaho Department of Lands stating that OCC could apply to bid on these state lands, and that we must have a lease application, $8, 548 dollars annual payment, and a management plan submitted by January 7. An auction between OCC and the Air Force was originally scheduled for January 12. OCC members met with LAW Fund legal counsel and pro bono attorneys on January 5, and decided to go for it! In two days, OCC assembled all the required items, and were feverishly raising money for bidding at the auction. On January 9, OCC received a letter from IDL stating the auction had been re-scheduled for January 22. This has given us additional time to raise funds for the auction, elevate our efforts and again demonstrate firm citizen opposition to Bombing Range impacts.
OCC's Proposed Uses of State Leases:
The state lands to be leased include approximately 960 acres - 2 larger parcels associated with the Juniper Butte site, and three scatttered parcels on state lands east of the Bruneau River.
OCC's Management Plan submitted to IDL on January 7, focuses on obtaining the state land lease to enable us to monitor impacts of the Bombing Range and military activities in Owyhee County on adjacent BLM lands. OCC proposes to draw on its broad-based membership and use skilled volunteers and scientists to monitor noise, contrails, chaff, flares, soil erosion, pollution and impacts to vegetation, wildlife, and water quality stemming from Bombing Range activity.
Our efforts highlight the continuing failure of the Air Force to address environmental harms associated with its activities, and its lack of commitment to environmental safeguards. OCC will use high-tech, backpack-carried monitoring equipment, and will access all leased lands by foot to conduct monitoring activities. We will provide public school students the opportunity to participate in our scientific monitoring efforts. We will educate the public on the special values of the Owyhee Canyonlands, and military threats to them.
In contrast, the Air Force plans for these state lands include: New roads, a fenced building site, buildings, 17 foot tall threat emitters (emit electromagnetic radiation which can damage human and animal body tissue), construction of pads for emitters, and other Bombing Range activities including the use of hazardous materials.
In this effort, OCC continues to voice the opinion of 86% of the American public who commented on the ETI Bombing Range proposal. 86% of public comment opposed development of the Bombing Range. OCC has highlighted the Air Force's continued failure to address environmental harm caused by its activities. OCC will maximize the amount of money raised for the state school endowment fund, and will continue to raise public awareness of the unique values of the Owyhee Canyonlands and promote their protection.
If OCC loses the auction, it is still possible to request that the Idaho Land Board award the lease to OCC anyway - as has happened so often in IWP's state land lease attempts.