Barbelith Underground > Conversation > Save the BurNinGmAn!!!

on a slightly more serious note:

I'm writing this note to you from "across the pond" after Larry Harvey's
successful talk at Oxford University in England. The talk went off without a
hitch and was appreciated by a very enthusiastic audience in the atmosphere
of an old library/lounge at the Oxford Union.

The day of the speech coincided with the events in Washoe County on the same
day. One can only be in one place at one time, though Danger Ranger is
trying to teach us all how to "bi-locate" we've not yet absorbed the nuances
that allow for it to actually happen. That being the case we were here, they
were there, and you all were where you are!

You'll see from the report which should follow from Andie Grace including
URLs that the efforts in Washoe County were very successful. Thanks to
EVERYONE for the role you may have taken in bringing this political coup
off. Thanks for the letters to the editors of the RGJ, thanks for the online
petition (though many don't like this sort of thing, it's a valuable show of
strength in this case), thanks for the distribution of buttons in Reno,
thanks for forwarding the information to friends, thanks for showing up at
the meeting, thanks for speaking, and just thanks to everyone!

I hate to ask for another bit of contribution from all of you. And, if you
didn't get involved before you have another chance to have your voice heard
on another subject.

The Black Rock Desert National Conservation Area (NCA) Management Plan:

In addition to the recent process with Washoe county concerning our building
permits we DO go through a yearly permit process with the BLM. For the most
part this process has been going very very smoothly. The permit we receive
is called a Special Recreation Permit, and is designed to outline the
requirements we must follow to have the event on the Black Rock Desert.

In December 2000 President Clinton signed into law the creation of a
National Conservation Area for the Black Rock Desert
http://www.blackrockhighrock.org/ seeking to preserve it as the pioneers
experienced it in the mid-late 1800s. Burning Man supported this legislation
with the condition that we were specifically written into the legislation.
We were. Large Scale events are allowed to happen as long as they don't
conflict with the intent of the NCA. Burning Man doesn't. All is good.
HOWEVER....

The NCA will have a management plan. A document by which the administrators
of the area will use as a guide to oversee planning, preservation and
visitor services. The Management Plan for the NCA has been in development
for over a year. The DRAFT of this plan is currently available for public
comment. Participants and other users attended meetings in late April in
Sacramento, Reno, Winnemucca, Cedarville and Gerlach and commented on the
DRAFT Management Plan. The deadline for public comment is June 16th, but you
still have an opportunity to voice your opinion and we NEED you to do so.

You should know that I, Marian Goodell, have sat on a 20-some member
Sub-Committee combined from and related to the two regional Resource
Advisory Committees. The members are from a wide variety of user types
representing groups such as historical trail advocates, wilderness, Native
American, wildlife experts, off road vehicles, ranchers, public recreation,
state agencies and rock hounds. We were asked to work with each other and
the BLM, to review ideas and comment on progress being made on the
Management Plan. I attended 5 meetings (9 total days) spread over a year and
1/2, and I can actually say my presence in these meetings went a long way
towards protecting the interests of the event and the 30,000 users that
enjoy the Black Rock Desert during and at times other than during the
existence of Black Rock City.

The results of this cooperative effort between the users and the BLM is the
current incarnation of the DRAFT Management Plan. The preferred alternative
is accepted by most members of the RAC Sub-Committee, but everyone see
possible changes.

At this TIME Burning Man is happy with the current plan and the Proposed
Alternative as it applies directly to the event. If you're a constant user
of the desert and have interests in other areas you may still want to look
at the plan and comment on areas that effect you.

HOWEVER...and this is where YOU come in...The last time I attended a meeting
of the Sub-Committee the BLM announced that The Wilderness Society (TWS) had
started a online form-based letter writing campaign
http://ga1.org/campaign/blkrock_tws stating their interests. And, due to the
fact that the opinion of one of the Sub-Committee members was of value to
TWS they have decided to support and echo her thoughts on several issues.

HER OPINIONS on the LOCATIONS used for LARGE SCALE (type 3 and 4, the latter
of which is us) events does NOT jive with the opinion of the Burning Man
organization. OR serve the interest of the PUBLIC. Thought the BLM has asked
for users to NOT send form letters, TWS chose to do exactly that.
UNFORTUNATLEY, their form letter states:

"I urge you to limit large-scale public events to the far south playa. All
the proposed alternatives allow events to occur too far to the north. I am
similarly concerned that all the alternatives designate too much area as
"front country;" front country should be only where it is now-on the south
end of the playa."

If this is actually done, we would have to move back to the more southern
portion where we were in 1998 and 1999. The area there is too small, would
cause problems with the building of the event, effect the safety of the
participants, and endanger the future of the event.

The BLM reminded me that we MUST send supportive "we like it" sorts of
letters in addition to the "please change it" type. And, that though this
effort by The Wilderness Society is merely an automated message... Burning
Man should re-state it's position on supporting the current Preferred
Alternative and it's management of Large Scale Events, and the definition of
the boundaries for the Front Country and Playa use are for Type 3 and 4
events should stand as stated in the Preferred Alternative.

Please go here:

http://www.blackrockhighrock.org/commentEmail.asp

And counteract the efforts of 2300 mis-informed button-pushers by suggesting
you support large scale recreation as it's currently proposed in the
Preferred Alternative for the DRAFT Management Plan for the NCA.

You CAN download the entire plan from the web site. However, it takes a
great deal of time and includes more information than you'll need in this
life time. I suggest you review only the Preferred Alternative and its
Recreation section if you're so inclined.

In case you don't think your effort can make the difference. You should know
that as a result of our participants efforts in responding to the current
political crisis in Washoe County we are helping to change the minds of the
politicians. Two previously unsupportive members have agreed to reconsider
our special use permits and have committed to visiting our property before
their next scheduled meeting June 24. They will then be in a better position
to judge our case more fairly.

Who says democracy doesn't work?

YOU can make a difference.

We do need your help. Please take the time.

Thanks!

From Scotland.....

Larry Harvey

and

Maid Marian
>^..^< >^..^<

Mistress of Communication