Completely ignoring the fact that the Eagle Mountain Mining District (which the FCM has a claim in) is a federally and judicially recognized entity under the Mining Laws, the BLM and Secretary of the Interior proposes to withdraw approximately 22, 462 acers of public land (which includes the Eagle Mountain Mining District) and turn it over to Joshua Tree National Park beginning with a segregation of said lands for 2 years with a notification in the Federal Register on the 18th of November of this year. A public comment period is now open and ends on the 16th of February. A public meeting on the proposed withdrawal will be held on January 18th 2017 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at UC Riverside Palm Desert, 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive, Palm Desert California 92211.

My fellow Miners, Metal Detectorist, Off Roaders, Hunters and all Outdoors People, this is just one more landgrab initiated by environmentalist and supported by the BLM in behalf of the National Park System. There is only one reason for this landgrab and that is to shut you out and take away your rights.

In the “Eagle Mountain Boundary Study Including Possible Land Withdrawal Environmental Assessment” that was published in March of 2016 by the National Park System, says the withdrawal is needed for the protection of cultural and biological resources. This is crap ladies and gentlemen; the area is so remote only the claim holders (who have held claims in the area for nearly 20 years) and very few people venture into the area. Yet the NPS states in the same study, they want to enhance tourism in the area. Is that not an oxymoron? Protection and tourism?

I am requesting each one of you sit down and write a letter of objection to this landgrab. You can go to the following website and make comments:

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=59291

On the left hand side of the page it will say ”project links”
Click on “Open for Comment” this will bring up Documents open for review
Click on “Federal Register Notice-proposed withdrawal”
Go to the bottom of this page and click on “Comment now”
Fill in the required information.

Or write to:

David Smith, Superintendent
Joshua Tree National Park
74485 National Park Drive,
29 Palms CA, 92277

And make the meeting in Palm Desert.

Remember, if you rant and rage in this letter, you won’t be taken seriously. Be polite and write something thoughtful. Just let the you are opposed and a reason. Also, there is nothing to say you cannot write more than one letter or make more than one comment. Write a many as you want the more the better.

Jim Wharff
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Eagle Mountain Mining District