Hi All,
Steve Shannon, the Tripoli President, sent this out asking for public
comment to the BLM regarding Burning Man's 10 year permit renewal. This
potentially impacts many of us, as a lot of ROC flyers fly at or aspire to
fly at Black Rock.
If you feel so inclined, please read below and follow the directions to
provide input to the BLM.
Regards,
-Andrew
"*I'm very sorry for the short notice, but Tripoli Rocketry Association has
only recently been provided a copy of a letter requesting comments for an
Environmental Impact Statement for Burning Man and the Black Rock Desert. I
would ask that Tripoli members make thoughtful, on-topic comments in their
own words. The deadline for comments is December 21. *
*For more information about the EIS see https://go.usa.gov/xnBTu
<https://go.usa.gov/xnBTu> Documents describing the EIS are available there
by clicking the Documents hotspot on the left menu bar. There were public
meetings held on December 4, 5, and 6, but we didn't receive notification
of them until the day of the 4th. Instead we decided that we would attempt
to register our comments using email. Comments should be emailed
to blm_nv_burningmaneis@xxxxxxx <blm_nv_burningmaneis@xxxxxxx> All comments
become public information. Commentors who wish to keep their information
private need to very carefully read and follow the instructions in the
announcement. Although it's late, comments may also be sent via USPS (snail
mail) to Bureau of Land Management Black Rock Field Office 5100 East
Winnemucca Blvd.
<https://maps.google.com/?q=5100+East+Winnemucca+Blvd.+Winnemucca,+NV+89445&entry=gmail&source=g>*
*Winnemucca, NV 89445
<https://maps.google.com/?q=5100+East+Winnemucca+Blvd.+Winnemucca,+NV+89445&entry=gmail&source=g>*
*Dick Embry put together some talking points which are captured in the
following paragraphs. *
This past year, a significant area of the Black Rock desert was restricted
to use solely by Burning Man for a three week period during September.
Burning Man brought their own security and very limited corridors were set
aside along the edge of the restricted area for use by non-Burning Man
participants to access the Black Rock Desert. Without our comments that
restriction will almost certainly get worse.
Burning Man intends to add five thousand people each year for the next five
years, bringing the *[I]population of Burning Man to one hundred thousand
people*. One hundred thousand people will certainly cause significant
ecological damage to the playa. Remember, this is the same playa where we
are required to fill in tire tracks in case of rain.
In order to accommodate the significantly larger Burning Man event we
expect that the Burning Man setup and clean-up times will be extended by
weeks, both before and afterwards. As it stands now, access to the playa is
badly restricted during some of the prime flying time of the summer. Any
substantial increase in the Burning Man restrictions could effectively wipe
out a flying season, even though the FAA recognizes and has designated the
airspace above the Black Rock Desert as the formal High Altitude Rocket
Launch area in the country.
Tripoli Rocketry, along with other Amateur Rocketry organizations, provides
a network of education and guidance for universities around the world. We
mentor and support most of the major science and technology schools
including MIT, Stanford, Boston U, USC, and UCLA just to name a few. Our
efforts have entrenched our organizations into the fabric and framework of
these universities as well as their network of supporters, alumni, as well
as their representation within all levels of government. The U.S. President
just signed a proclamation to task the US to renew our efforts to go to the
moon, then on to Mars. Our work has and will provide the pool of young
Rocket Engineers and Scientists that will fuel this Effort to the Stars.
Indeed one of our brightest students was just accepted to the NASA
Astronaut Corps. His Genesis was and still is Tripoli. "
