California Save the Hammers: Round 2 — Land & Sky - No, I'm not kidding.

[Wildman]

Over a decade ago, we fought like hell to save Johnson Valley. We gave up half the land to the Marines and accepted a compromise to share what was left — because keeping part of it open for the public was worth the fight. Thirty thousand off-roaders stood together, and Congress agreed this land mattered so much they made it a congressionally designated OHV area.

And now? We’re right back here again.

The Marines are using the same slow, creeping tactics — this time not for the land, but for the skies above it. For years they never butted up against KOH dates. Now they start their “shared use” closures within days of the race wrapping up. This year KOH ended Feb 8; the Marines started Feb 13. Next year it’s Feb 12. It feels deliberate. It feels shady.

And now, tucked quietly into an Environmental Assessment that’s been out for weeks without most of us even knowing about it, they’re proposing to take surface-to-sky control of Johnson Valley.

That means:
• No medevac life flights for one of the busiest OHV areas in SoCal.
• No helicopters or drones for King of the Hammers.
• No chase helos or personal drone coverage for racers or wheelers.
• District 37 races, family weekends, testing/tuning — all at risk.

The Marines’ slick website says OHV use “won’t be touched.” But if they control the skies, they aren’t sharing. They’re making it harder for us to race, harder for us to save lives, harder for us to keep Johnson Valley what it was meant to be.

**Deadline to comment is September 15th. We need at least 1,000 strong comments to stop this.**

I’ve been on the phone with aviation experts, my BlueRibbon Coalition team, and county leaders. We believe this fight can be won — but only if we are loud.

If you’re as fired up as I am, check the comments for the link and talking points to tell the Marines what you think of this latest land grab.

We already gave up half of Johnson Valley once. That was supposed to be the compromise. This is Round 2, and I’m not sitting quietly while they chip away at the rest.

Expect to see more next week from BRC and King of The Hammers, but for now — this is the first shot across the bow.

Please share this with your clubs, your groups, your pages. Let’s be ready to make some noise.
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— feeling angry with Save The Hammers

 

[Wildman]

https://www.29palmspsua.com/Comment...2v1Lst3fc9MUaB5sWQ_aem_UQ-4RCQrFOAYoWa1F_0EAg


https://www.29palmspsua.com/Alternatives.aspx

 

[Wildman]

Newsletter Issue 136 | August 30, 2025​ [td] ​ Here We Go Again… Save the Hammers: Round 2​ U.S. Military Proposal Threatens Johnson Valley OHV Area in California​ ​ [td] ​ There’s no polite way to say this… I’m pissed. Over a decade ago, we fought like hell to save Johnson Valley. We gave up half the land to the Marines and accepted a compromise to share what was left — because keeping part of it open for the public was worth the fight. Thirty thousand off-roaders stood together, and Congress agreed this land mattered so much they made it a congressionally designated OHV area. And now? We’re right back here again. The Military are using the same slow, creeping tactics — this time not for the land, but for the skies above it. For years they never butted up against KOH dates. Now they start their “shared use” closures within days of the race wrapping up. This year KOH ended Feb 8; the Marines started Feb 13. Next year it’s Feb 12. It feels deliberate. And now, tucked quietly into an Environmental Assessment that’s been out for weeks without most of us even knowing about it, they’re proposing to take surface-to-sky control of Johnson Valley. That means: No medevac life flights for one of the busiest OHV areas in SoCal. No helicopters or drones for King of the Hammers. No chase helos or personal drone coverage for racers or wheelers. District 37 races, family weekends, testing/tuning — are all at risk. ​ [td] ​

The Marines’ website says OHV use “won’t be touched.” But if they control the skies, they aren’t sharing. They’re making it harder for us to race, harder for us to save lives, harder for us to keep Johnson Valley what it was meant to be. I’ve been on the phone with aviation experts, our BlueRibbon Coalition team, and county leaders. We believe this fight can be won — but only if we are loud. If you’re as fired up as I am, fill out the form on our action alert and tell the U.S. Military what you think of this latest land grab. We already gave up half of Johnson Valley once. That was supposed to be the compromise. This is Round 2, and we’re not sitting quietly while they chip away at the rest. Expect to see more next week from BRC and King of The Hammers, but for now — this is the first shot across the bow. Please share this with your clubs, your groups, your pages. Let’s be ready to make some noise. — Shannon Welch Vice President, BlueRibbon Coalition Former Communications Director, King of the Hammers

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https://blueribboncoalition.org/sav...il&utm_term=0_b494e6363a-e008f0f5ca-372725905

 

[Wildman]

The Marines have presented three alternatives in this proposal:

• Alternative 1: Creates the most restrictive version of R2509, establishing permanent, surface to ceiling airspace closures.
• Alternative 2: Expands military airspace but attempts to frame it as “shared use,” allowing some civilian flights but under tight restrictions and with potential clearance delays.
• No Action Alternative: Would leave Johnson Valley as it is today, honoring the balance Congress already created between military training needs and recreation access.

In practice, both action alternatives jeopardize recreation access, safety, and future events in Johnson Valley.

This is not what Congress intended when it preserved part of Johnson Valley as a designated OHV area. Shared use was already a compromise. Taking control of the skies is not balance, it is a back door land grab that undermines the agreement made with the OHV community and threatens the future of one of the most important public land recreation areas in the nation.

Other areas of the West where the military has been granted control of both land and airspace show exactly why OHV users should be concerned. At the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, surface-to-sky restricted airspace has effectively eliminated public recreation across vast areas, even though the land beneath appears open. Similarly, at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the military’s control of restricted airspace not only prevents most public access on the ground but also blocks aviation activities that could support events, through drone use, recreation filming, or even emergency response. These examples make it clear that this proposal is concerning to the OHV community.

What We Are Asking For​

BlueRibbon Coalition strongly supports our military but cannot support this proposal as written. At a minimum, the following safeguards must be guaranteed before any SUA designation moves forward. We would like to see an additional alternative created and analyzed that includes:

1. Create one R-2509 Corridor for shared use space
   • Shared Use Area from the surface to 1,500 feet above the highest terrain (Fissure Mountain 4,190’ or Fry Mountain 4,336 feet)
2. Emergency Response Exemptions
   • Medevac helicopters, firefighting aircraft, and other emergency flights must have unrestricted access to Johnson Valley at all times without needing Marine approval.
3. King of the Hammers Protections
   • Event operators must retain the ability to use helicopters and drones for live coverage, safety monitoring, and chase support. Without aviation access, KOH cannot continue.
4. Flight Floor Requirement from the surface to 1,500 feet above the highest terrain
   • If SUA is designated, a flight floor of no lower than 1,500 feet above ground level should be mandated to allow utility inspections, civilian aviation, and event related flights.
5. No Buffer Zone Expansion
   • The SUA must not be used to indirectly limit ground-based OHV use or create de facto buffer zones around the OHV area.
6. Congressional Oversight
   • Any airspace decision must honor the intent of Congress when it established the Johnson Valley OHV Area as a shared use model and must not be used as a way to erode those protections.

We need all recreationists to make their voices heard by September 15, 2025. This is a fight we have won before, and we can win again, but only if we speak up. Submit your comments below to help save Johnson Valley. Comments will be submitted to your federal representatives and also to the Department of the Navy.