Burning Man organizers blast 'unreasonable' environmental impact report from BLM

FILE -- Participants at Burning Man 2018. Burning Man organizers are protesting some suggested changes by the Bureau of Land Management, after a draft environmental impact statement made recommendations on how the event should be run. less FILE -- Participants at Burning Man 2018. Burning Man organizers are protesting some suggested changes by the Bureau of Land Management, after a draft environmental impact statement made recommendations on how ... more Photo: Sidney Erthal / Burning Man Photo: Sidney Erthal / Burning Man Image 1 of / 68 Caption Close Burning Man organizers blast 'unreasonable' environmental impact report from BLM 1 / 68 Back to Gallery

A number of changes to future Burning Man events are being recommended by the Bureau of Land Management, and it seems many of the suggestions aren't sitting well with the Burning Man staff, who are calling the new measures "unreasonable."

A 372-page draft version of the annual Environmental Impact Statement was released last week by BLM. The Burning Man staff took to its website Wednesday to call attention to various points in the document, which the staff felt would "negatively change" Burning Man and substantially raise ticket costs.

"Our initial assessment of the Draft EIS determined many of the measures recommended by BLM are unreasonable," the staff wrote in a blog post on its site. "Some are in direct conflict with our community's core principles and would forever negatively change the fabric of the Burning Man event."

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Among the contested changes suggested by BLM in the draft report, according to the Burning Man website, were:

— Federal oversight over certain parts of Burning Man's operations

— 10 miles of either plastic or cement barriers around the perimeter fence

— Dumpsters within the city and along Gate Road for the 80,000 participants

— BLM-approved private security funded by Burning Man who would be screening for weapons and drugs for anyone entering Black Rock City.

One suggestion, labelled as "brazen" in the Burning Man staff statement, was that the group would pay for the maintenance of County Road 34, which takes participants to the entrance.

"We know of no other instance in the United States where a private entity is required by the federal government to pay for maintenance of a public county road that is also used year-round by residents, tourists, and businesses," the Burning Man group said in its statement.

"In addition, Nevada and Washoe County include a gas tax allocated in part for road repair (which participants have contributed to for 29 years) and Burning Man Project is already working closely in collaboration with Washoe County to find a more permanent solution for CR34."

Burning Man is not without its issues, as setting up a temporary city for 70,000 comes with its own set of headaches. Among the issues that the suggested changes seem to be addressing are arrests (most having to do with drug possession and trafficking of drugs), ongoing trash issues on the playa and in nearby towns following the event, and security.

Burning Man organizers estimated the additions to the Burning Man event would cost nearly $10 million a year and that the cost of tickets could be raised as a result. "BLM would benefit financially from these increased expenses," the group wrote, pointing out that BLM takes a percentage of Burning Man's gross revenue already — which the Reno Gazette-Journal noted was a 3-percent use fee.

Further, the Burning Man organizers already compensate for labor and operations performed by BLM staff, a cost recovery fee that the Gazette-Journal reported reached $2.5 million in 2017.

When reached for comment by SFGATE, Burning Man organizers said they did not have any further statements to add beyond its post on the topic.

HISTORY LESSON: Burning Man has been ruined. But it was doomed from the beginning.

Further complicating matters is the fact that organizers are seeking a 10-year permit with BLM to continue to hold the event at Black Rock Desert, which has been "home" to Burners for 27 years. The environmental impact statement was done in part to look at the potential outcome if the event grows to hold up to 100,000 people, versus its current attendee numbers of 70,000, or not holding the event at all.

The field manager for the Bureau of Land Management's Black Rock Field Office said its suggestions are "attempts at trying to solve problems" in comments to the Gazette-Journal, emphasizing that the report is not yet finalized. Public comment on the environmental impact statement is currently open until April 29 via BLM's website and two public meetings scheduled for April 8 in Reno and April 9 in Lovelock.

Read Dianne de Guzman's latest stories and send her news tips at ddeguzman@sfgate.com.

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