National Park Service looks at expanding Joshua Tree

Plans to build a hydroelectric power plant in the shadow of Joshua Tree National Park are moving full-steam ahead. But even if the hydropower plant gets built, land in the Eagle Mountain area could still be added to the national park.

Local activists have long wanted to see Eagle Mountain become part of the park, citing its importance to at-risk species and its potential value as a historical attraction. The National Park Service is now deciding whether it should try to make that happen, launching a “boundary study” that drew several hundred people to public comment meetings this week.

“The park service is going to do an examination to determine if those lands are of national park quality or not,” said David Lamfrom, California desert program director for the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association.

Conservation experts say the Eagle Mountain area is critical to desert tortoises, bighorn sheep and golden eagles. It’s also home to a well-preserved ghost town, the remnants of an iron mine founded by industrialist Henry Kaiser in the 1950s.

Lamfrom believes the old mining boomtown would be a major draw for Coachella Valley residents, and for tourists who might not otherwise visit the national park. He mentioned Bodie State Historic Park near Mono Lake, a long-deserted gold-mining town that draws 1,200 visitors per day over the summer.

“There’s just this fascination people have with mining history,” Lamfrom said. “Having one of the most complete mining towns (at Eagle Mountain) that even has working streetlights, a school — it’s crazy.”

Park officials and local activists have harshly criticized the proposed hydroelectric power plant, which they say would waste water, harm several threatened species and use more energy than it generates. Proponents say it would help California build more solar and wind power, a key priority as the state moves toward a 50 percent clean energy mandate.

In a twist, the National Park Service is studying whether it would be feasible to add just the land surrounding the proposed hydropower plant to Joshua Tree. The park service is also studying whether it could add all of the land to the park, without impacting the ability of Eagle Crest Energy Company to build its hydroelectric plant.

The scope of the study probably reflects the fact that the park service has few options for blocking the hydroelectric plant, Lamfrom said. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the project last year, and barring a lawsuit, that decision is likely to stand. Any lawsuit is more likely to come from local activists than from the National Park Service.

The park service is studying the potential addition of 32,000 acres, including 22,500 acres of federal land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. The Secretary of the Interior, who oversees both the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service, likely would need to approve the transfer of federal land, Lamfrom said.

Steve Lowe, president of Eagle Crest Energy Company, indicated he might support adding at least parts of the Eagle Mountain area to Joshua Tree. He said in an email that he “appreciates the Park Service’s recognition of the rights associated” with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license issued last year.

“Our company is dedicated to providing sustainable and renewable energy solutions, and we are committed to conservation. With that mindset, we look forward to working with the National Park Service on expansion efforts that are compatible with the pumped storage project,” Lowe said.

The National Park Service plans to complete its study by mid-2016. The public can submit comments on the park service website.

Sammy Roth writes about energy and water for The Desert Sun. He can be reached at sammy.roth@desertsun.com, (760) 778-4622 and @Sammy_Roth.