Tag: BLM
Final Notice: County Letter Reveals Why Tecopa Hot Springs Operator Walked Away
In Southeast Inyo County, the Tecopa Hot Springs Campground and Pools — a longtime draw for tourists and a vital amenity for local residents — is once again changing hands. The private concessionaire that has operated the site for a decade has opted to vacate its lease after receiving a formal 30-day cure notice from…
Future of Tecopa Hot Springs Campground in Question as County Enters Closed-Door Talks
As the slow summer season begins, Inyo County supervisors are entering closed-door negotiations over the future of Tecopa Hot Springs Park and Campground—a publicly owned, culturally significant site operated under contract by a private concessionaire. In a high-stakes closed session today, Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the Inyo County Board of Supervisors is set to discuss…
Heard Around Town: Artful and Deceptive
On our most recent rainy day, March 13th, Tecopa received 0.20 inches of precipitation at the Tecopa CEMP station, bringing the total for March to 0.35 inches and for February to 0.59 inches. While the area remains in a significant long-term rain deficit, the past 30 days have brought 1 inch of rain, or about…
Hot Springs Etiquette in Tecopa: How Nudity and Showering First Protects the Amargosa River
Hot springs have long been revered for their therapeutic and spiritual benefits, from Japan’s ancient onsen culture to Iceland’s steamy geothermal lagoons. These natural baths provide relaxation, healing, and a connection to the earth’s mineral-rich waters. Yet, despite their tranquil allure, many newcomers overlook an essential etiquette rule: showering before soaking. In Tecopa, California—home to…
Southern Inyo Fire Board Works on Long-Term Plans Amid Delays and Recruitment Challenges
The Southern Inyo Fire Protection District (SIFPD) board convened to address long-term planning efforts on March 13, including recruitment efforts and two key fire station projects in the works. One project involves a new station in Tecopa Heights, while the other focuses on a new substation in Charleston View. Both projects have received grant funding…
Failure to Protect: The Amargosa Wild and Scenic River and the Neglect of a Desert Ecosystem
The Amargosa Valley, a rugged and starkly beautiful desert straddling the California-Nevada border, is a region of historical significance and ecological fragility. Home to the rare Amargosa vole and the unique hydrology of the Amargosa River, this area has long been a focal point for conservation efforts. Despite its designation as a Wild and Scenic…
Community Rallies to Protect Ash Meadows as Amargosa Conservancy Launches Major Restoration Projects
In a significant show of support for environmental protection, the Amargosa Valley recently hosted a powerful public rally and meeting aimed at securing the future of Ash Meadows. The event, held on February 27 at the Amargosa Valley Community Center, brought together local residents, conservationists, and key stakeholders to voice their unified support for a…
Heard Around Town: Water is Life
False spring has arrived in Tecopa. February’s warmth has set the frogs singing in the hot springs district, while green shoots push through the burn-scarred meadow surrounding Borehole Spring—a testament to nature’s resilience. A meeting will be held at the Tecopa Community Center on March 2, 5pm, to discuss the Center for Biological Diversity’s lawsuit…
Heard Around Town: Under the Full Moon
It was a week of both devastation and renewal in Tecopa, marked by the luminous presence of a full moon. Our cherished Borehole Spring was ravaged by fire, with over 9 acres burned. “A BLM Fire investigation is ongoing, with no obvious source of ignition determined from physical evidence,” reports the Amargosa Conservancy, intimating that…
Save the Vole: Borehole Spring BLM Lawsuit Explained
In a legal battle aimed at protecting one of North America’s most endangered mammals, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for failing to take necessary action to protect the Amargosa vole and its critical habitat at Borehole Spring in the Mojave Desert.…
Fire Devastates Borehole Spring, Endangered Amargosa Vole Habitat
A devastating wildfire broke out at Borehole Spring near Tecopa, California, overnight on February 11, inflicting catastrophic damage to the hot spring which is also a delicate wetland habitat of the endangered and endemic Amargosa vole (Microtus californicus scirpensis). The fire consumed a significant area of critical bulrush habitat surrounding the spring, posing a severe…
Local Environmentalists Profiled in The New York Times Magazine
Our little corner of the world was covered in the New York Times Magazine recently. The article “Nevada’s Lithium Could Help Save the Earth. But What Happens to Nevada?” was published on January 24, 2025 and written by Meg Bernhard, a writer based in Las Vegas (who also wrote this profile of Wonderhussy). The sub-headline…