Agua Caliente set to receive large swath of Federal land in exchange
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians are one step closer to a 4,000-acre land exchange. Friday, BLM released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision to approve the potential swap.
The exchange, detailed in the final EIS, would involve 1,471 acres of tribal lands being transferred into BLM hands, while 2,560 acres of federal land would be transferred to Agua Caliente. BLM would also transfer a one-time cash payment of $50,000 to equalize land values and finalize the agreement. An additional 3,253 acres of land may be considered for future exchanges but will remain publicly-owned for the time being.
The exchange would reduce the occurrences of “checkerboard” ownership between BLM and Agua Caliente in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monuments.
“The land exchange provides a public benefit by consolidating lands within the Monument while enhancing opportunities for public recreation and facilitating more efficient land management,” said Field Manager Doug Herrema, BLM Palm Springs Field Office.
According to BLM’s news release, the exchanged federal lands are not publicly accessible. The lands tribal lands received, however, have trails which would become available for public recreation after the exchange becomes official. The exchange will now enter a period of public comment, as per the release:
“Today’s publication of the Notice of Availability of the Final EIS in the Federal Register and local newspapers initiates a 45-day period for the public to submit comments on the Final EIS and protest the Decision, if desired.”
Both BLM and Agua Caliente have caught flak from locals in the past ahead of prior potential swaps.
