Ban to Protect Fossils Extended

PAGE 3-HERALD and NEWS Klamath Falls, Ore. Thursday, April 13, 1978 · •,•, f :::: .Ban To Protect Fossils Extended •,•, .....l~[l CHRISTMAS VALLEY - One of the The BLM closed off 4,100 acres last year professor from the University of Oregon , ·strata of the lake bed will enable them to J most important fossil areas of North because of the growing numbers of people Thomas Condon, collected fossils . give more reliable ages for the fossils. =:=: America will continue to be protected on motorcycles, dune buggies and four Through the years, scientists from Art Gerity, district BLM manager, said { under a ban on off-road vehicles which wheel drive vehicles that were using the museums and universities across the the agency was obligated by law to protect :::: break up the fragile prehistoric remains. 15,000 acre area near Fossil Lake. Another United States have collected and identified fossil beds on federal land. He said the :::: The Bureau of Land, Management has 2,880 acres will also be closed off making a the fossil remains of 23 species of birds, recent inventory showed the area near / decided to extend the ban on off-road total of 7,000 acres of Christmas Valley seven species of fish and 11 species of Christmas Valley was one of the most :::: vehicle travel in the sand dunes near Sand Dunes banned to off-road vehicles. mollusks. important on the continent. ):(: Fossil Lake which was originally imposed The Lakeview District of the BLM The fossils are from 30,000 to 1 million in January of last year. estimated more than 1,000 people with years old. In the recent inventory done by Gerity said a description of the area \ A new fossil inventory of the area by two off-road vehicles visit the area each year. Kevin Howe and James Martin, at least which will be closed will be published in :f researchers from Oregon State University Many others come to the area to camp and four new fossil forms were found . The two the near future. Signs will be placed along ::;:; and University of Washington recom play in the sand dunes. also found many interconnected skeletal the boundary. ::::: mended the action stating the closure History of the Fossil Lake area dates remains of fish and mammals. "should be maintained to preserve and back to the 1870s when cattlemen first The scientists believe different deposits Federal laws also protect fossils within t\ the area from being removed . f protect the fossils from destruction." discovered fossils there. In 1877, a of volcanic ash within the remaining ,•,•, -;~:• - LAKE COUNTY EXAMINER, Lakeview, 0 Fossil Lake ban exterided fossil beds occuring on Federal lands, A fossil inventory of the Fossil Lake Lake by cattlemen in the early 1870's. · said Art Gerity, Lakeview District BLM area near Christmas Valley indicates the Professor Thomas Condon of the Uni manager. "The recent inventory at need to continue a vehicle travel closure versity of Oregon collected fossils from Fossil Lake shows that this is one of the put on the area by the Bueau of Land the area in 1877. Over the years, more important fossil areas in North Management in January, 1977. scientists from museums and univer America. We're going to expand the The inventory report, compiled by sities throughout the United States have vehicle closure area to include the 2,800 Kevin Howe of Oregon State University collected and identified fossil remains of acres recommended by the inventory and James Martin of the University of 23 species of birds, 7 species of fish and 11 team." Washington, recommends that the pre species of mollusks as Fossil Lake. "The description of the closure area sent off-road vehicle closure "be main The fossilized bones range in age from will be published in the near future. The tained to preserve and protect the fossils 30 000 to one million years. The recent BLM will identify the area to be closed from destruction," and also suggests an in~entory conducted by Howe and Martin with signs along the boundaries," Gerity e~ansion of the present protected area. produced at least four new fossil forms said. The BLM closed 4,100 acres of the fossil not recorded before. The two scientists People are asked to obey the closures beds last year because of the growing were also amazed to find numerous and use the large area of sand dunes west number of off-road vehicles using the associated skeletal parts of fish and some of Lost Forest for their off-road vehicle 15,000 acres of sand dunes near Fossil other mammals. recreation. Lake. The Lakeview District of the BLM They also felt that different deposits of Fossils within the closure area are estimates that more than 1,000 people volcanic ash within the remaining lake protected from unauthorized removal by with motorcycles, dune buggies and four bed strata of Fossil Lake would enable several Federal laws. People or in wheel drives visit the area each year. them to determine more reliable ages for stitutions wanting more information Many other recreationists visit the area the fossil material found there. The fossil about Fossil Lake should contact the to camp and play in the sand dunes. beds also contain information that will BLM office at 1000 South 9th Street, Fossils were first discovered at Fossil help analyze past climatic changes. Lakeview. The inventory also indicated the need - ~ to close an additional 2,880 acres of fossil beds to off-road vehicle use. This would make about 7,000 acres of public lands in and near the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes off-limits to off-road vehicles. "We're obligated by law to protect €hicago industrial firm negotiates _for Christmas Valley fossil plant The Oregon Economic Development about 50 persons, 20 more than at approval, which happened before,'' hf Commission, at its meeting in Portland present, according to both Floweree and said. April 27, approved the issuance of $1.5 Jim Curtis of the Department of The expansion, if it occurs, wm ' million in bonds for expansion of the Economic Development. The state probably begin this summer, with othet Christmas Valley diatomaceous earth approves bonds for such projects that expansions as needed. plant by Oil-Dri Corporation of America, will enhance the economic base of a Chicago. community. The bonds have low interest The plant is currently owned by rates provided by the state, but they are American Fossil, based in Portland. It issued through private lending produces industrial oil absorbant institutions. material and cat-box filler from the Floweree said if the plant is sold and diatomaceous earth of Christmas Valley. expanded, it will help the employment John Floweree, manager of the plant picture in Cpristmas Valley. for American Fossil, said the sale of the "If the thing goes through, it will plant to Oil-Dri is not yet complete, and certainly be a good deal for everybody," still awaits approval by that Floweree said. But he cautioned against corporation's board of directors and of any premature hopes, since negotiations the American Fossil stockholders. for sale of the plant reached this stage If Oil-Dri does purchase the plant, once before with no results. plans call for an expansion of it to employ "They just got the industrial bond PLANT MAY BE SOLD--The American Fossil $1.5 million In industrial bonds for Oil-Dri to plant at Christmas Valley, which manufactures expand the plant. Purchase is now awaiting industrial oil absorbant and cat-box filler, may approval of Oil-Dri's board of directors and the be sold to Oil -Dri Corporation of ·America, a stockholders of American Fossil. Chicago based company. The Economic (Examiner photo) nQV.Alanment mission last week approved ,,/..,qf(E ~"J(,//1/"ff l=)(f\AI- /O - 3 O- 7-.J Country's Mineral Base Menaced By Government Land Withdrawals Much of America's vast stores of somehow. And somebody has to do it," a cost of many millions of dollars--to minerals--basic to the nation's econom Overton said. bring a mine onstream after mineral ic health and security--will remain The mining industry of the United deposits are discovered, Overton stated unavailable if the present uncoordinat States is equal to the task, but it has to that the nation is rapidly running out of ed government policy continues, a be granted the chance, according to options. ''This is a matter of the utmost study made by two Department of the Overton. In the face of this tremendous concern, not just to mining operators Interior employees has revealed. need, the federal government has put a but to everybody in the nation. Because Published in the September issue of fence effectively prohibiting mineral ultimately, all of us will be affected. MINING CONGRESS JOURNAL, the exploration and mining around an area "The American Mining Congress monthly magazine of the American equivalent to every state east of the hopes to arouse the interest of the Mining Congress, the report asserts Mississippi except Maine. nation-and its voters to the point where that the U.S. Congress and the Execu Noting that it takes considerable time this withdrawal process will be revers- tive Branch, acting independently, and money--often over a decade and at Jed." have hindered mineral exploration development to the point that a serious reconsideration of mining and mineral policy is required. The process which began slowly, sharply accelerated after 1968 until today, when more than two-thirds of the nation's public, feder ally owned lands are not available for mmmg. Entitled, "Is Our Account Overdrawn?" the report was prepared by Gary Bennethum, Staff Assistant for Energy and Minerals to the Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and L.

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