View of Juniper Flat (looking west) from the ridge to the south of Juniper Flat. Snowy peaks in the far horizon are in the Sierra Nevada.  The highest peak visible in the Inyo Mountain skyline is the site of the proposed microwave relay station. 

Proposed Construction of an observatory at a high elevation site (Juniper Flat or "Shangri-La") in the Inyo Mountains

In August 1998, CNPS learned of a proposal by astronomers from the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) to move some of the radio telescopes currently at their observatory near Big Pine to a new high elevation site in the Inyo Mountains. OVRO (run by the California Institute of Technology) is now collaborating with the universities of California, Illinois, and Maryland in a consortium known as the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter Astronomy (CARMA) to pursue this project. 

The Bristlecone Chapter of CNPS along with the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society, the Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Wilderness Society and Friends of the Inyo all opposed this proposed project. On June 28, 2001 the Inyo Register reported  that CARMA is no longer considering Upper Harkless Flat for its observatory.  Instead, CARMA is now reported to be considering three alternative sites: Westgard Pass, Harkless Flat, and an un-named basin CARMA has named "Juniper Flat" (the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society has named the basin "Shangri-La").  In October, 2001 CARMA submitted its application for the needed Special Use Permit and identified Juniper Flat as its preferred alternative.

Water and fuel will be trucked in and wastes trucked out. Radio telescopes weighing 45 tons each will be moved among the concrete pads every two to three months by a custom-built 25-ton telescope-transporter.  The telescopes are obsolete at their present locations and will (presumably) become obsolete again in 25 years, because CARMA has stated that in 25 years it will dismantle the new observatory and "restore the site to pre-construction conditions."

According to CARMA's application for its Special Use Permit, no species listed by Inyo National Forest and the California Native Plant Society occur at Juniper Flat.  This is demonstrably untrue.

The Board's view is that the issues at Juniper Flat are almost identical to those at Uppr Harkless Flat.  The limestone ridges surrounding Juniper Flat are the habitat for numerous CNPS-listed species (six were counted in a very brief walk in July, 2001).   Extensive cryptogamic soil crusts were observed and no significant weed infestations or grazing impacts were observed.  The vegetation of limestone/dolomite mountains of California has not been adequately described or studied and represents and one of eastern California's distinct contributions to the state's biodiversity.

Juniper Flat is an intact, largely undisturbed ecosystem in the middle of a much larger undisturbed area (it adjoins the Piper Mountain wilderness).  The proposed construction of both large access road and observatory would not only disturb Juniper Flat itself, but also increase fragmentation of the surrounding area.  These are not impacts which can be adequately mitigated.  The Inyo Mountains cannot be re-created elsewhere.  With California's population continuing its uncontrolled growth, large, intact ecosystems are becoming ever more rare, especially those with high proportions of uncommon species.

Under current management, the poor condition of the Juniper Flat access road provides de facto protection to the area.  Juniper Flat is used by ORV riders, hunters, campers, hikers, mountain bikers, bird-watchers, plant-lovers, as well as researchers in biology and geology.  Under current management Inyo National Forest is carrying out both its mandate for sustaining native biodiversity and it mandate for multiple use.  The proposed construction would be incompatible with these mandates.

Alternatives

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released in April, 2003.   There are three alternatives:
     1) Juniper Flat (original proposed action)
     2) Cedar Flat (preferred alternative)
     3) No Action

The Inyo National Forest and the University of California (one of the members of the CARMA consortium) have both determined the Cedar Flat site to be the environmentally superior and preferred alternative.

The Bristlecone Chapter of CNPS strongly supports the decision to move the preferred alternative away frm Juniper Flat.

What you can do...

1) Comment on the DEIS:  Comments on the DEIS will be accepted until June 23, 2003.  Comments received on or before June 23, 2003 must be addressed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement.  Because Inyo National Forest is moving its office during the comment period send comments before June 1 to:

Mr. Jeff Bailey
Supervisor
Inyo National Forest
873 N. Main Street
Bishop, CA 93514.

After June 1, send comments to

Mr. Jeff Bailey
Supervisor
Inyo National Forest
351 Pacu Lane, Suite 200
Bishop, CA 93514

Follow this link for comments suggested by the Bristlecone Chapter of CNPS

For more information about the project proposal, the EIS/EIR process, please call Chaz O’Brien at 760/ 873-2490, or Nancy Upham, Public Affairs Officer, at 760/ 873-2427.

3): Visit the area yourself.  See the map and instructions below. 

Please respect the site: Take only pictures, leave only footprints!!

View from Juniper flat looking northwest