Mojave National Preserve

                                                                         (view of Kelso Dunes)

Mojave National Preserve

The Mojave National Preserve is situated between the southern California metropolitan area and the southern Nevada / Las Vegas area and it is due to this very fact that it has been placed on the NPCA’s List of the Ten Most Endangered National Parks. The rapid development on all of the park’s boundaries has already been the cause of a multitude of problems, with many more on the developing horizon.

A brief synopsis of the important issues includes real estate development on the northern boundary, a proposal by the U.S.   Army to expand a nearby tank training range by 193,000 acres and a casino/shopping mall to the east of the park which has been responsible for depleting groundwater reserves. While these problems are critical in that they cause light, noise and air pollution as well as diminishing the expanse of the preserve, the most severe issue is the proposed expansion of the Molycorp Mountain Pass Mine. This mine is responsible for emitting the most toxic pollution in the state of California and has already caused one major toxic spill on parkland. Other dangers facing the preserve are from commercial grazing and the 172,000 privately owned acres within the park which bring the possibility of internal development.