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April 20, 2015
The Honorable Paul Cook
United States House of Representatives
1222 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0508
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-0504
Dear Congressman Cook and Senator Feinstein:
We are business owners in Southern Inyo County, and we support the California Desert
Conservation and Recreation Act (CDCRA), introduced into Congress in 2015 by Senators
Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. Our area boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in the
nation, and our businesses are reliant on the millions of tourists who visit each year. The
CDCRA is a historic opportunity which will preserve our desert heritage for future generations,
and provide benefit for the economy in Shoshone and Tecopa.
The CDCRA is a balanced approach which is the result of years of community discussions, and
enjoys broad support from visitors and residents in our area. Off-Highway Vehicle recreation is
important to our economy, and the CDCRA would protect riding opportunities by designating
Dumont Dunes a National Off-Highway Vehicle Area. The CDCRA designates BLM and Death
Valley National Park Wilderness, protecting our irreplaceable landscapes from industrial
development while keeping vehicular access open to traditionally used areas. It also protects our
precious groundwater resources, which are the source of our abundant and economically
valuable hot springs, by designating further stretches of the Wild and Scenic Amargosa River.
Visitors to our area come for the scenery, the remote open spaces, and the recreational
opportunities the public lands here provide. The Death Valley Region provides almost 70% of
Inyo County’s bed taxes and other tourism-related revenue. By protecting the opportunities that
people visit for, the CDCRA will stimulate our economy, generating more customers for our
businesses, and more revenue to the county. We encourage Congressman Paul Cook to support
the CDCRA and to introduce legislation to protect our region’s landscape and enhance our
region’s economy. Please let us know how we can assist in this effort.
Signed,
Susan Sorrells
Shoshone Village, Shoshone, CA
Crowbar Café, Shoshone, CA
Suzi Dennett
Death Valley Chamber of Commerce
Mary King
Shoshone Museum, Shoshone, CA
Brian Brown
China Ranch Date Farm, Tecopa, CA
Amy Noel
Tecopa Hot Springs Resort, Tecopa, CA
Paul Barnes, Lara Murray, Ryan Thomas, Nancy Good
The Tecopa Hot Springs Conservancy, concessionaires at
Tecopa Hot Springs Campground and Pools, Tecopa, CA
Karin Pine
Tecopa Hot Springs Massage, Tecopa, CA
Justin Blake
The Second Wind Hot Water Retreat, Tecopa, CA
John Malucci
Pastels Bistro, Tecopa, CA
Nancy Good
New Light Foto Design, Tecopa, CA
Ryan Thomas
Kiltman Off-Road Adventures, Tecopa, CA
Cynthia Keinitz
Cynthia’s Resort, Tecopa, CA