The Morongo Basin unites, in COLLECTIVE OPPOSITION to the HWY 62 Gas Station and Travel Center. 

Stop high-impact development threatening our desert ecosystems! 

The people of the Morongo Basin, Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley, Pioneer Town, Pipes Canyon, The Mesa, Sunfair, Flamingo Heights, Landers, Joshua Tree, 29 Palms and Wonder Valley are concerned with developers who threaten the health of our desert environment! 

STOP the threats to wildlife, natural landscapes, and the unique desert environment of the Morongo Basin! 

ATTENTION! We are calling on YOU to preserve the desert region we love, PLEASE sign this petition TO PROTECT natural lands, ecosystems and the Morongo Basin’s charming desert communities! 

The Joshua Tree woodlands and the wildlife need you, now! 

In the efforts to expand their multi-million-dollar empire the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, a federally recognized Native American tribe located in Coachella, Ca, recently purchased multiple parcels of land on the west end of Yucca Valley CA. Approx. 30 acres of Joshua Tree woodlands are to be developed into a gas station, travel center, convenient store, and cannabis dispensary. 

With the first round- of 7 Acres of land the tribe recently purchased in Yucca Valley, the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians correspondence to The BIA- While the Tribe communicated to BIA in its July 31, 2020, fee-to-trust application that the "Tribe has no established or immediate plans for the development of these parcels," it informed BIA that the land "will be used when some future development is eventually determined." Moreover, the Tribe made it clear that "until a use for the properties are determined, the Tribe will simply land bank, maintain and preserve the property for governmental, economic development and/or cultural/recreational purposes." This is precisely what happened with the land.  

The Tribe was in email communication with The City of Yucca Valley 3 months later October 7, 2020, regarding placing a sign on highway 62. 

The second round- 9 parcels of approximately 23 acres of Joshua Tree woodlands. We are petitioning The Honorable Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum for these specific parcel numbers 0586-021-02-0000 0586-042-14-0000 0586-042-16-0000 0586-042-21-0000 0586-042-19-0000 0586-042-23-0000 0586-042-25-0000 0586-061-18-0000 0586-061-52-0000 located in Yucca Valley, CA. 

Previous attempts by the tribe to build a casino in Joshua Tree in 2011 were unsuccessful and powerfully rejected by the local citizens with robust help from local and state governments. 

The residence of the Morongo Basin currently does not enjoy similar representation. 

By acquiring land and making it sovereign the tribe can bypass traditional local and state oversight. 

The second round of 9 parcels, approximately 23 acres, is the dense Joshua Tree Forest which adjoins the 7 acres project’s proposed development site located on the southeast corner of Camino Del Ceilo and Highway 62. 

These land developments have the potential to result in increased air, water, noise, and light pollution that could disrupt the environment and community. We fear these developments could severely disrupt the already devastated wildlife population. 

We also fear this project could permanently alter the character of the Hi- Desert rural communities.

We sign this petition primarily with environmental and safety initiatives in mind, as well as the preservation of the serenity and quality of life, and the strengthening of The Morongo Basin's small but beautiful communities (as opposed to extraordinary amounts of money being spent on a development primarily meant for outsiders.)