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Jim Matthews, ONS
3/3/04
PYRAMID LAKE FIASCO: We're smelling a rat. Since Lake Pyramid was closed over a month ago, ostensibly because the concessionaire didn't make payments in a timely manner, that same concessionaire, Pyramid Enterprises, has been awarded the concession at Lake Perris. It also will be running the Silverwood Lake concession, when it reopens, and still operates the concessions at Piru Lake and Castaic Lake.
Pyramid Enterprises has an outstanding reputation with other agencies and the consumers who use its facilities.
So it's only the Angeles National Forest that has had a problem with Pyramid Enterprises? The Angeles helped create financial problems for Pyramid Enterprises by keeping Pyramid Lake closed two falls ago because of fire danger. Fire danger? A lake with vast concrete parking lots kept closed because of fire danger? There was never a reason to close the lake. It was closed again during the fires this past fall, and closed for much longer than need be.
All other National Forests in the region kept their fishing waters open last year and the year before so recreationists would have someplace to go during fire season. Not the Angeles.
Apparently, the Department of Water Resources and Department of Boating and Waterways are both miffed at the Angeles National Forest management for the recent action which has again closed Pyramid Lake. DWR's operation of the state's water delivery systems mandate that it provide fishing recreation, apparently jeopardizing its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) water license. Boating and Waterways had been working with Pyramid Enterprises for extensive upgrades at Pyramid Lake, and even through the grants for the projects were done through the Forest Service, it was Pyramid Enterprises that had been working with the agency to get the work done, and now Boating and Waterways has no contact people.
The Angeles National Forest is a mismanaged mess. It's response to any problem is to close the forest to the public. Closed shooting areas have never been reopened. Closed burn areas have remained closed longer than at other forests. Fire closures start sooner and last longer than other forests. Recreationists should be howling about the Pyramid closure, which is looking more like politics than finances.
3/3/04
PYRAMID LAKE FIASCO: We're smelling a rat. Since Lake Pyramid was closed over a month ago, ostensibly because the concessionaire didn't make payments in a timely manner, that same concessionaire, Pyramid Enterprises, has been awarded the concession at Lake Perris. It also will be running the Silverwood Lake concession, when it reopens, and still operates the concessions at Piru Lake and Castaic Lake.
Pyramid Enterprises has an outstanding reputation with other agencies and the consumers who use its facilities.
So it's only the Angeles National Forest that has had a problem with Pyramid Enterprises? The Angeles helped create financial problems for Pyramid Enterprises by keeping Pyramid Lake closed two falls ago because of fire danger. Fire danger? A lake with vast concrete parking lots kept closed because of fire danger? There was never a reason to close the lake. It was closed again during the fires this past fall, and closed for much longer than need be.
All other National Forests in the region kept their fishing waters open last year and the year before so recreationists would have someplace to go during fire season. Not the Angeles.
Apparently, the Department of Water Resources and Department of Boating and Waterways are both miffed at the Angeles National Forest management for the recent action which has again closed Pyramid Lake. DWR's operation of the state's water delivery systems mandate that it provide fishing recreation, apparently jeopardizing its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) water license. Boating and Waterways had been working with Pyramid Enterprises for extensive upgrades at Pyramid Lake, and even through the grants for the projects were done through the Forest Service, it was Pyramid Enterprises that had been working with the agency to get the work done, and now Boating and Waterways has no contact people.
The Angeles National Forest is a mismanaged mess. It's response to any problem is to close the forest to the public. Closed shooting areas have never been reopened. Closed burn areas have remained closed longer than at other forests. Fire closures start sooner and last longer than other forests. Recreationists should be howling about the Pyramid closure, which is looking more like politics than finances.
