Bite the hand that feeds you - No SpeedWeek?

[Calkins]

Via SCTA's Facebook page:

Message from the SCTA President / Race Director

Attention all SCTA & BNI Members sharing & posting a copy of a SCTA Letter that went out to the SCTA Members yesterday:

The intention of this letter was NOT to be posted on any type of Social Media, Forums or Blogs. It was an update to our members in regards to our delayed pre-trip plans and why.

This is a VERY TOUCHY subject and we know that most of the people posting this letter have good intentions and it is about saving the salt. But right now we respectively ask that you take any pics or posts down in regards to this letter and do not include the SCTA, BNI or any of our literature when posting negatively in regards to this matter. The SCTA/BNI will prepare their own media releases as the board sees fit.

On another note: In NO WAY is this Roxanne Tea's fault - Please delete all existing negative posts and please do not post anything negative about her in the future. She has done nothing but communicate with the SCTA & BNI Board in a very professional manner. None of this is her fault.

The communication is on going and we will update the membership as soon as we have any news.

Thank You,

Bill Lattin
SCTA President / Race Director

[Calkins]

Hot Rod Magazine;

http://www.hotrod.com/news/1606-blm-threatens-no-racing-at-bonneville-due-negative-comments-according-to-scta/

Bill Lattin, president of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), has informed its members that Roxanne Tea, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) outdoor recreation planner, has said there will be no racing organizations on the salt, “due to negative comments, letters, and other media.” The BLM has been criticized for its management of salt reclamation from mining, specifically how much salt should be returned to the Salt Flats after minerals have been extracted. The SCTA has kept records of the depth of the salt surface for more than 50 years showing there were times when the salt was more than 1-foot thick. There are now sections where the salt has completely receded and mud is visible. The racing surface has degraded significantly over the last decade, exacerbated by extended periods of rain that drain through the salt and into the ground below, causing muddy conditions unsuitable for racing.

Utah Governor Gary Herbert has gone so far as to say, “The Bonneville Salt Flats are not only severely damaged but are, in fact, approaching ruin.” More recently, the Utah House of Representatives passed a bill urging the BLM to make racing safe again.

The main issue has been mining company Intrepid Potash’s removal and replenishment of salt they pull minerals out of. Intrepid leases part of the Salt Flats from the BLM for its mining operations. Too little of the removed salt is returned, resulting in the thinning conditions. Bonneville’s underground aquifers are also showing declining salinity. The Bonneville Nationals has been canceled in 2014 and 2015, so racers were hoping that 2016 would see a return to racing.

It would seem that Roxanne Tea and the BLM are now under a more harsh spotlight than in previous years as conditions at the Salt Flats continue to deteriorate, and refusing the racers’ access appears to be in retaliation from pressure to do more to preserve the national monument. We have called Tea to get some clarification on the matter, but have yet to hear back. When HOT ROD gets more info, we will pass it along. Bill Lattin’s letter to the SCTA members can be seen below.

[Finallygotit]

Well now the cat is REALLY out of the bag.

[Stainless1]

Finally a little international exposure from a recognized source...
Lattin does not want us to shoot the messenger... I guess we will see what the messenger tells Hot Rod...

She might want to consult her management prior to that response... it is starting to get a little interesting...
 

[half-fast racer]

This kind of publicity and inquiry by Hot Rod can only help. I would hope that the Save the Salt folks, SCTA, USFRA, SEMA, Utah political folks, and the city of Wendover can find a way to parlay this into some REAL resolution. We need to keep our focus on the goal - preservation of the Bonneville international Speedway for future events. Missing another year would be painful, but if the result was tangible action that actually returned some of the surface that is so obviously gone, it would be a good deal.

Instead of bitching about civil servants and bureaucracy (as if that has ever helped) we ALL need to contact our representatives in one of the above-named organizations, and urge them to use this opportunity and keep the visibility hightened. The SCTA and USFRA can show 50+ years of consistent effective stewardship to tread lightly and safely on the salt to preserve it for everyone, not just the racers. Can the BLM do that?

PLEASE don't let this opportunity die - the ONLY thing that works every time is effective public relations, and the BLM, in my opinion has handed us all a golden opportunity. Oh sure, they may try to spin things and say they didn't really tell Bill that, or didn't really mean that, but every hour they don't return his or Hot Rod's phone calls is evidence that they did.

[manta22]

Who are we dealing with? .....here we are:

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

Ironic, wouldn't you say? 

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[ronnieroadster]

 Simply put the BLM statement is a threat which no matter what the outcome will certainly back fire on them. Hiding this information from the public that owns these lands would be a huge mistake. The BLM are   the care takers for our lands they work for all of us who are citizens of this great country. Were their boss not the other way around this attempt to silence those who are pointing out they are not doing their job is not very smart the way I see things.    

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Golly, gee, here's a situation where the Head Handlebar Holder is the one that's gotta decide what to do.  Here's some of what I've got going. . .

I got a copy of the BLattin letter this morning in a mass mailing from a racer - not a regular if a member at all of this site, by the way.  I realized what a firestorm it could start - and sent off a note to Bill asking permission to post it.  I won't post without his okay since here he's the writer of the letter (as well as SCTA pres), so when I saw the thing put up on this topic - I waited for the shat to hit the fin, which it sure as heck did.

You folks are welcome to post stuff here and you know the ground rules (you had to read and agree, or at least agree), to become a member.  I don't know if it covers this particular topic, though -- posting SCTA letters that appear make the BLM out to be Satan's second cousin twice removed, although reading all of the letter you can see that Bill asked us (in so many words) to let him do what he could to work around the instant issue.

So, in other words, I wish the letter didn't get posted at least without Bill's say-so.  But - it did, and, well, just like if a shat storm gets started -- you sure as heck can't take back what's already out there even if you wanted to do so.  I will say, though, that I'd sure like to respect Bill's request that we don't make it any harder on him than we can possibly avoid doing.

Further Handlebar Holder sayeth not.

[Buickguy3]

  Sort of like putting a baby back where it came from.
    Doug 

[836dstr]

Not to get too much into politics, most mid-level Government positions are appointed rather that elected. They are in those positions for who they know instead of what they know and what they can do. Enough said.

The term "Civil Servant" is certainly not the case, Self-serving would be a more appropriate term. Boo Hoo, the BLM received some negative press, so be it! Do your JOB!

You work for us, and the Salt (what's left) belongs to us also. The BLM is there to manage the land, says it right in their name.

Tom

[SPARKY]

Sort of like putting a baby back where it came from.
    Doug  cheers cheers cheers


for sure would have dire consequences for Mother and baby!!!

[Nortonist 592]

You're in a tough spot Slim.  But I thought "Satans second cousin twice removed" was very tactful.  Not quite the words I would have used.

[SPARKY]

WOW---What we have ---is a sign of the times!!

As President of SCTA Bill L. was trying to keep I assume Club Reps informed an in the loop so to speak
Apparently  "various informed"  started posting to social media

Slim did the "Traditional" very correct thing---tried to get to the source of the letter before publishing it

The "Various Informed" are not aware or informed of "Protocol", of how organizations have to negotiate when the "finial negotiators" are not able to sit down across from one another.

There should be a HUGE responsibility assumed by anyone who receives a note or letter from a representative trying to keep them "in the loop"--

 that responsibility is to contact the writer/representative  and ASK if you can pass the info ON!!
SSS did just that!



SSS thanks for understanding and acting on the best interest of the whole.  YMMV

Latin has asked others to take their post down--your call I will take my two comments down

Also you might consider Locking this topic

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Thanks, Bill.  Good idea.  I haven't removed anything here - but agree that it's time to shut off this train of discussion, if only here on landracing.com.

Let's try to help Lattin and all of us get racing again soonest.

Slim