We have gone to see the local super bloom, out Highway 58 to Soda Lake Road and along Shell Creek Road two times. It is such a treat for our eyes and mind-boggling to see such a force of timing in nature to produce such an extraordinary bloom. In some places, a bright yellow meadow will have a huge brush stroke of vivid blue flowers.

The president and Bureau of Land Management's approval last April of a new oil well/ pipeline in the Carrizo Plain would threaten and compromise Carrizo.

U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) have joined forces and re-introduced the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act (HR 2199), designating 250,000 acres between LA and Monterey counties as wilderness land prohibiting oil exploration or drilling. The bill would also connect a network of about 400 miles of existing hiking trails to create the Condor National Recreation Trail.

The current administration's attempt to drill on these public lands is supported by SLO County 5th District Supervisor Debbie Arnold.

HR 2199's passing is critical to permanently protect Carrizo's valuable open space and sustain the ecological future of 468 wildlife species and more than 1,200 plant species.

Lee Perkins

Atascadero