To:  Rampaul Dulay :  Project manager,   Dept. of Highways

I am a person who has lived in this area most of my adult life and place great value on the natural “Desert” Landscape of the South Okanagan.  It is increasingly difficult to find any Desert area in the South Okanagan. In fact, tourists have to pay money to “view” even a very small amount of desert. This is the only area of desert in Canada and it has slowly been destroyed  and lost since the 1920’s. In the South Okanagan, most of this land has gone to vineyards, orchards and other development.  When driving along Hwy. 97 from Penticton to the U.S. border, this area north of Gallagher Lake is the “last” remaining  desert  area that a person (tourist or myself) can see and enjoy.   Unfortunately this is the exact area that you are wanting to put in a passing lane. This will be a very large highway construction project.  The trucks and other massive vehicles used in this type of project will need so much of the area just to move around. This was quite evident when the project north of Osoyoos was done.  The large amount of desert that you will use will basically destroy this small valuable piece of Natural Environment that so many people enjoy as they drive pass.  There will be a great loss of Antelope Brush which is a becoming a rare desert plant in this area plus the loss of many endangered species. I appreciate that the paper work may be less and it may easier to organize and begin work if you use this precious area for the passing lane but I feel that the straight stretch of highway just south of Vaseaux Lake is a much better area. It is a safer straight piece of highway and has lots of frontage road to develop. Because you don’t live in this area, you are probably not familiar with this very rare and special desert landscape.   Please consider carefully your decision as to the correct place to make your passing lane.

Save our Desert for now and for the future…..

Thank you….Judy Nicholas