Burning Man slammed BLM’s proposed rules in a statement on its website as “unreasonable” and “untenable.” A Burning Man spokesman told The Wall Street Journal that the proposed restrictions could increase the event’s total expenses ― now about $38 million annually ― by nearly 60%. Burning Man issued a strongly worded rebuttal to these suggestions and urged event attendees — who refer to themselves as “burners” — to submit comments to BLM by the April 29 deadline. BLM, part of the Interior Department, issued a draft environmental impact statement last month based on the potential effects of the Burning Man event on the natural landscape, as well as risks to public health and safety. “Burning Man is the largest and most successful Leave No Trace event in the world ... we pack everything in and pack everything out,” the organizers said. As ABC News noted, the new permit restrictions will not affect this year’s Burning Man event, though they could be in effect for next year’s festivities.

Source: Huffington Post April 30, 2019 11:03 UTC