Date: 09/30/2009

Dear BRC members in Montana,

You're probably aware that Senator Jon Tester is proposing even more public lands in Montana be designated as Wilderness.

BRC's Brian Hawthorne doesn't think much of the bill, except he thinks it's an excellent object lesson to show how "utterly broken" federal land management is today. 

You can read more of what Hawthorne says on our website: http://www.sharetrails.org/public_lands/?section=Tester_Bill

Although the bill, as currently written, is BAD for recreation, Senator Tester's staff says they are interested in hearing from Montanan's and addressing their concerns. You can learn more about how much of Montana's backcountry will be lost forever, as well as find contact info for Senator Tester on his website: http://tester.senate.gov/Legislation/foresthome.cfm

As always, please call or email if you have any questions or comments.
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

 

Date: 09/30/2009

The Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, located in central and western Nebraska and central and western South Dakota, released their Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for designation of a motorized travel access system on September 25, 2009. The Forest Service (FS) is asking for your input during a 45-day public review and comment period, which will end on November 9, 2009.

The public may review the DEIS, along with associated maps, by going to the Forest's website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/nebraska/projects/travel_management/index.shtml. In addition to the electronic copies, hard copies of the DEIS, including appendices and maps, can be found at several local libraries: (See list on Forest's website under Additional Information)

Actions would occur on most lands administered by the Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands (except the Fort Pierre National Grassland) including the Buffalo Gap National Grassland, Oglala National Grassland, Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest, and the Pine Ridge and Bessey Units.

Public comments are invited and should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the DEIS. Before commenting, the public is urged to review the DEIS, including appendices and associated maps. Written, facsimile, and electronic comments concerning this action will be accepted.

Send written comments to:
        Jane Darnell, Forests and Grasslands Supervisor
        Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands
        c/o Mark Reichert
        1312 Fairlane Road
        Yreka, CA 96097

Email comments to:
        comments-rocky-mountain-nebraska@fs.fed.us

Please put "NNFG Travel Management DEIS Comments" in the subject line of e-mail comments. Acceptable formats are email message, MS Word (.doc), plain text (.txt), or rich text format (.rtf). Comments should include your name and address.

Fax comments to:
         (530) 841-4463

For additional information, questions, or a CD of this DEIS, please contact the Nebraska Travel Management project leader Mark Reichert by email mreichert@fs.fed.us, or by phone at 530-841-4422.

JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN; PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

ContactsDon Amador, BRC Western Representative
- Phone: (925) 625-6287
- Fax: (925) 625-5309
- Email: brdon@sharetrails.org
- Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/staff/#DonA

Date: 09/29/2009

GEORGETOWN, CA (September 29) -- A popular Northern California motorcycle event was a huge success because of a club's commitment to trail stewardship and responsibility. On September 27, 2009, the California Enduro Riders Association (CERA) hosted the 36th Annual Fool's Gold Enduro near Georgetown on the Eldorado National Forest. This AMA/AMA District 36 sanctioned event is part of the MSR Northern California Championship Enduro Series.

This was the third rescheduling of the event. It had been previously postponed because of weather and was under threat of cancellation because of potential administrative or legal challenges by anti-access groups.

The FMF/BRC Sound Testing Program for OHVs was on hand as a partner with both the Forest Service and CERA by running the official sound test station for the event as a way to help reduce club/agency cost and to promote trail stewardship.

Don Amador, Western Representative for the BlueRibbon Coalition and Crew Chief for the FMF/BRC Sound Testing Team, said, "I believe this event was successful--despite a great number of real and/or potential hurdles--because of the strong working relationship that exists between CERA and the Forest Service. Both parties continue to champion a strong commitment to managed OHV recreation."

"It was also great to have AMA District 36 officials help out at the sound station. I think it is important for riders to see that the aftermarket exhaust industry is supporting education efforts regarding the use of sound compliant mufflers as a way to help keep trails open," Amador concludes.

# # #

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. http://www.sharetrails.org

Date: 09/23/2009

BLUERIBBON COALITION PARTNER ALERT!

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

Our partners over at the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) have announced the schedule for the fourth and final module of their Public Land Advocacy webinar series.

Module 4, Making It Work, will be held on the dates and times below. Registration for the Webinar is available through their website at www.nohvcc.org.

October 6th at 10:00am Central October 14th at 10:00am Central October 22nd at 6:00pm Central

I have pasted in a copy of their press release below; please take a couple of minutes to read over the information.

Thanks in advance for your involvement,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

Module 4 Webinar Now Available for registration via the NOHVCC website

Registration is available for 3 sessions of the fourth and final module of the series

The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) is pleased to announce the schedule of the fourth and final module of their Public Land Advocacy webinar series.  This 4-part series is designed to assist government agency personnel, OHV enthusiasts, and other interested parties with creating and maintaining sustainable OHV trails.
 
And best of all, due to funding provided by the Motorcycle Industry Council, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association as well as the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative Program, this webinar series is free to you.

The fourth module is entitled, Making It Work.  This module ties all of the previous modules together and gives concrete examples of where the principles that have been given during the first 3 modules work.  It also helps enthusiasts work with their land managers and helps move us forward towards sustainable OHV trail systems while working within the processes.
The other three modules are:

The first module, Route Designation: How did we get here? will give enthusiasts a look at how the forest service designates routes, their structure, and their planning process.  The second module, System Trail Planning - Part 1 covers the basic principles of trail management, called the 4Es, and will go into details regarding building trails of OHV recreation that are environmentally sound and sustainable  The third module, System Trail Planning - Part 2 starts with a quick overview of STP part 1.  It then covers the details of trail maintenance, monitoring, and signing in more depth. 

The workshop modules were developed in cooperation with the American Motorcyclist Association, BlueRibbon Coalition, Motorcycle Industry Council, Off-Road Business Association, Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and United Four Wheel Drive Associations.

For more information and to register for our webinar sessions, go to www.nohvcc.org or call 800-348-6487.

The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, as a national body of OHV recreation enthusiasts, develops and provides a wide spectrum of programs, materials and information, or "tools", to individuals, clubs, associations and agencies in order to further a positive future for responsible OHV recreation.

For more information on this press release, contact;
The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
427 Central Ave. West
Great Falls, MT 59404
Ph: 800.348.6487
Fax: 406.454.9142
www.nohvcc.org
trailhead@nohvcc.org

Date: 09/21/2009

The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) last week announced that on October 1, 2009, their massive Utah Wilderness bill, known as the America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, will be heard in the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee. According to SUWA, the bill would designate 9.4 million acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Utah as Wilderness.

In their announcement, they write: "This visionary wilderness proposal was first introduced as legislation in Congress in 1989 by former Utah Congressman Wayne Owens."

Visionary my eye. After Clinton traveled to Arizona to announce a massive 2 million acre National Monument in Utah, Utah's voters showed Owens the door. When he left, SUWA's bill stood at 5.7 million acres, an increase from a previous proposal of 4.1 million acres.

According to a Congressional Research Service report, 5.7 million BLM acres is nearly 3 times the BLM wilderness recommendations and 75% more than the BLM's Wilderness study acreage. The 5.7 million acres amounted to 26% of all BLM lands in Utah, and 11% of the entire state.

In 1995, not even the radicals at SUWA "visioned" that 14 years later their 5.7 million acre bill would balloon to 9.4 million acres. That's over 45% of all BLM lands in Utah off limits to all mountain bike and motorized recreation.

Utah's political representatives need to know that the majority of Utahans oppose this. And they need to hear it from you. Today please.

Rep. Rob Bishop:  202-225-0453
Rep. Jim Matheson:  202-225-3011
Rep. Jason Chaffetz:  202-225-7751

Be polite. None of Utah's Representatives or Senators support SUWA's madness. If you call now, you can make SUWA's bill like toxic waste, so that none of Utah's representatives will ever come near it. Ever.

 As always, please call or email if you have questions or need help.

Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102

Date: 09/18/2009

The Gila National Forest, located in southwestern New Mexico, has announced the release of its Proposed Action for the implementation of the 2005 Travel Management Rule to manage motorized vehicle use. This proposal represents the start of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process (scoping phase) for this project.  NEPA requires federal agencies to analyze and disclose the effects of proposed management actions on the environment. A key and integral part of NEPA is public participation and involvement.

The Forest Service (FS) will be hosting a series of 10 open houses between September 19 and October 3, 2009, to provide opportunities for the public to review, ask questions and comment on the proposal. (See schedule below)

This proposal allows for continued motorized access to the Forest on a designated road and trail system. It also includes significant changes on the use of motor vehicles, such as:

* Cross-country motor vehicle use travel will no longer be allowed.
* Motorized dispersed camping, outside of developed campgrounds, will be allowed within 300 feet on either side of a designated road.
* Cross-country travel to retrieve elk and deer will be allowed within a one-mile distance on either side of designated Forest Service roads, county roads, or state and federal highways.

Open House Schedule

 Sept 19 - Las Cruces - Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, Tortugas Room 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Sept 22 - Glenwood - Glenwood School 3:00 to 8:00 pm

Sept 23 - Mimbres - Round-Up Lodge 3:00 to 8:00 pm

Sept 24 - Reserve - Ranger District Office 3:00 to 8:00 pm

Sept 25 - Cliff - Cliff School 3:00 to 8:00 pm

Sept 26 - Silver City - County Convention Center (next to Ace Hardware) 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Sept 29 - T or C - Ranger District Office 3:00 to 8:00 pm

Oct 1 - Luna - Luna Community Center 3:00 to 8:00 pm

Oct 2 - Quemado - Quemado School 3:00 to 8:00 pm

Oct 3 - Lordsburg - Special Events Center 1:00 to 3:00 pm

Interested individuals may stop by anytime during the open houses.

The public is invited to review the proposed action including the maps and provide comments. Your comments will be used to identify issues and develop alternatives to the proposed action. Even if you have commented previously, your input is still needed. The proposed action and maps are available on the forest's website at http://fs.usda.gov/gila.  Maps will also be available for review at the supervisor's office, any of the six ranger district offices and the Catron, Grant, Hidalgo and Sierra County offices. As additional review locations become available, they will be posted on the web site. 

Comments will be most helpful if they identify the specific actions you think are needed, why those changes should be made and how such a change would better meet your interests.  The 45-day comment period will end October 26, 2009.

MAIL OR HAND DELIVER COMMENTS TO:
          Gila National Forest
          Attn: Travel Management Coordinator
          3005 E. Camino del Bosque
          Silver City, NM 88061

Comments may be delivered by hand to the Gila National Forest Supervisor's Office or any District Ranger Office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

EMAIL COMMENTS TO: 
          r3_gila_travel@fs.fed.us

Please put "TM comments" in the subject line of e-mail comments. Acceptable formats are email message, MS Word (.doc), plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). Comments should include your name and address.

FAX COMMENTS TO:
          (575) 388-8222

Additional information regarding the proposed actions can also be obtained from Lisa Mizuno, Forest Travel Management Coordinator, at (575) 388-8267.
                                                           
JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN; PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. http://www.sharetrails.org
__________________________________________________________

Date: 09/15/2009

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Salmon Field Office, is holding their second round of public meetings to gather input on a proposed travel plan and alternatives that would formally designate a system of roads and trails on public lands in the northern half of the Salmon Field Office Area. The public is invited to review the proposal and alternatives, provide comments and concerns, and let the BLM know what you think. This planning effort encompasses about 160,000 acres of public lands located within about a 20-mile radius of Salmon, Idaho.

The goal of this plan is to provide a broad range of motorized and non-motorized access while sustaining the health of our public land resources. The plan will result in the designation of over 550 miles of roads and trails as either open, open with limits, or closed to public use. Please try to attend one of the public meetings; dates, times and places are listed below.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009        6:00pm to 9:00 pm
Salmon City Center,
200 Main Street
Salmon, Idaho

Wednesday, September 16, 2009        6:00 pm to 9:00pm
Tendoy School
Tendoy, Idaho
Directions - go 20 miles south of Salmon, Idaho, on Highway 28, turn east at Tendoy Store, go 1/10 of mile to intersection, turn right, go 1/1 0 mile, and the school is on your right.

Please refer any questions you may have to Rob Jaggers at the BLM, Salmon Field Office, 1206 S. Challis Street, Salmon, ID 83467, (208) 756-5466. For further information, go to:
http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/salmon/travel_management.html

JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN; PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. http://www.sharetrails.org
__________________________________________________________
 

Date: 09/14/2009

Years ago, when he quadrupled the size of Idaho's Craters of the Moon National Monument, President Clinton directed that a new land use plan should be created for the newly expanded Monument.

Through that process, the Snake River Trail Machine Association worked with BRC and other OHV groups to keep the existing roads and trails open. Except for one trail within a Wilderness Study Area, we were pretty successful.

Now, just 2 years after the Monument Plan was signed into law, the National Park Service is coming back for more closures!

Apparently driven by the BLM and NPS's mandate to formulate a "comprehensive" trail plan (comprehensive means designated routes for both motorized and non-motorized use), the agencies are proposing closing several historic roads. Some of these roads are historic travel ways used even before European settlement. Others were practically hand-carved into the hard volcanic rock by livestock grazers and settlers.

Today, these roads are used by residents of small towns for family-based recreation. On any Sunday you are likely to see entire families enjoying this remarkable and remote area.

Fred Spence with the Snake River gang has asked us to forward an action alert on the situation. The local folks can't understand why the federal agencies have to close these roads.

Please take a minute to send the BLM a quick email and help Fred's group keep these historic roads open.  

Thanks in advance for your support,
Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102

Action Alert:
Craters of the Moon National Monument is pushing for MORE road closures.

SITUATION:
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Park Service (NPS) have announced the availability of the proposed Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve Comprehensive Travel Management Plan (Travel Plan). The BLM is asking for your comments during a 30-day comment period, which will end September 18, 2009.

A copy of the proposed Travel Plan, maps and appendixes is available by visiting the BLM's website at http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/shoshone/travel_management.html.  For further information about the travel management plan process contact the Shoshone Field Office at 208-732-7200 or the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve headquarters at 208-527-1300.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Please submit comments to the Travel Plan Team: via email to ID_Craters_Plan@blm.gov, by fax to (208) 732-7317 (Attn: Monument Travel Plan); by phone to (208)732-7200; or mail/hand deliver comments to the following address:

           Monument Travel Plan Project Manager
           BLM Shoshone Field Office
           400 West F Street
           Shoshone ID 83352

Suggested Comments:

1. I am opposed to additional motorized closures on the National Monument and Preserve.

2. Given that motorized recreation is a valid use of these lands, and motorized recreation is increasingly popular with the American public, the Environmental Assessment must disclose a compelling need to eliminate any motorized route.

3. Closing motorized routes limits the human use and enjoyment of the Monument.

4. I strongly object to the proposal to close Road 3417, Road 768 and Road 785. These roads have been in existence for many decades and have historical significance to the local population. Traveling these routes is a valuable recreation experience and helps residents teach their children about the human and natural history of this remote area.

Date: 09/10/2009

We desperately need your help in the battle to restore the OHV Gas Tax Fund to Idaho Parks and Recreation. Our state legislature ransomed their way out of Boise this year by taking our dedicated gas tax fund and giving it to highways! You need to help get it back.

Your trails, your snowmobile grooming programs, and your improved access to Idaho waterways are depending on you!

Please read the information below and take action today.

Pass this important information on to your friends and family, and ask them take action as well.

Thanks for your immediate attention,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition

PS:  You can also go online and sign the petition asking the governor and state legislature to return OHV Gas Tax Fund money to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. Sign the online petition at http://www.id-rc.org/newslister.php?artid=13.

Additional Information on the web at http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Idaho_GasTax/

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. http://www.sharetrails.org

 

 

 

If you boat or ride an ATV, OHV, off-road motorcycle, or snowmobile, you need to know that Idaho's Legislators Took Away Your Recreation Funding!

As part of a last minute concession by Idaho legislators to allow them to go home, a deal was struck that took our recreational gas tax funding away from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and gave it to the Idaho Department of Transportation.  While this may have made the life of the legislature and the Governor's office a little easier, it dealt a crushing blow to the recreation community.  The Idaho Recreational Council has made it our mission to remedy the mistake, but we need your help!

The Idaho Recreation Council is a recognized, statewide collaboration of Idaho recreation enthusiasts and others.  We will identify recreation issues and work together, in cooperation with land managers, legislators and the public, to ensure a positive future for responsible outdoor recreation access, now and into the future.

We are asking you to help us restore what it is rightfully yours.  Specifically, we'd like each of you to exercise your constitutional rights and express to your elected officials how unhappy you are with their decision to rob from Peter to pay Paul with our gas tax money!

In total, some 32 MILLION dollars have gone to counties across the state for recreational opportunities.  Those funds have been used to build boat docks, buy groomers, and build and maintain trails.  Our recreational infrastructure is mainly funded by OHV gas tax money.  Unless we can convince our legislators to undo the wrong they've done, we have seen the last of these types of recreational improvements in our beautiful state.  If they don't fix it, we all lose!

When you call your senator and representatives please leave your name, message, and contact information if you reach a recording.  Our message in its simplest form is this...Give us back our gas tax!

Contact Governor Otter at (208) 334-2100
Email: jkreizenbeck@gov.idaho.gov

Map showing Congressional Districts
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/about/idmap2.pdf

List of Idaho State Senators and their contact information here:
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/senate/membership.cfm

List of Idaho State Representatives and their contact information here:
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/house/membership.cfm

Additional information about why "redirecting" our recreational fuels tax is so wrong can be found on our website at www.id-rc.org. The following are some of those issues you might share with your elected officials:

We burn 15 million gallons of gas a year in our boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, and motorcycles.  We pay tax on every one of these gallons of gas and we EXPECT representation for our taxation. If you're NOT going to continue funding our programs, we want the same opportunity afforded to ranchers, farmers, and loggers and will expect to be reimbursed for the taxes we are being assessed for our non-highway fuel. Recreational/Tourism is now the #3 industry in Idaho and is responsible for over $3 billion dollars of our annual economy. Recreational fuels tax is the lifeblood of that industry. No funding for groomers effectively ENDS snowmobiling in Idaho!  Every snow-groomer servicing Idaho's trails were purchased with this money. Even WITH the fuels tax money IDPR only has revenue to fund 1 in every 5 Waterways Improvement Fund grant applications annually. While other forms of recreation have become stagnant, Off-Highway Vehicle use has seen an average growth of 12-15 percent for FIFTEEN consecutive years.

When you make contact with these legislators, remember to BE POLITE.  They are people just like you and I that happened to make an uninformed mistake with regards to this issue.  By in large, MOST of the people who voted to re-direct the recreational fuels tax had no idea for what that money was used.  Our mission (and what we're asking you to help us with) is to educate them on what that decision means to the recreation community of Idaho.

Again, additional information about why "redirecting" our recreational fuels tax is so wrong can be found on our website at www.id-rc.org. Thank you very much for your involvement. Together we CAN make a difference.

Date: 09/08/2009

BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

Dear BRC Supporters in Colorado,

This is a HIGH PRORITY update.

SITUATION:
Flush with funding from wealthy donors and foundations in Washington D.C., a group called the Wilderness Workshop is pushing for 600,000 acres of new Wilderness in Colorado by next year.

HOW THIS WILL AFFECT YOU:  
Mountain bike, snowmobile and OHV users will lose world-class trails and areas. This proposal would make over 75% of the Four Mile, Clear Fork, Spruce Mountain, Basalt Mountain, Red Tables, Hagerman Pass, Huntsman's Ridge and Thompson Creek areas Wilderness.

CONGRESSIONAL CONFIRMATION:
This Hidden Gems proposal appears to be much more than the typical "wish list" from the Wilderness activists. BRC confirmed with the Natural Resource staff for Representative Jared Polis that, although there is no bill at this time, Representative Polis is holding meetings and talking to stakeholders.  The goal is to have draft legislation prepared soon.

Local staff for Representative Salazar, whose district also includes lands in the Hidden Gems proposal, said that at this time they had no immediate plans to sponsor or co-sponsor the Hidden Gems proposal.

Congressman Salazar is concentrating on his own Wilderness bill, called the ''San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act." This legislation includes 63,475 acres on the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison and San Juan National Forests, as well as lands managed by the San Juan Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Area.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
Please call your Congressman TODAY. We've provided the phone numbers and some suggestions on what to say below.

EXTRA CREDIT: Learn what this and a Wilderness bill in Montana may have in common. Read Big Foundation Dollars Behind "Local" Wilderness Proposals in Colorado and Montana. 

Please pass this on to friends and family. And as always, if you have any questions or comments, we want to hear from you.

Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102

 PS. If you are looking for a bit of motivation to take action on this, please take a minute and read a special message from Sean Martin:

HIDDEN GEMS ACTION ALERT INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1. Type in your zip code here to find contact info for your congressman.

Step 2. Call the number of the office located nearest to you. BE POLITE

Tell the staff member who answers your call:

I strongly OPPOSE the Hidden Gems Wilderness Proposal that Congressman Polis is considering sponsoring (make sure the staff is clear on your opposition).

There is no serious threat to these lands. If there were, then recreation-friendly alternatives, such as a National Recreation Area, would be a better idea than Wilderness, which locks out most recreation.

Please tell the Congressman that I want him to protect FOR the public, not FROM the public.

Step 3. Forward this alert to your friends and family.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you live in Delta, Eagle, Garfield, Gunnison, Mesa, Pitkin or Summit County, please also call your county commissioners. (Contact information here) 

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. http://www.sharetrails.org
______________________________________________________

Date: 09/03/2009

Only a few days remain to have your voice heard on the Winter Use issue in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.  The Park Service is asking for additional comments on the proposed rule, which would replace the 2004 rule reinstated last fall by the US District Court for the District of Wyoming.  This rule governed snowmobile and snowcoach access in the parks during the 2008-2009 winter season.

The Proposed Rule would only allow up to 318 commercially guided, Best Available Technology (BAT) snowmobiles and up to 78 commercially guided snowcoaches per day in Yellowstone for the 2009-2010 winter season and running through the 2010-2011 winter season. It would also govern long-term snowmobile access in Grand Teton and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, including access along Grassy Lake Road and on Jackson Lake for licensed anglers.

It is important to comment on your personal experiences in Yellowstone over the last 10 years.  It should be pointed out that the Environmental Assessment (EA), from which the proposed rule is being written, clearly states that snowmobiles have been an appropriate and important form of transport in Yellowstone for over 45 years.  Also, individual travel by snowmobile provides one of the best ways to experience the magnificent natural features of the Parks in the winter.  In addition, imposing a daily limit of only 318 snowmobile entries for Yellowstone is not the correct decision.  In the EA, the NPS "believes that it could legally permit significantly higher levels of snowmobiles in the park".

You need to ask the Park Service to consider not applying the 318 as an average daily entry, but use historical data from the last four years to arrive at more flexibility for the daily entries which would be a higher number between 400 and 540.  And finally, ask the Park Service to use Adaptive Management for daily limit adjustments. We propose that the final rule include a provision whereby adaptive management could be used to adjust daily entrance limits, with due notice at the discretion of the Park Service. This is very important so that certain peak periods of the season may be taken into consideration.

The proposed rule and an electronic form to submit written comments are available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=09000064809fa1b8

Written comments may be submitted through this website, in person, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted by phone, fax, or e-mail. All public comments on the proposed rule must be received or postmarked by midnight, Eastern Time, September 8, 2009.

The National Park Service intends to analyze the comments submitted last fall and during the next 45 days before making a decision on the proposed interim winter use plan. Depending on this process, NPS is planning to issue a final rule to implement the decision on or before
November 15, 2009.

The proposed rule is available on CD or in hard copy by written request to Yellowstone National Park, Management Assistants Office, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190. Document requests may also be made by sending an e-mail to yell_winter_use@nps.gov, by calling 307-344-2019 during normal business hours, or by sending a request via fax to 307-344-2025.

Background:

On September 15, 2008, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued an opinion that vacated and remanded to the NPS the 2007 Final Environmental Impact Statement, 2007 Record of Decision, and 2007 Final Rule.

Because the Court's ruling left no provision in place for snowmobile or snowcoach use, the National Park Service issued the Winter Use Plans Environmental Assessment Part 1 (1.9 MB pdf), Part 2 (745 Kb pdf) on November 3, 2008. The preferred alternative would have allowed up to
318 snowmobiles and 78 snowcoaches per day into Yellowstone for 3 winters. All snowmobiles would have been commercially guided and would have needed to conform to Best Available Technology (BAT) emission and sound level requirements. During the life of the plan, snowcoach operators would have been required to implement BAT for their vehicles (BAT requirements for snowcoaches go into effect in 2011).

On November 7, 2008, however, the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming issued an order directing the National Park Service to reinstate the 2004 rule for snowmobile and snowcoach use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. This rule allows up to 720 commercially-guided, BAT snowmobiles into Yellowstone, and up to 78 snowcoaches per day.

JUST REMEMBER: PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS
OPEN; PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Jack Welch
Special Project Consultant
BlueRibbon Coalition
303-324-7185

______________________________________________________________________________

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. http://www.sharetrails.org

 

Date: 08/25/2009

BRC received a call from Don Black, Land Use Director for the Utah Four Wheel Drive Association (U4WDA), regarding an effort by the Tooele County Commissioners to formally abandon certain public roads in the Ophir Mountains.

Some of the roads in question are: The Bald Mountain Loop Road, Hartman Gulch Road, Halls Basin Road, South Fork Ophir Canyon Road and Rover Hill Road.

Mike Swenson, Executive Director of the Utah Shared Access Alliance (USA-ALL), has posted a map of the potential closures on the "Take Back Utah" website: http://portal.takebackutah.org/Default.aspx?tabid=3183

Utah law requires the state and the county to follow a procedure when formally abandoning a public right of way. Once the procedure is final, it will close all public access forever.

A key part of the abandonment process is opportunity to take public input regarding the closing of the roads. Don says Tooele County will hold their public meeting at the Commission Chambers in Tooele September 1, 2009, at 3:00 pm.

Now, there is very little information to give as to why the county is considering closing these roads, but we wanted to forward U4WDA's action alert to all our members in Utah. We also want to strongly encourage any BRC member living in Tooele County to try to attend this meeting.

Obviously, it may be difficult for working families to attend a meeting at 3:00 in the afternoon. So if you live in Tooele County, please contact your county commissioners if you are not able to attend.

Also, if you regularly use the roads mentioned, please contact BRC or Don at U4WDA as soon as possible. Our contact info is below.

Thanks,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. http://www.sharetrails.org

 

Tooele County Road Closures

We need your help

Tooele County is in the process of vacating some public roads. These roads are in the Ophir Mountains and some of these roads provide valuable mountain top access.

 Tooele County will be holding a meeting to decide whether or not to formally abandon these roads. We need a large turnout for this meeting to show the County Commissioners that the public does not want them giving away roads that belong to all the citizens of Tooele County.

Meeting Details

Date: September 1st, 2009
Time: 3:00 pm
Location: Tooele County Commission Chambers
Address: 47 S. Main Street, Room #210
Tooele, UT 84074

It is particularly important that we have residents of Tooele County at this meeting. Let your elected officials know that you do not support them giving away your roads.

Some of the roads in question are; The Bald Mountain Loop Road, Hartman Gulch Road, Halls Basin Road, South Fork Ophir Canyon Road and Rover Hill Road. If you use these roads, your information on what you use these roads for and any photos you have people using these roads could be very useful.

Thank you,
Don Black
Land Use Director
Utah Four Wheel Drive Assoc.

Date: 08/24/2009

Our partners over at the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) have announced the schedule for the third module of their Public Land Advocacy webinar series.

Module 3, Trail System Planning - Part 2, will be held on the dates and times listed below. Registration for the Webinar is available through their website at www.nohvcc.org.

September 2nd at 10:00am Central September 10th at 10:00am Central September 22nd at 6:00pm Central

I have pasted in a copy of their press release below; please take a couple of minutes to read over the information.

Thanks in advance for your involvement,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

Third Webinar Module Now Available for registration via the NOHVCC website Registration is available for 3 sessions of the third module, plus 1 session of the second module

The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) is pleased to announce the schedule of the third module of their Public Land Advocacy webinar series.  This 4-part series is designed to assist government agency personnel, OHV enthusiasts, and other interested parties with creating and maintaining sustainable OHV trails.
 
And best of all, due to funding provided by the Motorcycle Industry Council, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association as well as the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative Program, this webinar series is free to you.

The third module is entitled, Trail System Planning - Part 2.  It takes over where the second module ends and talks about signing and mapping, monitoring, and maintenance of trails.

The other three modules are:

The first module, Route Designation: How did we get here? will give enthusiasts a look at how the forest service designates routes, their structure, and their planning process. The second module, System Trail Planning - Part 2 covers the basic principles of trail management, called the 4Es, and will go into details regarding building trails of OHV recreation that are environmentally sound and sustainable. The fourth module, Making it Work, will help riders understand how to be effective in their efforts to influence the decisions that will determine where they can ride.

The workshop modules were developed in cooperation with the American Motorcyclist Association, BlueRibbon Coalition, Motorcycle Industry Council, Off-Road Business Association, Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and United Four Wheel Drive Associations.

For more information and to register for our webinar sessions, go to www.nohvcc.org or call 800-348-6487.

The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, as a national body of OHV recreation enthusiasts, develops and provides a wide spectrum of programs, materials and information, or "tools", to individuals, clubs, associations and agencies in order to further a positive future for responsible OHV recreation.

 For more information on this press release, contact;
The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council
427 Central Ave. West
Great Falls, MT 59404
Ph: 800.348.6487
Fax: 406.454.9142
www.nohvcc.org
trailhead@nohvcc.org

Date: 08/24/2009

Looks like the politicians are at it again, and no state seems to be immune. The latest issue of "AMA's News and Notes" contained a blurb we wanted to forward to our members in Florida.  Please read and take the requested action.

        Florida: Recently the Florida OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) Advisory Committee was notified that the Florida legislature had "swept" $2.37 million from the state's OHV Trust Fund in 2009. Counting the $2 million that was withdrawn from the trust fund by legislative fiat in 2008, a total of $4.37 million has been raided from the trust fund in just two years. The trust fund, which was established by the T. Mark Schmidt Off-Highway Vehicle Safety and Recreation Act of 2002, is funded by a title fee on off-highway vehicles and is supposed to be used to promote OHV recreation and safety.
           The Florida Trail Riders are encouraging all of Florida's OHV enthusiasts to contact their state legislators and demand that the money be restored to the OHV trust fund. For more information visit www.floridatrailriders.org. For assistance identifying or contacting your state legislators visit the "Rights" page of www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com, click on "Issues & Legislation" and enter your zip code in the "Find Your Officials" box.

Please pass this important alert on to your friends and family and please ask them take action as well.

Thanks in advance for your involvement,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107
 

Date: 08/20/2009

The Carson National Forest, located in northern New Mexico, has released its Transportation Management Proposed Actions for the Questa Ranger District for public review. A copy of the proposed actions, maps and figures is available online at http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/carson/recreation/travel_mgmt/documents.shtml. The public is invited to visit the district office to view a larger version of the maps. In addition, please call if you would like a CD of the maps mailed to you. Alternative 1 of the Proposed Action is the preferred alternative.

The Forest Service is asking for your comments during a 30-day comment period, which began on August 6, 2009, and will end September 5, 2009. The purpose of this comment period is to provide the public the opportunity to comment on the proposal before a final decision is made.

Comments will be most helpful if they identify the specific actions you think are needed, why those changes should be made and how such a change would better meet your interests.

MAIL OR HAND DELIVER COMMENTS TO:
          Forest Supervisor
          Attn: Transportation Management
          Carson National Forest
          208 Cruz Alta Road
          Taos, NM 87571

Comments may also be hand delivered weekdays 8:00 am - 4:30 pm to the Supervisor's Office at the above address. Oral comments must be provided at the Supervisor's Office during normal business hours via telephone or in person, or if during non-business hours, must be at an official agency function (such as a public meeting) designed to elicit public comment.

EMAIL COMMENTS TO: 
          comments-southwestem-carson@fs.fed.us

The submission of comments must include a name and address of the commenter and title of the proposed action. Comments may be submitted by email in MS-Word (.doc), rich text format (.rtf), text (.txt) or Adobe (.pdf). 

FAX COMMENTS TO:
          (575) 758-6213

Additional information regarding the proposed actions can also be obtained from Paula Cote or Jack Carpenter at the Supervisor's Office in Taos, New Mexico. The office phone number is (575) 758-6200.

JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN. PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

Date: 08/20/2009

The Bridgeport Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, located in western Nevada and eastern California, released their Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Bridgeport Ranger District Travel Management Project on July 31, 2009. The Forest Service (FS) is asking for your input during a 45-day public review and comment period, which will end on September 14, 2009.

The FS has announced a series of drop-in meetings for the public to discuss and comment on the DEIS which describes the environmental effects of a proposal by the district to restrict motorized use to designated routes. The Bridgeport Ranger District manages about 1.2 million acres of lands in Mono County, California, and Douglas, Lyon, and Mineral Counties in Nevada. Meetings will be held at the following locations from 5:00 pm -7:00 pm:

Reno, Monday, August 24, at the Bartley Ranch Regional Park at the Brick House on 6000 Bartley Ranch Road. Topaz Ranch Estates, Tuesday, August 25, at the Community Center on Carter Drive. Hawthorne, Wednesday, August 26, at the Mineral County Public Library on 1st and A Street. Smith Valley, Thursday, August 27, at Smith Valley High School Multi- Purpose Room on 20 Day Lane. Bridgeport, California, Friday, August 28, at the Memorial Hall on 100 Sinclair Street.

The public may review the DEIS, along with associated maps, by going to the Forest's website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/htnf/projects/bridgeport/tm_bp_index.shtml. They are also available upon request on CDs.

Public comments are invited and should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the DEIS. Before commenting, the public is urged to review the DEIS, including appendices and associated maps.

Send written comments to:
Travel Management Team
Bridgeport Ranger District
HC 62, Box 1000
Bridgeport, CA 93517

Written comments may be dropped off at the Bridgeport Ranger District, HC 62, Box 1000; Bridgeport, CA 93517. The office business hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The number to submit comments by fax is (760) 932- 5899.

Arrangements can be made for making oral comments over the phone or in person by contacting David Loomis at (775) 884-8132. Oral comments may also be submitted at public meetings scheduled for August 24 through 28.

Email comments to:
comments-intermtn-humboldt-toiyabe-bridgeport@fs.fed.us

Please put "Travel Management Comments" in the subject line of e-mail comments. Acceptable formats are email message, MS Word (.doc), plain text (.txt), or rich text format (.rtf). Comments should include your name and address.

For more information, contact David Loomis, Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest, 1536 S. Carson St. Carson City, NV 89701. Phone: (775) 884-8132.

JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN, PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

Date: 08/18/2009

As you already know, the Idaho State Legislature ransomed their way out of Boise this year by taking our dedicated gas tax fund and giving it to highways. This money pays for thousands of miles of trail improvements, snowmobile groomers, camping improvements, parking lots, and much more!

Over the years, it has amounted to millions of dollars for Idaho's recreating community. To see how much, check out the map of Recreational Fuel Tax Grant Expenditures by County at
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Idaho_GasTax/.  Where would we be without it?  No grooming programs, trails closed!  Folks, that's where it's headed if it's implemented in July next year.
 
We all need to work hard to get the legislature to reverse this terrible mistake.  We need the governor to agree, and Thursday, August 20, 2009, you will have the opportunity.
 
The governor will be in RIRIE THIS THURSDAY 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, at the senior center located at 395 Main Street, as the town becomes the August "Capital for a Day" (see Governor's News Release below). You need to show up and politely request that our dedicated gas tax fund be restored!
 
You don't have to be there for the whole meeting, but YOU DO NEED TO BE HEARD!
Please, spread the word and ask everyone you know to make some calls or send some emails.

If you are not able to attend, please go online and sign the petition asking the governor and state legislature to return OHV Gas Tax Fund money to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

Sign the online petition at http://www.sharetrails.org/public_lands/?section=Idaho_GasTax.

Thanks for your immediate attention,

Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition

Resources on the web at http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Idaho_GasTax/
Recreational Fuel Tax Grant Expenditures
A fact sheet for background info
An Op-Ed by BRC's own Adena Cook printed in the Post Register

 

C.L. "BUTCH" OTTER
GOVERNOR

NEWS RELEASE

August 10, 2009
09:050 
CONTACT: Jon Hanian
(208) 334-2100

RIRIE TO HOST AUGUST "CAPITAL FOR A DAY"

(BOISE) - Governor C. L. "Butch" Otter announced today that the Jefferson County community of Ririe will be Idaho's next "Capital for a Day" on Thursday, August 20th.

The first-come, first-served open opportunity to meet with the Governor and First Lady Lori Otter, selected members of the Governor's Cabinet, and other senior state officials is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the senior center located at 395 Main Street in Ririe. The Governor also will join Mayor FarrDell Hayes, other state and local leaders, and community members for a no-host noon lunch at the same location.

Officials joining Governor Otter at Capital for a Day will include Don Dietrich, director of the Idaho Department of Commerce; Dick Armstrong, director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare; Gavin Gee, director of the Idaho Department of Finance; Colonel Jerry Russell, director of the Idaho State Police; Scott Irwin, consulting appraiser section manager for the Idaho Tax Commission; Erick Neher, regional administrator for the Department of Environmental Quality; Coleen Erickson, Idaho Commission on Aging regional commissioner; Rogelio (Roy) Valdez and Steve Karstad of the Idaho Department of Labor; Brent Schneider, administrator of the veterans home in Pocatello; Luci Willits, chief of staff at the State Department of Education; Cameron Wheeler, Idaho Fish and Game commissioner; Steve Schmidt, Idaho Department of Fish and Game regional supervisor; Gary Spackman, interim director of the Idaho Department of Water Resources; Pat Brown, area supervisor for the Idaho Department of Lands; Scott Stokes, acting director of the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD); and Karen Hiatt, ITD assistant district engineer.

"Ririe is right on the Jefferson-Bonneville county line. For local folks and anyone who knows the area, it's a gateway to Swan Valley and Palisades Lake. But it's a lot more than that, too," Governor Otter said. "It's steeped in the issues of rural Idaho - from water to wildlife and from jobs to health care. It is the kind of community that my Capital for a Day program is all about. It's important to me that the people of Ririe and both Jefferson and Bonneville counties get the chance to weigh in on our state policies and priorities. I'm looking forward to hearing what they have to say."

###
 

Date: 08/11/2009

BRC just received an email from Mike Swenson, Executive Director of the Utah Shared Access Alliance (USA-ALL) (http://www.usa-all.com ), regarding an important meeting of the Travel and Transportation subcommittee of the Emery County Public Lands Council happening tomorrow. This meeting could have a lasting impact on access to the San Rafael Swell and other areas of Emery County.

I have pasted his emails below; please take a couple of minutes to read over the information and pass it along.

Thanks,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. http://www.sharetrails.org

Utah Shared Access Alliance

August 11, 2009

Dear Ric,

Do you love the San Rafael in south eastern Utah? Your access to this place could be seriously jeopardized if you don't get involved NOW. This precious area will be discussed in an upcoming meeting to determine how the public may access it in the future. You'll remember the bill that Senator Bennett ran for Washington County. This bill ended up not nearly as beneficial for our community as originally envisioned. Some have liked it others have claimed it was a "Wilderness Bill." Call it whatever you like. Emery County has decided to do something similar. The hope is that by bringing all parties to the table a compromise can be reached that allows for access and resolves the debate over wilderness. We are approaching this very cautiously. USA-ALL was intentionally left out of the Washington County bill. That will not happen with Emery County. We have been in engaged in this particular issue for many months now. But our influence only goes so far. It is participation by the public that will make all the difference in the world. We encourage all to read the notice below and then take the time to participate in this meeting. At the last meeting there was a mere handful of people there. SURELY more folks care about this iconic area. Spread the word and get there. Lets show Emery County how much we care about this place.

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Travel and
Transportation subcommittee of the Emery County Public
Lands Council will hold a public meeting to gather information
from the public and industry on the current and future potential
of the San Rafael Swell and other area within Emery County.
The information will be used to develop a comprehensive land
use plan, including possible wilderness designation. The
information will also be used to rewrite Emery County's
General Plan. Public involvement in this process is encouraged.
The public meeting will be held August 12, in the Emery County
Courthouse, 75 East Main, Castle Dale, Utah at 7:00 PM.

If you have specific questions about the public process you may call Ray Petersen, Emery County's Public Lands Director at (435) 381-5552.

You can also visit their website at http://www.emerycounty.com/publiclands/index.htm.

Sincerely,

Michael Swenson
Utah Shared Access Alliance

Help us by forwarding this email to friends, family, & co-workers.

ContactsJack Welch, Volunteer Consultant, BlueRibbon Coalition
- Phone: (303) 279-8436 or Cell (303) 324-7185
- Fax: (303) 279-8214
- Email: brjack_w@sharetrails.org
- Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/staff/#JackW

Date: 08/07/2009

Yet Another "New" Rule Proposed by Park Service for 2009-2010 Season

by Jack Welch
BRC Volunteer Consultant

On Thursday July 23, 2009, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the Park Service would receive further public comment on winter use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Secretary Salazar further announced the opening of a formal rule-making process on a proposed rule. This new proposed rule is essentially the same one that was published in a panic on November 5, 2008, in response to a District of Columbia federal court ruling that declared illegal the rule that was intended to be implemented for the 2008-2009 winter season.

Under the proposed rule, daily snowmobile entries would be limited to 318 "best available technology" (BAT) and commercially-guided snowmobiles and 78 snowcoaches. For whatever reason, the proposed rule indicates it is designed to authorize these use levels "through the 2010-2011 winter season."

This new rule is cause for great concern. There is already a rule to regulate snowmobile numbers for this winter. That rule was ordered by the federal court in Wyoming AFTER the hastily-announced 318 rule. The Wyoming Court ruling allows the Park Service to continue providing the type and levels of snowmobile access to Yellowstone for this season that have proven effective for the last four years. In addition, the Secretary should show greater consideration and concern for the outfitters, gateway communities, the general public and the Park Service who were already planning on the current rule being in effect with up to 720 snowmobiles allowed daily in the Park. The 318 cap that the proposed rule would create, which is more than a 50-percent decrease, would have a devastating effect on visitation this winter.

Also, the call from Washington D.C. by Secretary Salazar is unfortunate. This seems a sad return to "top down" management driven through back-door meetings with special interests rather than careful consultation with, and respect for, local agency officials. To be blunt, the Secretary's media release effectively blind-sided Yellowstone Park staff who had no idea that this proposal was coming from higher levels in the Department of Interior. As a result, Park leadership and staff had to scramble to react to inquiries from interested parties, including the Congressional delegations from the states which surround Yellowstone Park National Park. Such reaction was quick and outspoken. Wyoming Senators Enzi and Barrasso, along with representative Lummis, "blasted" the Washington D.C. announcement with a joint statement calling the Salazar announcement "an insult to our state and gateway communities..." Montana Representative Reberg and Idaho Representative Simpson issued a joint letter to Secretary Salazar asking him to reconsider the surprise announcement proposing a 50% cut in snowmobile access. They pointed out the proposed cut does not factor in current technological advances and stricter emissions requirements and that the Park Service's own studies support the current entry level.

I must voice the obvious concern that the expressed intent to craft a rule through the 2010-2011 season implies a need to create a further rule. History teaches us that numeric limits on recreation only constrict over time, and rarely, if ever, grow to prior levels. Secretary Salazar's announcement could be read to foreshadow awarding the prize that radical preservationists have long coveted: a complete prohibition on all snowmobile access to the Parks.

What does this mean for your winter access to Yellowstone National Park for the 2009-2010 winter season? To answer that I attended a very spirited conference call hosted by Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday, July 29th. I came away from that call with two points of reference.

First, over the last several seasons, BAT snowmobiles have mitigated the sound and emissions issues, and commercial guiding has addressed any supposed "wildlife" concerns. So why is the Park Service proposing a rule that cuts snowmobile entries by 50 percent? There is a plain and simple answer: politics trump sound science. There are politically-powerful special interests who desire a National Preservation System devoid of meaningful human recreation.

Second, the Park Service is determined to open for the winter 2009-2010 season on December 15th and that a combination of Park Service rules and pending court actions will set the number of snowmobile entries into the Park between 318 and 720 per day.

Finally, please remember that numerous courts still have jurisdiction over the Parks' winter use planning. For example, Wyoming has already raised a jurisdictional challenge to the proposed rule, and the ISMA-ACSA-BRC Legal Team are supporting that effort. Court rulings could change the situation dramatically. One would think that by now we have learned that overly-aggressive executive action creates only greater uncertainty and litigation, and disserves the public interest.

Please visit our dedicated website of www.saveyellowstonepark.com for future updates.

ContactsGreg Mumm, BRC Executive Director
- Phone: 208-237-1008
- Fax: 208-237-9424
- Email: brgreg@sharetrails.org
- Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/staff/#GregM

Date: 08/03/2009

POCATELLO, ID (August 3) -- The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national OHV advocacy group, today said it generally supports the recommendations made in a report released by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding the increased use of off-highway vehicles (OHV) on federally-managed lands. The report was requested by Arizona Representative Raul M. Grijalva, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

The purpose of the report was to examine the status of OHV use on federal lands managed by the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Park Service and focused on fiscal year 2004 through fiscal year 2008. The report also examined the environmental, social, and safety impacts, strategic planning, actions taken by the agencies' field units in managing OHV use and current OHV management challenges.

"The report itself leaves much to be desired, but, by and large, we support its recommendations," said Greg Mumm, Executive Director of BRC. Mumm said BRC was one of several OHV groups involved as part of GAO's review. Mumm noted certain parts of the report are inconsistent and some parts are not accurate. "This is an imperfect analysis, but it is far from the manifesto for closure anticipated by the anti-access lobby," Mumm observed.

The report makes four recommendations generally addressing identification of additional strategies, time frames for monitoring progress of OHV plan implementation, establishing performance measures and time frames for meeting goals, enhancing communication with the public about OHV trails and areas, and reviewing fine amounts across various U.S. district courts to establish consistency.

Brian Hawthorne, BRC's Public Lands Policy Director, also agreed with the recommendations, but said the study is an "unfortunate example of government agencies doing too much evaluating and not nearly enough actual management. The conclusions and action items of this GAO report are remarkably similar to reviews completed by the Forest Service in 1985 and in 1996," noted Hawthorne.

The GAO report is available online at: http://www.gao.gov/Products/GAO-09-509

# # #

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible recreation, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. http://www.sharetrails.org