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OFF-ROAD ORGANIZATIONS PRESENT ISSUES TO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WESTERN CAUCUS
Representatives from ten organizations were invited to a meeting of
the U.S. House of Representatives Western Caucus in Washington D.C.
to present their concerns regarding management of public lands by
federal agencies
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 19, 2004) - An historic event took place on
Wednesday, May 19th, when representatives from ten organizations in
California and Arizona with a direct interest in off-highway vehicle
(OHV) recreation presented their concerns to the U.S. House of
Representative's Western Caucus. Roy Denner, President and CEO of
the Off-Road Business Association, and delegation leader, explained,
"We believe it is vitally important that our Congressmen understand
that, as OHV recreation is growing dramatically across the U.S.,
lands available for this form of recreation have been drastically
reduced." Congressman Chris Cannon, from Utah, Chair of the Caucus,
expressed similar concerns.
Vice Chairman of the American Sand Association, Bob Mason, ran a
short video clip that depicted kids, families, and handicapped
off-roaders enjoying recreation at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation
Area (ISDRA) - an area that has been reduced to almost 1/3 of its
original size as a result of lawsuits filed by environmental
organizations. Wally Leimgruber, Imperial County Supervisor, told
the Caucus "Closures in the ISDRA are having a serious negative
impact on the struggling economy of Imperial County. Many of our
merchants depend on this world-class recreation area for their
survival." "I certainly agree with Wally", said Ken Rosevear,
representing the Yuma Chamber of Commerce, "The Gateway Communities
Program was developed to bring the communities surrounding the ISDRA
together to assure that pubic lands remain open to the public."
Jan McGarvie, Director of Legislation for the San Diego Off-Road
Coalition, discussed the misuse of fee demo monies by the BLM: "The
original intent of the program was to provide funds to be used for
improvements, maintenance and operation of the ISDRA, not for studies
that are mandated by the federal government which could ultimately
lead to more closures."
Americans for Forest Access representative, Eddie Phillips, displayed
maps and photos depicting closures in the San Bernardino National
Forest. According to Phillips "Closures of access roads have made it
impossible to maintain forest health and block fire fighting
apparatus from getting to fires. This was a major problem in last
year's forest fires all over California." He also maintains that
actual use of the forest roads is what keeps them clear for travel.
Becky Antle, representing the Arizona State Association of Four Wheel
Drive Clubs and John Stewart of the California Association of Four
Wheel Drive Clubs told the Caucus that thousands of miles of
backcountry dirt roads in the desert and the forests across the
western states have been closed to public access. Randy Banis, of
the Southern California Land Rover Club added, "A thorough GPS survey
of a portion of the California Desert, performed by my club, shows
that less than half of the routes we found were included in the BLM's
route inventory. We think this is typical of route inventories
across the desert. What this means is that routes regularly used by
the public that are not in the inventory will be automatically
closed."
Following the Western Caucus presentation the OHV group met
individually with many Congressmen and staff who are particularly
concerned about public access to public lands. Denner commented, "We
believe that the recreation community needs to visit our country's
leaders in Washington regularly to make sure that they know what's
happening on the ground with regard to OHV recreation. We expect
lawmakers to be concerned about public access to public lands as well
as environmental protection."
WESTERN CAUCUS
Representatives from ten organizations were invited to a meeting of
the U.S. House of Representatives Western Caucus in Washington D.C.
to present their concerns regarding management of public lands by
federal agencies
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 19, 2004) - An historic event took place on
Wednesday, May 19th, when representatives from ten organizations in
California and Arizona with a direct interest in off-highway vehicle
(OHV) recreation presented their concerns to the U.S. House of
Representative's Western Caucus. Roy Denner, President and CEO of
the Off-Road Business Association, and delegation leader, explained,
"We believe it is vitally important that our Congressmen understand
that, as OHV recreation is growing dramatically across the U.S.,
lands available for this form of recreation have been drastically
reduced." Congressman Chris Cannon, from Utah, Chair of the Caucus,
expressed similar concerns.
Vice Chairman of the American Sand Association, Bob Mason, ran a
short video clip that depicted kids, families, and handicapped
off-roaders enjoying recreation at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation
Area (ISDRA) - an area that has been reduced to almost 1/3 of its
original size as a result of lawsuits filed by environmental
organizations. Wally Leimgruber, Imperial County Supervisor, told
the Caucus "Closures in the ISDRA are having a serious negative
impact on the struggling economy of Imperial County. Many of our
merchants depend on this world-class recreation area for their
survival." "I certainly agree with Wally", said Ken Rosevear,
representing the Yuma Chamber of Commerce, "The Gateway Communities
Program was developed to bring the communities surrounding the ISDRA
together to assure that pubic lands remain open to the public."
Jan McGarvie, Director of Legislation for the San Diego Off-Road
Coalition, discussed the misuse of fee demo monies by the BLM: "The
original intent of the program was to provide funds to be used for
improvements, maintenance and operation of the ISDRA, not for studies
that are mandated by the federal government which could ultimately
lead to more closures."
Americans for Forest Access representative, Eddie Phillips, displayed
maps and photos depicting closures in the San Bernardino National
Forest. According to Phillips "Closures of access roads have made it
impossible to maintain forest health and block fire fighting
apparatus from getting to fires. This was a major problem in last
year's forest fires all over California." He also maintains that
actual use of the forest roads is what keeps them clear for travel.
Becky Antle, representing the Arizona State Association of Four Wheel
Drive Clubs and John Stewart of the California Association of Four
Wheel Drive Clubs told the Caucus that thousands of miles of
backcountry dirt roads in the desert and the forests across the
western states have been closed to public access. Randy Banis, of
the Southern California Land Rover Club added, "A thorough GPS survey
of a portion of the California Desert, performed by my club, shows
that less than half of the routes we found were included in the BLM's
route inventory. We think this is typical of route inventories
across the desert. What this means is that routes regularly used by
the public that are not in the inventory will be automatically
closed."
Following the Western Caucus presentation the OHV group met
individually with many Congressmen and staff who are particularly
concerned about public access to public lands. Denner commented, "We
believe that the recreation community needs to visit our country's
leaders in Washington regularly to make sure that they know what's
happening on the ground with regard to OHV recreation. We expect
lawmakers to be concerned about public access to public lands as well
as environmental protection."