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Important Info.
We feel that some articles and information are so important that they should always be accessible. We've listed them below and hope that everyone will read them.

Tellico ORV Area Under Attack

MOAB Under Attack!

US Forest Service Abusing programs and we're losing land use!

Editorial Article about the misuse of Recreation Site Facility Master Planning (RSFMP) program

National Forests Could See Large Closures - enough said!

California OHV Funding At Risk!

Informative Article About The US Government and the Recreation Site Facility Master Plan (RSFMP) program. - a must read!

Articles of Interest To The Off Road Community

May 17, 2007
Another KY Off-Road Park Comes Under Fire!
Hillz N Hollarz has been forced to temporarily close pending a hearing before the Henry County Zoning Board and the approval of an application for a conditional use permit. Further, the County Zoning Administrator has contacted and involved the Army Corp. of Engineers related to his "concerns" over water issues pertaining to the park. Those of you that followed the trials and tribulations of the now-defunct KY Outback Adventure Park will notice some similarities at the outset of problems for these off road parks. KY Outback was told that they needed an obscure "Entertainment License" by the local politicians who were bowing down to pressure from a few well-connected citizens that did not want the park. Then they involved a government agency concerning "water" issues, never mind that the locals drove in the creeks and did whatever they wanted. Hillz N Hollarz needs your help! Please go to their web site, http://www.hillznhollarz.com and read about when the hearing is taking place and support them the best you can by either attending the hearing or sending an email of your support for the off-road park. Political pressure needs to be placed on these local County Politicians before its to late and the park is closed for good.

An Example of Forest Service Abuse in Colorado Springs
The Forest Service closed a route of 1.75-miles extending beyond Forest Service Road 371, which extends west from the Emerald Valley Ranch off Old Stage Road, in mid-2004 without any public notice or input. As one off-road enthusiast put it, "They took this beautiful valley away from the public... You can't get back there anymore." Not by any type of motorized vehicle that is, which means most of us are cut off from it . This road was used regularly by recreational four-wheel drivers, hikers and cyclists. According to an off-road activist, the Forest Service officials did not comply with its own road-closure rules. How nice!

The road appeared on a 1984 Forest Service map but then disappeared from the 1992 map. Forest Service officials say they've followed the rules. They say the "authorized" road officially ends three-quarters of a mile past Emerald Valley Ranch, that they can close roads for safety reasons and resource damage at any time. Then they say the road was closed at the request of Colorado Springs Utilities, whose water pipeline borders the route and was reportedly being damaged. What not any more excuses? I was waiting for my sister's boyfriend said it was a good idea! When faced with the fact that hikers can damage the water pipeline just as well as OHV riders, Forest Service officials had no response. Gosh what a surprise. Folks you cannot punish everyone for the action of a few! That is not freedom and it shouldn't be allowed. This is what we're up against. Seemingly an endless supply of excuses to take our recreational areas away from us.

We Lose More Trails- This Time in Tahoe National Forest
Tahoe National Forest officials are now proposing to close 2,450 miles of "unauthorized" OHV trails that have been used for years (and years) to halt what they term erosion problems and wildlife impact. Has anyone ever seen any of these wildlife impact studies? In their "kind" turn, they are offering to add 50 miles of OHV trails that were not previously in the forest's inventory to a designated route system they are developing. As in many of these forests these supposedly unauthorized trails have been long existing trails that have been used for more than 20 years. Just because someone from the forest service never went out and designated that they are trails doesn't mean that they are unauthorized and "illegal" like all these environmental weenies want to claim. Much of these lands were loosely managed before and there weren't necessarily any designations about sticking to designated routes. So these trails became a matter of fact trail system. Now that it is convenient for these people taking our forests away from us, to call them illegal that is what they are doing. It is hypocrisy and gamesmanship. Nothing more, nothing less. Reported by news agents, seemingly siding with those that want to severely restrict us, last fall groups participated in helping forest officials locate and map 110 trails that are now up for review during a public-comment period which will end May 15. These "generous" officials have offered to set aside a 60-acre motorized off-road area to "compensate" for the loss of hundreds of miles of trails! What a Joke! You literally have thousands and thousands of acres, are taking away thousands of miles of trails that have been used for years and years, and are offering 60 acres to help offset it! I hate to write like this, but that sucks!

Positive Write-Up About The Hatfield McCoy Trail System In WV

Arizona Senate Votes Down Proposed New Off-Road Tax
Arizonans won't have to worry about new license and permit fees for off-road vehicles this year after all as the proposed legislation was rejected by the Arizona Senate. One legislator, Meg Burton-Cahill, argued that the money was needed to maintain the trails used by the off-roaders. I'd remember that name the next time elections came around. One legislator wanted to remind his constituents "I just want to remind the members that signed the ‘No New Taxes' pledge from Americans for Tax Reform, this is a tax increase." Thank god someone remembers a promise.

An Enemy of The Off-Road Community Speaks Out
In his article titled "Taking the high road vs. ATVs", Denver Post Staff Writer, Scott Willoughby lashes out at the ATV. As he puts it in his article "At the willingly assumed risk of upsetting, even alienating, a significant segment of otherwise sedentary society and the industry it sustains, I'm handing out the award for the worst invention of my lifetime to the all-terrain vehicle........Sure, I understand there are thousands of courteous, respectful ATV riders out there who will validate their use of the machines in any manner of ways (and I anticipate an e-mail from each of them), but the fact remains that the U.S. national forests already have more than 380,000 miles of mapped roads, 60,000 miles of unmapped roads and an $84 billion road maintenance backlog." In other words, he's pushing for having all of the remaining areas to be roadless, non-motorized areas.

Owyhee County (ID) Passes Tougher Off-Road Violation Laws
New ordinances passed in Owyhee County will make it harder for those off-road recreationists violating the laws to get away with it. The ordinances passed by the Owyhee County commissioners now give the Sheriff's office the rights to enforce regulations on issues like parking and off-road, four-wheel-drive use. These county regulations mirror the regulations on U.S. Bureau of Land Management lands, where previously only BLM officials could issue citations. Now the sheriff’s department will be able to issue the same citations as part of county law. Before these new laws, the Sheriff and Sheriff’s deputies had to call BLM rangers when they caught people violating federal guidelines because they could not issue citations. This is no longer the case.

The laws are intended to control the increased use of public land in Owyhee County for motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and four-wheel-drive vehicles. Fines are $100 with court fees of about $40. According to one county official, “We’re just getting swamped with motorcycle riders and ATV riders.” Officials say the increase in population in the area, the increased popularity of off-road recreation and improvements at the popular Hemingway Butte Trailhead have led to more violations. One of the biggest problems is four-wheel-drive vehicles using trails reserved for ATVs and motorcycles. Other common violations are riding motorcycles without spark arresters and using vehicles without a current off-road sticker.

Florida Off-Roaders May Lose Access To 109,000 Acres Of Swamp In Broward County
A proposing is being considered that would designate 109,000 acres of the swamp, wet prairie and cypress forest of the Big Cypress National Preserve on the western borders of Broward County to be designated as a federal wilderness. This is the highest level of protection and is an extremely controversial option that is now being considered by the National Park Service. Under this proposal the land would be closed to motorized vehicles such as swamp buggies and other off-road vehicles. These lands are currently closed to these vehicles while the National Forest "reviews" their options. This Wilderness Designation is an underhanded way for managers and environmentalists to close this land off to those in the off-road community by way of the new management plan. Of course the Sierra Club and other environmental groups are hugely supporting this wilderness designation, saying it will protect the preserve from noise, damage and other disruptions from off-road vehicles. The Park Service has scheduled public meetings in Naples, Everglades City and Weston.

Florida Off-Roaders Lose Jones Swamp (Pensacola, FL)
Escambia County Officials have blocked off the access roads and put up "No Trespassing" signs. As one county resident put it "Monster trucks proved no match for the carnivorous pitcher plant in Jones Swamp." Jones Swamp is now officially off-limits to motorized vehicles. County officials have vowed to protect the wetlands, and they have now shut down access to one of the area's most popular off-road riding areas. This site has been a popular riding destination for 4x4 riders for years. According to one official the spot became so popular that it was a targeted destination for out-of-state offroaders. After years of use as an off-road spot, County officials are now calling the off-road activity destructive.

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More important offroad / OHV / Public Land articles!
Look over all of these important articles and happenings with public land battles.

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