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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

July 25, 2007
Does Judge's Ruling Put OHV Use At Cape Hatteras National Seashore In Jeopardy?
Judge Boyle, United States District Court Judge, took a simple traffic case hearing and turned it into a potentially huge ruling that could spell disaster for OHV users. The judge was sitting in on a case of a Virginia man that was accused of careless driving near a point on Bodie Island of the Outer Banks. The judge quickly noted that under federal law, ORVs are barred from 70 miles of beach at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore until a formal management travel plan has been put into place. This is a fairly far-reaching decision by the judge and it could spell disaster for OHV enthusiasts. For decades folks have been using the beach as a travel corridor. Fishermen drive up in their 4x4 vehicles to participate in some of the best fishing in the country. Driving up enables them to carry quite a bit of equipment like rods, reels and coolers; walking would prohibit much of this. Lucky for all of us right ow, the judge did not directly order the National Park Service, the managing agency of the national seashore, to close beach access. For now, ORVs, remain free to use the beach, but that could all change.

Judge Boyle wrote that at the trial testimony established that the Park Service had counted "approximately 1,200 vehicles located in the over-wash area" on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. All this in a "narrow, fragile, environmentally sensitive area." Of course conservation groups have complained about the "devastating affects" of ORVs on the wildlife (what else is new?). Federal law requires that parks designate specific trails and areas for ORVs to use. In spit of federally required plans, the Park Service still does not have final regulations to govern ORV use at t the national seashore. Unfortunately, the judge officially declared, "Where the Park Service fails to create a plan for ORV use, off-road vehicles are prohibited." This is the hammer being held over head of ORV groups to reach quick compromise with the park service in the establishing an ORV trail system (read losing many trails and much access) or risk losing all access. It appears that the Liberals have found a judge to Shanghai the compromise process and force ORVs to take whatever medicine is doled out! Score one for the Green Wackos! Look for a travel management plan to be put into affect rather quickly and look for us to be tightly restricted.

Regarding this same issue, an enviro-wacko group, Defenders of Wildlife, and others have threatened to sue the park over its lack of a plan and allowing the area to remain opened to ORVs. Jason Rylander, a spokesman for the Defenders of Wildlife, stated that they believe the superintendent has no choice but to close the beaches to ORVs until a management plan is in place. When he was asked if his group planned to file for an injunction to close the area immediately to ORV use until a management plan was in place, he declined to comment. He was quoted as saying "I think the order really speaks for itself as to the law....I think it's really up to the Park Service whether it's going to follow the law as stated by the judge." You're looking at what we're going to be dealing with for a long time - lawsuits. When the libs can't get what they want done with popular opinion they always go to the courts and liberal judges. It started with Tellico, but look for it to appear across the country in these battles!

Make your feelings known about this issue with the Park Service!

OHV Riders Are Important To Black Hills (SD) Economy
Another positive article on how we economically benefit areas where we can ride. We're not surprised! Every place that welcomes OHV enthusiasts sees large economic rewards and with very little problems. We're nowhere near the lawless rebels the enviro-wackos would have everyone believe. This article points out once again the financial benefits to an area setting up riding areas and welcoming our participants. As a couple of folks were quoted in the article: "They keep us alive, especially in the years that we don't have snow for the snowmobilers." "With the lack of snow and everybody having an ATV coming out here to go riding, it's made a huge impact on our business....It is keeping us alive."

Center for Biological Diversity Against OHV Use in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (AZ)
Here is a great example folks of how our enemies work. They post this supposedly factual statement and make it easy for people to "voice" their opinions in favor of what they want to happen. Trouble it they are factually challenged and manipulative.

Here is a quote from their propaganda "The Apache-Sitgreaves deserves the utmost protection. With more than 8,100 miles of roads already in place on the forest, it's shocking, not to mention illegal, that the Forest Service would even consider opening more of the forest to off-road vehicle use — protected and pristine areas like the Blue River, the Blue Range Primitive Area, and the Escudilla Wilderness." Notice that they do not mention anywhere in their diatribe here or on their site that the forest encompasses over 2,000,000 acres! And, many of the roads/trails in place are for fire protection /reduction and not off-road use! These people twist and manipulate everything they say and do in their efforts to get us. This is what we're up against.

Oceano Dunes (CA) ORV Park Future Still Up For Grabs!
An ATV lobbying group has filed suit against the county over a decision it made concerning the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreational Area, a bill in the State Legislature that could restructure how the Dunes is operated has been bounced around from committee to committee, and there is a "General Plan" being pushed by opponents of the park calling for an off-limits buffer zone that Friends of the Oceano Dunes, an ORV support group, says could interfere with its right to freely use the beach for vehicles. On top of all of that there is a proposed sale of the land from the county to the state, but ORV opponents are against the sale and fighting it. Why? Because it is easier to manipulate local politicians than it is state pols believe it or not, and they feel that keeping the park land in the county's hands will ultimately help them getting it shut down! California OHV enthusiasts need to get involved in a big way to save this last beach OHV area!

More Press For those Unbiased (Yeah Right!) Rangers for Responsible Recreation
These people are subversive greenies out to look reasonable but ultimately planning the end of OHV use on all public lands! If you don;t believe me, take a look at their home base http://www.peer.org/index.php And of course the press is eating these guys up. Another article can be found here . Notice the headline? It reads - "Public lands in West chewed up by off-roaders, say former rangers". Is there anyone alive that still believes the press is unbiased? I don't know how it could be possible today.

July 12, 2007
The Truth Comes Out About Tellico's Enemies' Intentions
In an article appearing in the Ashville Citizen-Times, Kirk Otey Vice Chairman of the local Trout Unlimited, was quoted as saying, “We don’t want to ruin recreation. We just want the water back to the way it ought to be.” Then later on he really showed their intentions with the following quote: “We would like to see significant changes in management of the recreation area ........If it takes closure of the entire recreation area to establish a new baseline for water quality, that may be necessary.”

The truth finally came out! These groups hope to obtain a total closure of the Tellico ORV Riding Area. If you care about this ORV area you had better get involved now!

A U.S. Forest Service spokesman would not comment on any specifics in the letter from the organizations threatening a lawsuit if the problems were not fixed, but said the agency is working to address the issues raised by the groups. According to the spokesman the Forest Service has 60 days from receipt of the letter to respond to the claims. If the groups are not satisfied with the response they will then file suit.

July 2, 2007
Tellico Under Attack!
This is no joke. The Tellico ORV Area is now under attack! According to the Southern Environmental Law Center and some conservationist groups, The US Forest Service is violating multiple federal and state laws (and its own regulations) by failing to prevent dirt/mud from eroded trails (ORV trails) from polluting the streams in the Tellico River watershed in the Nanthala National Forest in North Carolina and Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee. It is reported that the silt is devastating one of the last strongholds for native brook trout in North Carolina and Tennessee, a native species in decline in both states.

According to the conservationist groups, the Tellico area has twice as many designated ORV trails as allowed by the Forest Service's own plan - not to mention the numerous illegal trails. The agency (Forest Service) has also documented dozens of areas where it reports that trails are within 100 feet of streams, which is against its own rules. In wet conditions, the eroded trails turn into ditches that send muddy water (heavy silt) directly into nearby creeks and streams, violating state and federal (turbidity / siltation) water laws. The Forest Service has been asked repeatedly to do something about the ORV damage, but it is reported that little action has been taken. In their letter (dated June 28th) the groups - the North Carolina and Tennessee Councils of Trout Unlimited, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), and the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project - notified the Forest Service of their intent to sue for repeated violations of the Clean Water Act and other laws.

DJ Gerken, staff attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, which represents the groups, said "The Forest Service has come up short in taking decisive action to fix this problem. We are letting them know that the law is unambiguous - water quality and mountain trout come first."

The groups are calling on the Forest Service to permanently close the most environmentally damaging trails, and temporarily close the entire system in the wettest months.

This will be a big battle folks and we had better be prepared for a huge dogfight to keep Tellico anywhere near what it is today, a 4x4 wheeling Mecca!

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

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