Anti-OHV Bill Submitted in New Mexico State Legislature, We Must Respond!
Senate Joint Memorial 40 (SJM 40) would direct the Dept of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources (EMNRD) and New Mexico Game & Fish (NMG&F) to do a \'study\' on OHVs. The wording of SJM 40 betrays the extreme anti-OHV prejudice of the Department. The Memorial gives these anti-OHV Departments complete control of the study; determining what it will study and how, what information it will accept and the writing of the conclusions and summary. The bill was submitted for EMNRD by Senator Dede Feldman. Feldman sponsored the original OHV bill three years ago that would have banned anyone under age 16 from riding any OHV.
The EMNRD and NMG&F cannot be allowed to control any OHV study. Since there is no OHV use allowed on State lands, they have no OHV experience and no OHV knowledgeable staff. The wording of SJM 40 reveals that EMNRD is prejudiced against OHV recreation. EMNRD has already made up its mind that OHVs are bad, dangerous and damaging. There is no doubt that any study they control will reach anti-OHV conclusions. Here are excerpts from the bill:
\"WHEREAS, other state studies have found that motorized recreation is negatively impacting non-motorized recreation that results in significant costly consequences; and\"
\"WHEREAS, goals of sound recreation policy should ensure that income produced from all forms of outdoor recreation exceeds the cost to the public to allow, support and maintain it, and the state\'s natural, cultural, social, historic and archaeological resources will be protected for use by future generations;\"
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT: We suspect the Department will try to fund the study with money from the OHV Sticker Fund. They will use OUR tax money to fund their witch-hunt against us. The Department will undoubtedly use their \'study\' to promote an Anti OHV bill in the Legislature next year when there is a full 60 day session. If we let this happen, we will have an enormous and very difficult battle on our hands next year. Anti-OHV forces will use an anti-OHV law to influence the Forest Service and BLM to make decisions which work against OHVs.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: In the next three business days, write, email and call your State Senator. SJM 40 is only in the Senate at this point. Since it is a \'Joint\' Memorial, it will also go to the Representatives if it passes the Senate. You can also call or write your Representative and tell them to oppose SJM 40. This bill will move quickly in the Legislature which is only 30 days long this year. PLEASE, time is so short, we need everyone\'s voice. Tell your Senator and Representative that any OHV study MUST be performed by a qualified, unbiased organization. It should not be done by the highly prejudiced Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources, and the study should include the total economic impact made on the state by OHV recreation.
Find Your Senator and Representative: If you do not know your Senator and Representative, go to the State Legislature website at
http://legis.state.nm.us/LCS/Click on \"Find Your Legislator\" in the upper left corner of the page. You can determine who they are by putting in your zip code. Click on the name of the Senator and Representative to get their contact information. We suggest you make a phone call as well as send an email. Staff taking the calls record the opinions of voters and get that info to the politicians.
Senate Memorial 40 is only three pages long. Find it through the \'Bill Finder\' on the New Mexico Legislature website,
http://legis.state.nm.us/LCS/as SJM 40. The direct link is
http://legis.state.nm.us/LCS/_session.asp?chamber=S&type=JM&number=40&Submit=Search&year=08The Bill is also posted at the NMOHVA website,
www.nmohva.org. Contact info@nmohva.org for more information
