Blue Ribbon Coalition

[Guest]

I am working with Blue Ribbon Coalition now. They are making a big effort to become more involved in the Eastern side of the country and I am helping with this effort. I will be making BRC posts in this thread.

[Guest]

Message 1:

BLUERIBBON COALITION, INC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Del Albright
Phone: 209.304.7693
Date: January 16, 2009

Off-Road Woman Featured as ?Leading Lady? in National Outdoors Magazine

Mokelumne Hill, CA ? January 16 ? Stacie Albright, long time Calaveras County citizen is featured in the Fall 2008 edition of the nationally recognized magazine, Sticks & Stones Outdoor Adventures (http://www.ssoutdooradventures.com/).  Albright, a recreation advocate and local photographer is applauded for her diversified enjoyment of the great outdoors, including hunting, fishing, camping, exploring, hiking, and travel.  She is also well known in the world of recreation for her involvement with the BlueRibbon Coalition ? a national trails group that champions responsible recreation.

Sticks & Stones magazine, with John Michael Montgomery, covers the gambit of outdoor adventure in print, radio, web and TV.  Albright was chosen as a ?Leading Lady? because of her adventurous spirit in several outdoor activities, as well as her advocacy work to keep public lands open for responsible use through the BlueRibbon Coalition. (http://www.sharetrails.org).

Del Albright, BlueRibbon Coalition Ambassador and Stacie?s husband, stated, \"I?m very proud of Stacie for being featured like this, and for her hard work in general.  Not only that, she knows how to have fun!\"

The feature depicts the story of how Stacie got started with her brothers hunting in Ohio as a young child, then tells the tale of how today she out fishes her husband on local lakes in Calaveras County.  

\"I?m honored to be recognized like this, but I think it?s more important for people to take home the message that the outdoors are for all of us and we should find the time to enjoy what we have in this great country\" Stacie adds.

See the article online here (page 48): http://www.ssoutdooradventures.com/CurrentIssue/index.html  

# # #

Stacie can be reached for an interview and pictures at (209) 217-6886.

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of public and private lands, 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. www.sharetrails.org

[Guest]

Message 2:

BLUERIBBON COALITION, INC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Del Albright
Phone: 209.304.7693
Date: January 16, 2009

Off-Road Woman Featured as ?Leading Lady? in National Outdoors Magazine

Mokelumne Hill, CA ? January 16 ? Stacie Albright, long time Calaveras County citizen is featured in the Fall 2008 edition of the nationally recognized magazine, Sticks & Stones Outdoor Adventures (http://www.ssoutdooradventures.com/).  Albright, a recreation advocate and local photographer is applauded for her diversified enjoyment of the great outdoors, including hunting, fishing, camping, exploring, hiking, and travel.  She is also well known in the world of recreation for her involvement with the BlueRibbon Coalition ? a national trails group that champions responsible recreation.

Sticks & Stones magazine, with John Michael Montgomery, covers the gambit of outdoor adventure in print, radio, web and TV.  Albright was chosen as a ?Leading Lady? because of her adventurous spirit in several outdoor activities, as well as her advocacy work to keep public lands open for responsible use through the BlueRibbon Coalition. (http://www.sharetrails.org).

Del Albright, BlueRibbon Coalition Ambassador and Stacie?s husband, stated, \"I?m very proud of Stacie for being featured like this, and for her hard work in general.  Not only that, she knows how to have fun!\"

The feature depicts the story of how Stacie got started with her brothers hunting in Ohio as a young child, then tells the tale of how today she out fishes her husband on local lakes in Calaveras County.  

\"I?m honored to be recognized like this, but I think it?s more important for people to take home the message that the outdoors are for all of us and we should find the time to enjoy what we have in this great country\" Stacie adds.

See the article online here (page 48): http://www.ssoutdooradventures.com/CurrentIssue/index.html  # # #

Stacie can be reached for an interview and pictures at (209) 217-6886.

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of public and private lands, 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. www.sharetrails.org

[Guest]

Message 3:

BLUERIBBON COALITION, INC.

 

Op-ed: for IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact: Del Albright, Ambassador BRC
(209) 304-7693

Email: brdel@sharetrails.org

 

A CAUSE WE CAN ALL RALLY AROUND
 
 By Adena Cook, BlueRibbon Coalition
 

 

Caught up in the attractions of the Internet, television and the cyber world, too many children have become isolated from nature.

We need to get kids outside! Recreation groups, land managers, youth organizations, health providers and educators are starting to get serious about this crisis: Kids spend far too little time outdoors enjoying physical activity. It\'s a cause we can all rally around, one with which we all agree. We need to put it first, before we put effort into who does what on which patch of ground.

Individual interest groups each have their own efforts under way. I\'m concerned that this may not be enough. The problem is so massive that a coordinated effort is essential, one that focuses simply on kids, family and fun. After that message is hammered home, then interest groups and local efforts can add their refinements. With some luck and good will, the cooperation generated in this initial effort will carry through to more focused efforts.

We need to start early, with toddlers. Little kids naturally love to be outdoors, to bask in the sun, crawl in the grass, play in the dirt. A world of natural exploration, away from indoor toys, opens before them. Encouraged at this age, that world of natural exploration can become a lifelong quest.

Winter offers special opportunities, compromised only by the need for appropriate dress. Snow becomes the wonder of a starry flake, the canvas of a snow angel, a ball to throw, the stuff of a man, and a marvelous surface on which to slide whoosh down a hill.

Later on, snow play means skiing, snowboarding, tubing or snowmobiling, all in the company of family and friends. It means learning skills and how to take care of yourself. It means working with family to maintain equipment and help fix machines. Snow can be an enduring passion.

If toddlers are to be encouraged to love the outdoors, then this must start with mom and dad. Parents need to be there, enjoying themselves as much as the kids. This is where a kids-outdoors effort must begin.

I\'m worried that it may be too late. How many moms and dads are engrossed in cyber world role playing while the little ones are parked in front of the TV? By the time kids are 10, they can get sucked into the omnipresent Internet-cell-phone communication web that consumes all their attention right down to their very soul. There\'s no room for outside influences, let alone outdoor activities. They can\'t go anywhere without being plugged in, and thanks to satellites, they don\'t have to.

It\'s a daunting task. We can each go about our efforts and make some progress, but we\'ll be far more successful if all groups work together in a simple, straightforward way that\'s pervasive and consistent. All together now, moms, dads, kids -- outside.

##

Photo available on request.  Cook is a consultant with the BlueRibbon Coalition. She may be contacted directly here:

Phone: 208-522-7339
e-mail: bradena@sharetrails.org

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. www.sharetrails.org

[Guest]

Message 4:

BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

Attention BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

HELP STOP THE FEBRUARY 10TH BAN ON YOUTH OHVS

On February 10, 2009, a new law regulating lead content in certain products will go into effect. This could adversely affect companies that manufacture or distribute youth model all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles. Dealers that sell and service those products would be impacted as well.

The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) and the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) have urgently requested the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and federal legislators to take a common sense approach to implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act\'s lead provisions.

SVIA and MIC have announced their intention to join several of their member companies in filing petitions with the CPSC for emergency relief from the provisions. They are also seeking a temporary final rule to exempt ATV and motorcycle parts in order to avoid major disruptions to enthusiasts, to the member companies\' businesses, and to the companies\' dealer network of thousands of small, independent businesses, which employ tens of thousands of Americans.

BRC is asking all OHV users to contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission and their elected officials today!

Use the following links to send your comments and to contact your Congressional Representatives.
Included below is a sample letter regarding the potential ban of all youth-oriented OHVs, which starts February 10, 2009.  

CPSC Comment Page
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/info.aspx

BRC Rapid Response Center to contact Members of Congress
http://www.sharetrails.org/rapid_response/

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition

PS: BRC needs your support via membership and donations to help us continue our efforts to champion responsible OHV access to public lands. To sign up as a member or to make a donation, Click Here:

_______________________________________________________________

Sample Letter:

As a member of the OHV community, I want to voice my strong support for petitions filed recently by the Motorcycle Industry Council and Specialty Vehicle Institute of America to seek emergency relief from provisions, which go into effect on February 10, 2009.

While I do support efforts by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to protect children from lead content in products that truly present a risk to children, I do not believe the Commission intended that metal parts on ATVs and motorcycles be included in that regulation because they do not present a lead risk to children.

As the spring OHV recreation season rapidly approaches, I ask you to support efforts to exclude youth-oriented OHVs - and the businesses that sell and service them - from being unnecessarily impacted by this ban, especially during this economic crisis.

Sincerely,

Your name &
Address

[Guest]

Message 5:

BLUERIBBON COALITION, INC.

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

         Contact: Brian Hawthorne

                        Public Lands Policy Director

                        BlueRibbon Coalition

                        208-237-1008 ext 102

          DATE: January 30, 2009

TRAIL RIDERS FIND NEW LIFE IN MISSISSIPPI FORESTS DECISION

JACKSON, MS (January 30) ? Recreationists are encouraged by a recent Forest Service decision which withdrew the Travel Management Project for Mississippi National Forests.  The decision came following administrative appeals filed by various groups, including the Memphis Motorcycle Club (MMC) and the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) with support from the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). The decision simply stated the agency was ?withdrawing the decision to allow consideration of additional analysis to be documented in the project record.?

The Forest Service sought to implement the direction of the national 2005 Travel Management Rule, which requires units of the National Forest System to transition to a managed system of vehicle use on designated roads, trails and areas.  The September 2008 Mississippi Forests travel plan decision designated approximately 127 miles of roads for off-highway vehicle (OHV) use, as well as approximately 144 miles of motorized trails, but refused to even consider for official designation the hundreds of miles of trails that have previously been created and traveled under prior ?open? Forest management but never included in the Forests? formal transportation system.

?This is what we asked for in our appeals, and we hope to be able to seize the opportunity of a new process to defend our historical access to previously undesignated trails in these Forests,? stated Mark Story with the MMC.  ?We appreciate the difficulty of the Forests? task and the effort they put forth, but felt that it was important that at least some of these routes be considered in a viable decision option.  As the Rule itself states, a few of these routes provide valuable recreation opportunities while enhancing the agency?s ability to create a well-designed and manageable network of sustainable trails that will minimize potential adverse effects to the environment,? Story concluded.

?The OHV community supports limiting motorized vehicles to designated routes and areas. We understand that not every route open today will remain open. But what we do not support is the Forest Service refusing to even consider designating the existing routes that are so popular with Forest visitors,? added Brian Hawthorne, Public Lands Policy Director for BRC.  Royce Wood, Government Affairs Manager for AMA, added, ?Our groups are committed to helping the Forest Service designate travel networks that can be actively and effectively managed to provide for diverse recreation opportunities while conserving the physical environment. We hope the Forest Service will consider us a resource to effectively manage this popular activity.?

The Mississippi units include the Bienville, De Soto, Homochitto, Delta, Holly Springs and Tombigee National Forests.  Collectively, they comprise 1.2 million acres of public land and include the state?s most beautiful landscapes and opportunities for recreational activities, such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, horseback riding, driving for pleasure and simply enjoying the outdoors.

[Guest]

Message 6:

BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

Attention BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

HELP STOP THE FEBRUARY 10TH BAN ON YOUTH OHVS

On February 10, 2009, a new law regulating lead content in certain products will go into effect. This could adversely affect companies that manufacture or distribute youth model all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles. Dealers that sell and service those products would be impacted as well.

The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) and the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) have urgently requested the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and federal legislators to take a common sense approach to implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act\'s lead provisions.

SVIA and MIC have announced their intention to join several of their member companies in filing petitions with the CPSC for emergency relief from the provisions. They are also seeking a temporary final rule to exempt ATV and motorcycle parts in order to avoid major disruptions to enthusiasts, to the member companies\' businesses, and to the companies\' dealer network of thousands of small, independent businesses, which employ tens of thousands of Americans.

BRC is asking all OHV users to contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission and their elected officials today!

Use the following links to send your comments and to contact your Congressional Representatives.
Included below is a sample letter regarding the potential ban of all youth-oriented OHVs, which starts February 10, 2009.

CPSC Comment Page
http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/info.aspx

 

MIC News Release on Issue:

http://www.mic.org/news012609.cfm (more info here)

BRC Rapid Response Center to contact Members of Congress
http://www.sharetrails.org/rapid_response/

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition

PS: BRC needs your support via membership and donations to help us continue our efforts to champion responsible OHV access to public lands. To sign up as a member or to make a donation, Click Here:

_______________________________________________________________

Sample Letter:

As a member of the OHV community, I want to voice my strong support for petitions filed recently by the Motorcycle Industry Council and Specialty Vehicle Institute of America to seek emergency relief from provisions, which go into effect on February 10, 2009.

While I do support efforts by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to protect children from lead content in products that truly present a risk to children, I do not believe the Commission intended that metal parts on ATVs and motorcycles be included in that regulation because they do not present a lead risk to children.

As the spring OHV recreation season rapidly approaches, I ask you to support efforts to exclude youth-oriented OHVs - and the businesses that sell and service them - from being unnecessarily impacted by this ban, especially during this economic crisis.

Sincerely,

Your name &
Address

[Guest]

Message 7:

Thousands of calls and emails WORKED.   We got a reprieve on the Feb. 10th (silly as it was) ban on kids on OHV?s because of lead.  Check out the LA Times article (and THANK you for helping to get this word out so quickly):

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-consumer-lead31-2009jan31,0,7966719.story

[Guest]

Message 8:

New Mexico Off-Highway Vehicle Alliance Legislative Update
2009 Session                                                                                                  Update #5


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Legislative Update - Kill SB379!

NMOHVA has completed its analysis of SB379.  This bill aims to change the OHV Act passed in 2005.  SB379 is a BAD piece of legislation.
 
Here are some of the items in the bill.  They clearly show why this is such a BAD bill:
 
1)       An outright ban on anyone under the age of 14 operating an ATV or UTV.  That is right.  If you are under 14, YOU DON\'T GET TO RIDE.  AT ALL!
2)       Allows the state to arbitrarily set any sound emission standard they choose, even if it is way lower than anywhere else in the US or is impossible to meet with today\'s technology.
3)       A 50% increase in the OHV sticker fee.  This increase comes even though they haven\'t spent the money they have already collected and they haven\'t given any reason why they need even more of our money.
4)       The bill requires that over half of our sticker fee money must be spent on law enforcement.  We supported the 2005 OHV Act because it emphasized education. Yet not a single child has been trained with sticker funding to date.  Now they want to use our money for law enforcement instead.
     
There are so many things wrong with this Bill that we believe it should be killed outright rather than try to change it.
 
The first step in legislative approval is the Senate Corporation and Transportation Committee.  This committee may vote on the bill as early as Monday afternoon.  Let\'s do our best to kill it right here and now.  If a majority of the Senators on the committee vote against SB379, it dies right there.
 
The link to the left identifies the State Senators who sit on the committee.  If your Senator sits on this Committee, call his office the first thing Monday morning.  A staff person will answer the phone.  It is their job to log the opinions of citizens who call in.  Give your opinion on SB379.  If you can\'t call, send an email.  If your Senator doesn\'t sit on the Committee, pick out a few Senators and call their office anyway!  The point we want to make is that there are a lot of OHV users in New Mexico and we OPPOSE SB379.
 
Then get your riding buddies, friends, family, neighbors, co-workers - anyone who is tired of OHV\'ers being treated so unfairly and so badly and have them call a committee member also.
Let\'s kill SB379 right here and now.
 
Remember to check your email for NMOHVA updates.  We will keep you informed on the status of the bill.

Mark
President - NMOHVA


List of Senate Corporation and Transportation Committee Members

READ SB379 HERE!


Quick Links

Join NMOHVA or Renew Your Membership

Donate to the Access Defense Fund  

More About Us

New Mexico Off Highway Vehicle Alliance | 13170-B Central Ave. SE | PMB #322 | Albuquerque

[Guest]

Message 9:

BLUERIBBON COALITION, INC.

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
         Contact: Brian Hawthorne
                        Public Lands Policy Director
                        BlueRibbon Coalition
                        208-237-1008 ext 102
         DATE: February 4, 2009

BLUERIBBON COALITION EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT HOUSE VOTE ON OMNIBUS LAND BILL

POCATELLO, ID (February 4) - The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national trail-based recreation group, today voiced concern that the U.S. House of Representatives will \"grease through\" over 160 public lands bills, thereby avoiding the public review these bills deserve. In addition, BRC cautioned that recreational access tenets in some of the bills may have been intentionally removed in closed-door proceedings.

The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 was fast-tracked through the U.S. Senate and could see a vote in the House as early as next week. The bill (S 22) is over 1,200 pages long with over 160 different bills, designates 2.2 million acres of Wilderness, identifies three new national parks, 10 national heritage areas, and designates over 1,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers.

BRC expressed concern that access protection provisions were apparently stripped from several of the bills involved. For example, new sections were added in the Washington County (Utah) Growth and Conservation Act regarding closure of roads and trails and limiting how Bureau of Land Management funds generated by the Act can be used.

\"It is important that local collaborative efforts be sustained as legislation moves in Congress. Pushing these bills into law via the omnibus package allows powerful special interest groups in Washington D.C. to eliminate hard-won local consensus and ram through provisions that are contrary to the desires of those, on all sides of the issues, who actually visit these remarkable lands.\" said Brian Hawthorne, BRC\'s Public Lands Policy Director.

\"This bill collectively reduces recreational opportunity, feeds millions of earmarked dollars into pet projects, will cost billions to implement, and provides very little of the protection it is touted to deliver,\" added Greg Mumm, the Coalition\'s Executive Director. \"If this behemoth bill is any indication of the aggressive agenda in store for this congress, the American recreating public faces difficult challenges ahead,\" Mumm concluded.

Mumm said BRC will be encouraging its 600,000 members and supporters to contact their political representatives and encourage them to work to restore the locally-generated compromise provisions in these bills and oppose changes demanded by the large preservationist lobby in Washington D.C.

[Guest]

Message 10:

BLUERIBBON COALITION, INC.

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
         Contact: Brian Hawthorne
                        Public Lands Policy Director
                        BlueRibbon Coalition
                        208-237-1008 ext 102
         DATE: February 4, 2009

BLUERIBBON COALITION EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT HOUSE VOTE ON OMNIBUS LAND BILL

POCATELLO, ID (February 4) - The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national trail-based recreation group, today voiced concern that the U.S. House of Representatives will \"grease through\" over 160 public lands bills, thereby avoiding the public review these bills deserve. In addition, BRC cautioned that recreational access tenets in some of the bills may have been intentionally removed in closed-door proceedings.

The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 was fast-tracked through the U.S. Senate and could see a vote in the House as early as next week. The bill (S 22) is over 1,200 pages long with over 160 different bills, designates 2.2 million acres of Wilderness, identifies three new national parks, 10 national heritage areas, and designates over 1,000 miles of wild and scenic rivers.

BRC expressed concern that access protection provisions were apparently stripped from several of the bills involved. For example, new sections were added in the Washington County (Utah) Growth and Conservation Act regarding closure of roads and trails and limiting how Bureau of Land Management funds generated by the Act can be used.

\"It is important that local collaborative efforts be sustained as legislation moves in Congress. Pushing these bills into law via the omnibus package allows powerful special interest groups in Washington D.C. to eliminate hard-won local consensus and ram through provisions that are contrary to the desires of those, on all sides of the issues, who actually visit these remarkable lands.\" said Brian Hawthorne, BRC\'s Public Lands Policy Director.

\"This bill collectively reduces recreational opportunity, feeds millions of earmarked dollars into pet projects, will cost billions to implement, and provides very little of the protection it is touted to deliver,\" added Greg Mumm, the Coalition\'s Executive Director. \"If this behemoth bill is any indication of the aggressive agenda in store for this congress, the American recreating public faces difficult challenges ahead,\" Mumm concluded.

Mumm said BRC will be encouraging its 600,000 members and supporters to contact their political representatives and encourage them to work to restore the locally-generated compromise provisions in these bills and oppose changes demanded by the large preservationist lobby in Washington D.C.

# # #

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. www.sharetrails.org

[Guest]

Message 11:

Contact: Kurt Schneider

E-mail: kurt@ovrocksports.com

 

February 10th, 2009

 

 

Rock Zombies 4x4 club form new rocksports competition team: OV Rocksports

New team is dedicated to land-use issues and trail stewardship.

 

The Nor Cal Rock Zombies are proud to announce OV Rocksports, which is the new competition division of the club. The team consists of three vehicles, two competing in the Pro-Modified class and one in the Super-Modified class in the CalROCS series and other west coast rock crawling and racing events. Additionally, Dan Trout of Fishmouth-Fabworks will drive one of the team?s vehicles in the Last Chance Qualifier in the now-famous King of the Hammers race in Johnson Valley with team member Travis Carpenter as spotter.

 

What sets this new team apart from others is its commitment to land-use issues and trail stewardship. OV Rocksports has pledged it?s vehicles to be used by the Friends of Eldorado under that organization?s educational charter. Not only will all three rigs run Friends of Eldorado stickers, but the vehicles will be displayed at work-parties, at land use events and booths, and seen on Rock Zombie club runs educating OHV users about proper use and getting them involved in trail stewardship projects. Unlike other competition vehicles that sit in a garage in between events, these vehicles will be in the public eye nearly every weekend over the 2009 season. This means more exposure for the team?s sponsors. With the support of Fishmouth-Fabworks, the vehicles will be meticulously maintained to stay in working order throughout the 2009 season.

 

The Nor Cal Rock Zombies have been strong supporters of the Friends of Eldorado since its inception, showing up in force at work-parties and holding a now annual ?Bikini Rig Wash? as a fund raiser for that organization. Rock Zombie founder Rob Cook explains, ?It?s our goal to not only use this team to compete, but to inspire other teams and OHV users to become more active in keeping our trails open to the public. In the past, trail stewardship had been the domain of the older trail-rig crowd, it?s time the younger generation and the more extreme users step up to the plate.?

 

The Nor Cal Rock Zombies were formed in 2000, and have quickly set themselves apart from other clubs with their ?extreme? style of four wheeling and their commitment to trail stewardship. The newly formed OV Rocksports is sponsored and supported by; Friends of Eldorado, Empulse Clothing, Power Tank, Marco Muffler, Loud Liquid, and Fishmouth-Fabworks. The team is still pursuing a title sponsor for the 2009 season.

 

More information is available at www.ovrocksports.com

 

# # #

 

If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Kurt Schneider, Please e-mail Kurt at Kurt@ovrocksports.com

[Guest]

Message 12:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Randy Burleson

E-mail: Randy.Burleson@RubiconTrailFoundation.org

February 9th, 2009

Water Quality Board Extends Comment Period, Plans Fact-Finding Meeting

March meeting scheduled to discuss the actual issues/conditions on the Rubicon Trail

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQB) reported Wednesday that they will be extending the comment period on their Draft Abatement Order to obtain more information on water quality-related education, mitigation, and management of the Rubicon Trail. The comment period was originally scheduled to end on February 23, but has been extended until March 31. Rubicon Trail Foundation welcomes this opportunity to share more full details about the Rubicon Trail.

In mid-March, the Water Quality Control Board will convene a meeting between trail closure advocates and OHV activists, with representatives from the responsible agency, El Dorado County?s Department of Transportation, as well as representatives from affected agencies such as the Forest Service, the Department of Fish and Game, and the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Department. The Water Quality Control Board is scheduling this meeting and extending the comment period as a fact finding mission and a discussion of completed, ongoing, and planned mitigation efforts, proven best management practices, and schedules. Discussion may also include what stakeholders would like to see in the future for the Rubicon Trail.

Randy Burleson, President of the Rubicon Trail Foundation, stated that ?OHV users welcome the openness of the Water Quality Board to hear the full story of the many improvements which have already been completed, are now in progress, or are planned for the Rubicon. The few individuals lobbying to close and/or restrict trail usage omitted details of effective mitigations, decreased traffic, and improved trail conditions. We look forward to sharing these facts with the Regional Water Quality Board, and adding them to the list of agency partners working together for the good of the Rubicon Trail.? Friends of the Rubicon and Rubicon Trail Foundation work well together, and have successfully partnered with El Dorado County, Placer County, El Dorado National Forest, Tahoe National Forest, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Board, and the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division.

Please join the Rubicon Trail Foundation in providing substantive comments to the Water Quality Control Board, especially those regarding the abatement order, or the Assessment of Sediment Delivery from the Rubicon Trail study cited in it. The March meeting agenda will focus on best management practice and working together to form an abatement order that 4x4 and OHV users and closure advocates alike can live with ? the Foundation needs your help to shine light on all of these issues in your letters. Questions and comments may be directed to CVRWQB?s Sue McConnell by email smcconnell@waterboards.ca.gov ? please copy the Foundation on any comments at comments@RubiconTrailFoundation.org. The Foundation lists discussion points at our website: www.RubiconTrailFoundation.org.

The Rubicon Trail Foundation was formed in 2004. We are a federally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to the future health of the Rubicon Trail and our mission is to enhance the future health and use of the Rubicon Trail, while ensuring responsible motorized year-round trail access. We work with the individuals, clubs, organizations, and agencies to maintain and manage the trail. Our Officers and Directors represent a wide variety of Rubicon Trail OHV users, land owners, county representatives, manufacturers, and event organizers.

More information is available at www.RubiconTrailFoundation.org

# # #

If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with a representative of the Rubicon Trail Foundation, please e-mail president@RubiconTrailFoundation.org

[Guest]

Message 13:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Randy Burleson

E-mail: Randy.Burleson@RubiconTrailFoundation.org

February 9th, 2009

Water Quality Board Extends Comment Period, Plans Fact-Finding Meeting

March meeting scheduled to discuss the actual issues/conditions on the Rubicon Trail

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQB) reported Wednesday that they will be extending the comment period on their Draft Abatement Order to obtain more information on water quality-related education, mitigation, and management of the Rubicon Trail. The comment period was originally scheduled to end on February 23, but has been extended until March 31. Rubicon Trail Foundation welcomes this opportunity to share more full details about the Rubicon Trail.

In mid-March, the Water Quality Control Board will convene a meeting between trail closure advocates and OHV activists, with representatives from the responsible agency, El Dorado County?s Department of Transportation, as well as representatives from affected agencies such as the Forest Service, the Department of Fish and Game, and the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Department. The Water Quality Control Board is scheduling this meeting and extending the comment period as a fact finding mission and a discussion of completed, ongoing, and planned mitigation efforts, proven best management practices, and schedules. Discussion may also include what stakeholders would like to see in the future for the Rubicon Trail.

Randy Burleson, President of the Rubicon Trail Foundation, stated that ?OHV users welcome the openness of the Water Quality Board to hear the full story of the many improvements which have already been completed, are now in progress, or are planned for the Rubicon. The few individuals lobbying to close and/or restrict trail usage omitted details of effective mitigations, decreased traffic, and improved trail conditions. We look forward to sharing these facts with the Regional Water Quality Board, and adding them to the list of agency partners working together for the good of the Rubicon Trail.? Friends of the Rubicon and Rubicon Trail Foundation work well together, and have successfully partnered with El Dorado County, Placer County, El Dorado National Forest, Tahoe National Forest, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Board, and the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division.

Please join the Rubicon Trail Foundation in providing substantive comments to the Water Quality Control Board, especially those regarding the abatement order, or the Assessment of Sediment Delivery from the Rubicon Trail study cited in it. The March meeting agenda will focus on best management practice and working together to form an abatement order that 4x4 and OHV users and closure advocates alike can live with ? the Foundation needs your help to shine light on all of these issues in your letters. Questions and comments may be directed to CVRWQB?s Sue McConnell by email smcconnell@waterboards.ca.gov ? please copy the Foundation on any comments at comments@RubiconTrailFoundation.org. The Foundation lists discussion points at our website: www.RubiconTrailFoundation.org.

The Rubicon Trail Foundation was formed in 2004. We are a federally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to the future health of the Rubicon Trail and our mission is to enhance the future health and use of the Rubicon Trail, while ensuring responsible motorized year-round trail access. We work with the individuals, clubs, organizations, and agencies to maintain and manage the trail. Our Officers and Directors represent a wide variety of Rubicon Trail OHV users, land owners, county representatives, manufacturers, and event organizers.

More information is available at www.RubiconTrailFoundation.org

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If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with a representative of the Rubicon Trail Foundation, please e-mail president@RubiconTrailFoundation.org

[Guest]

Message 14:


BLUERIBBON COALITION, INC.

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
         Contact: Greg Mumm, Executive Director
                         BlueRibbon Coalition
                         208-244-2112
            DATE: February 19, 2009

National OHV Organizations Continue On-Going Collaboration At Meeting in Indianapolis

Leaders from national OHV organizations met in Indianapolis on February 15 to discuss a variety of land use issues affecting OHV recreation.  The meeting was held in conjunction with the 2009 Dealer Expo.

This forum was the fourth in a series of face-to-face meetings that began in January of 2008 to coordinate efforts and share strategies to address the myriad of access-related issues facing the OHV community.  This meeting focused on legislative advocacy priorities for the new 111th Congress, including support for Recreational Trails Program funding.  Other topics included the on-going implementation of the U.S. Forest Service Travel Management Rule and how we can continue to positively influence the outcome, as well maximize the benefits of funding received by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in the Economic Stimulus package.

The organizations represented find it productive to periodically discuss and explore areas where they share a common interest.  Recognizing that each organization has a separate mission in representing its distinct membership, communicating with each other serves to strengthen advocacy efforts on behalf of all types of OHV recreation.  

Stakeholder organizations participating in this on-going coordination to promote access for off-highway vehicle recreation across the U.S. include the American Council of Snowmobile Associations, the American Motorcyclist Association, Americans for Responsible Recreational Access, the BlueRibbon Coalition, the Motorcycle Industry Council, the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, the Off-Road Business Association, the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, Tread Lightly! and United Four Wheel Drive Associations.