Blue Ribbon Coalition

[Guest]

Weigh in to Have Your Voice Heard!
 
Youth sized ATVs and dirt bikes are still banned. We need your
help to continue to build enough pressure to get the ban
overturned. It is unlikely that the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) will act to approve the Motorcycle Industry
Council\'s petition to grant regulatory relief. This means we
need Congress to act.
 
Senator Tester (D-MT) has introduced legislation, S. 608 that
would stop the ban. Please use the link below to urge your
Senators and Members of the Senate Commerce, Science and
Transportation Committee to support this bill.
 
ARRA members have responded in huge numbers on this issue
already, but it is important that you continue to have your
voice heard.
 
After you weigh in, please use the Tell-A-Friend feature,
located in the left tool bar, to forward this alert to everyone
you know that rides. It is imperative that the voice of every
rider be heard!
 
For more information visit www.stopthebannow.com .
 
You can take action on this alert via the web at:
http://www.arra-access.com/campaign/adv_s608/xukd5e8rvjbb7xd8?
 
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
http://www.arra-access.com/campaign/adv_s608/forward/xukd5e8rvjbb7xd8?
 
We encourage you to take action by April 24, 2009
 
Senate Bill to Overturn Ban on Youth ATVs and Dirt Bikes
Introduced!
 
INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
If you have access to a web browser, you can take action on this
alert by going to the following URL:
 
http://www.arra-access.com/campaign/adv_s608/xukd5e8rvjbb7xd8?
 
Your letter will be addressed and sent to:
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
U.S. Senate
 
----THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT IN YOUR NAME----
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
 
I\'m writing today as a citizen who enjoys riding ATVs / dirt
bikes. I urge you to co-sponsor and support S. 608 which will
exempt youth model all-terrain vehicles and off-highway
motorcycles from the lead content provisions of the Consumer
Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
 
Although the powersports industry has demonstrated that the lead
content in the metal parts of ATVs and dirt bikes pose no risk
to children\'s health, the Consumer Product Safety Commission\'s
(CPSC) recent approval of a final rule imposing strict standards
for excluding products from the new lead content limits makes
clear that CPSC will not provide relief for youth model ATVs or
dirt bikes. Congress needs to step in and make immediate
amendments to the CPSIA to ensure that reasonable exclusions can
be made for these products, which are piling up in stores and
dealerships across the country, needlessly resulting in millions
of dollars in lost sales and costs at a time when our economy
and these small businesses can least afford it.
 
But the unintended consequences of this ban go way beyond the
business and financial ramifications - it affects me personally,
and it affects family and friends who ride with their children,
because it destroys the chance for families to enjoy these
outdoor recreational activities together. AND it poses a
potentially huge safety risk if, as an alternative to having the
kid-sized vehicles available, parents opt to put their kids on
larger, adult-sized vehicles. PLUS, there is mass confusion.
Should kids who race in off-road competitions even go to events?
Will parents be able to buy critical replacement parts for their
kids\' ATVs or dirt bikes, like brake pieces or valve stems?
Everyone suffers: dealers, manufacturers, aftermarket, motocross
event operators, and especially families with children who are
being denied their right to ride. And ride safely.
 
When the new lead standard took effect on February 10, 2009,
youth models of ATVs and dirt bikes designed and intended
primarily for children 6 to 12 years of age became classified as
banned hazardous substances and dealerships in our area were
forced to remove these perfectly good products from showrooms.
Components in youth model ATVs and dirt bikes that contain small
quantities of lead such as valve stems on tires, aluminum in
some brake components, and terminals on batteries, do so to
address safety (such as machining the deep grooves on tire
valves to assure tire air retention) or for functionality (such
as the lead in battery terminals, needed to conduct
electricity).
 
The sad irony is that these youth models were created with the
support of the CPSC and consumer advocates to give children a
safer alternative to larger, faster adult size models. These
long-term efforts to promote child safety are now seriously
jeopardized. In addition, youth rider training to encourage the
safe and responsible use of ATVs and dirt bikes is jeopardized
because new youth models and parts and accessories for them are
no longer available. As an ATV / dirt bike rider, and one who
has respected the law and encouraged responsible riding, I find
this to be unacceptable. The lead in those vehicles does not
pose a risk to children\'s health. Congress needs to stop this
ban - NOW.
 
I respectfully ask that you co-sponsor and support S. 608 so
youth ATVs and dirt bikes again will be available for sale and
safe and responsible use.
 
----END OF LETTER TO BE SENT----

[Guest]

Tellico is closed

http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/press/tellico_closure_news_release.pdf

[Guest]

House Bill to Overturn Ban on Youth ATVs and Dirt Bikes Introduced!



Last week we told you about the bill that was introduced in the Senate to stop the Consumer Product Safety Commission\'s (CPSC) ban on the sale of youth-sized ATVs, dirt bikes and snowmobiles. This week our friends at Americans for Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA) are reporting the House has followed suit.

Representatives Rehberg (R-MT), Burgess (R-TX), Pomeroy (D-ND) and Simpson (R-ID) have introduced legislation that will stop the ban.  H.R. 1587: To amend the lead prohibition provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 to provide an exemption for certain off-highway vehicles, and for other purposes, was introduced in the House on March 18, 2009.

So let\'s join with our friends at ARRA and send a letter to your Representative and Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee urging them to support and cosponsor H.R. 1587.

I have pasted a copy of ARRA\'s alert below. Please read it over, take action and pass it along.
It\'s extremely important that you continue to fight this ban and have your voice heard.

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107


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

House Bill to Overturn Ban on Youth ATVs and Dirt Bikes Introduced!

Weigh in to Have Your Voice Heard!

Youth sized ATVs and dirt bikes are still banned.  We need your help to continue to build enough pressure to get the ban overturned.  It is unlikely that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) will act to approve the Motorcycle Industry Council\'s petition to grant regulatory relief.  This means we need Congress to act.

Representatives Rehberg (R-MT), Burgess (R-TX), Pomeroy (D-ND) and Simpson (R-ID) have introduced legislation that will stop the ban.  Please click the Take Action button below to urge your Representative and Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to support and cosponsor H.R. 1587.

ARRA members have responded in huge numbers on this issue already, but it is important that you continue to have your voice heard.

After you weigh in, please use the Tell-A-Friend feature to forward this alert to everyone you know that rides.  It is imperative that the voice of every rider be heard!

For more information visit www.stopthebannow.com.  

Take Action  

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
U.S. House

Below is the sample letter:

Subject: Please Cosponsor H.R. 1587

Dear ,

I\'m writing today as a citizen who enjoys riding ATVs / dirt bikes. I urge you to co-sponsor and support H.R. 1587 which will exempt youth model all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles from the lead content provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

Although the powersports industry has demonstrated that the lead content in the metal parts of ATVs and dirt bikes pose no risk to children\'s health, the Consumer Product Safety Commission\'s (CPSC) recent approval of a final rule imposing strict standards for excluding products from the new lead content limits makes clear that CPSC will not provide relief for youth model ATVs or dirt bikes. Congress needs to step in and make immediate amendments to the CPSIA to ensure that reasonable exclusions can be made for these products, which are piling up in stores and dealerships across the country, needlessly resulting in millions of dollars in lost sales and costs at a time when our economy and these small businesses can least afford it.

But the unintended consequences of this ban go way beyond the business and financial ramifications - it affects me personally, and it affects family and friends who ride with their children, because it destroys the chance for families to enjoy these outdoor recreational activities together. AND it poses a potentially huge safety risk if, as an alternative to having the kid-sized vehicles available, parents opt to put their kids on larger, adult-sized vehicles. PLUS, there is mass confusion. Should kids who race in off-road competitions even go to events? Will parents be able to buy critical replacement parts for their kids\' ATVs or dirt bikes, like brake pieces or valve stems? Everyone suffers: dealers, manufacturers, aftermarket, motocross event operators, and especially families with children who are being denied their right to ride. And ride safely.

When the new lead standard took effect on February 10, 2009, youth models of ATVs and dirt bikes designed and intended primarily for children 6 to 12 years of age became classified as banned hazardous substances and dealerships in our area were forced to remove these perfectly good products from showrooms. Components in youth model ATVs and dirt bikes that contain small quantities of lead such as valve stems on tires, aluminum in some brake components, and terminals on batteries, do so to address safety (such as machining the deep grooves on tire valves to assure tire air retention) or for functionality (such as the lead in battery terminals, needed to conduct electricity).

The sad irony is that these youth models were created with the support of the CPSC and consumer advocates to give children a safer alternative to larger, faster adult size models. These long-term efforts to promote child safety are now seriously jeopardized. In addition, youth rider training to encourage the safe and responsible use of ATVs and dirt bikes is jeopardized because new youth models and parts and accessories for them are no longer available. As an ATV / dirt bike rider, and one who has respected the law and encouraged responsible riding, I find this to be unacceptable. The lead in those vehicles does not pose a risk to children \'s health. Congress needs to stop this ban - NOW.

I respectfully ask that you co-sponsor and support H.R. 1587 so youth ATVs and dirt bikes again will be available for sale and safe and responsible use.

Sincerely,

Sincerely,

[Guest]

The Future Is Calling.
Who will be there to answer?

By Del Albright, BlueRibbon Coalition Ambassador

 Activists in off-road recreation seem to be an aging group ? no offense intended.  Many of us are ?gray hairs? and many are working so hard that ?burnout? may cause some premature aging.  I worry that not enough young folks are taking up the torch and carrying the flame. When the future calls, will we have folks there to answer?

I was enjoying the business of an annual convention recently of the Calif. Assoc. of 4WD Clubs when I noticed long-time activist Jim Bramham (featured in accompanying photo) sitting nearby with his grandson, Oscar (2 and 1/2 years old).  I swung the camera towards Oscar and said, ?Hello.?  Upon hearing those familiar words, Oscar picked up his play calculator like it was a telephone and answered me back.  Cute.

It struck me that Oscar (son of Ernie and Luana Hernandez) is our future ? and the phone is ringing.  His proud grandpa, Jim is showing Oscar the off-road world, for sure ? but Jim and I are part of the, well, let?s just say, more experienced generation.   We need young ones like Oscar to grow up with phone in hand, torch lit, and flame burning bright in our fights for access.

How do we ensure that happens?  How do we get younger folks ready to answer that future call?  I have some ideas to share.

First of all, I echo the wisdom of my friend and BlueRibbon partner, Adena Cook who recently wrote about getting kids outside ? doing anything; just doing it outside.  See her article on A Cause We Can All Rally Around here: http://www.sharetrails.org/magazine/article.php?id=1702

Secondly, all ?old timers? need to be part of or involved in a kids program of some sort ? even if that means merely contributing advice, time or money to such a program.  No matter how you do it, find a way to include kids in what you love to do.

Third, let go the reins.  Folks who have ?been there and done that? need to step aside at strategic points and let others drive.  Of course, we can offer advice, talk about the old days, show the mistakes we?ve made and even fess up to doing it wrong at some point in the past.  But all this is done with the purpose in mind of making the future brighter.

Fourth, set the example and keep to the high ground.  I firmly believe those who oppose motorized recreation are after the hearts and minds of our kids.  I wrote about this a few years ago here:  http://www.delalbright.com/articles/kids.htm.  We ?older folks? need to show the younger crowd the common sense, respectable, and high ground way of recreating so as to keep our image clean.  We can continue to do so many simple things like pack it out, stay the trail, and follow the rules.  

The last thing we can do is to speak up when folks are not behaving or following the rules (no matter their age or experience).  Please do not let your lack of action contribute to someone else bringing down our recreational opportunities.  Show kids how we can set the example.

As we enjoy various events, club meetings and rides, ask yourself if there isn?t something you can do to ensure someone will be there when the phone rings in the future.

[Guest]

NATIONAL RECREATION ORGANIZATION QUALIFIES FOR COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN

BlueRibbon Coalition now on national charity list for easy donations

 

Pocatello, ID, April 14, 2009.  The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) announced today that the United States Office of Personnel Management has granted the Coalition official status in the Combined Federal Campaign Charity List for 2009.

BlueRibbon will be listed under National/International Independent Organizations for charitable donations.  This will make it much easier for employees of participating federal agencies to donate anytime to BRC.  

For over 20 years, the BlueRibbon Coalition has promoted responsible use and stewardship of our public lands.  Nationally recognized as the grassroots non-profit organization working for all trails and all types of recreation, the BRC is a powerful advocate in educating the American public.  Based in the concept of multiple-use, BRC walks the talk of its website which is http://www.sharetrails.org.  

 

Brian Hawthorne, Public Lands Policy Director noted that \"We empower our members to be meaningfully involved to help keep all forms of recreation alive and well, while taking care of our environment. Our mission, to preserve access for all, is more than a passion; it\'s a promise.\"

 

\"We are proud to have our eligibility for donations through the Combined Federal Campaign officially recognized,\" said Greg Mumm, Executive Director.\"We look forward to this new way for folks to support our great Coalition.\"

 

All Federal employees, including military personnel receive the Charity List for CFC, and BRC will be listed as: 11402 BlueRibbon Coalition.

[Guest]

Rubicon Trail Update: Water Quality Board Meets - Rubicon Stays Open

SACRAMENTO, CA (April 27) - The Rubicon Trail is open and OHV recreation is sustained on this icon of four-wheeling, according to the Rubicon Trail Foundation (RTF) and Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR). The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB) voted unanimously to issue a Cleanup and Abatement Order (CAO) to El Dorado County and the Eldorado National Forest for the world-famous Rubicon Trail that sustains motorized recreation while enhancing stewardship of the trail.

Not only did the Board enact an order that recreationists can live with, but they also went so far as to praise the efforts of the volunteers for addressing trail issues in such a prompt manner all these years.

The Rubicon Trail traverses the mighty Sierra Nevada Mountains of California from roughly Georgetown, CA to Lake Tahoe, CA.  Water runoff and erosion are always concerns on trails in the west, but thanks to the efforts of all the clubs and members of Friends of the Rubicon in partnership with Eldorado County, landowners and the USFS, the Rubicon Trail is well maintained.

\"FOTR has invested thousands of hours of organized trail work and maintenance since our beginning in 2001,\" said Del Albright, co-Founder and Trail Boss, Friends of the Rubicon. \"We are well-prepared to address any concerns or issues on this famous trail, and we are working towards a future of stewardship we can all be proud of,\" Albright added.

Greg Mumm, Executive Director of the BlueRibbon Coalition, pointed out that \"BlueRibbon has sponsored Del\'s leadership of efforts on the Rubicon Trail since the beginning, and we are confident that FOTR can handle this like they have everything else thrown at this famous trail.\"

The Rubicon Trail Foundation is the 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to supporting efforts on the Rubicon Trail. They led the effort to ensure the Water Board understood all trail issues. RTF has position statements covering many aspects of trail use on the Rubicon, including topics like water quality, sanitation, camping, and year-round use.

The Rubicon Trail Foundation does not support the blanket restriction of Rubicon Trail use by season, or by vehicle numbers, type or size. Further, the Rubicon Trail Foundation encourages the establishment of reasonable and practical operating procedures for training of volunteer groups and others to install and maintain trail drainage structures, stream crossings and new trail segments.

Other issues being addressed by the dedicated volunteers of FOTR and RTF include mitigating oil spills and managing human waste. The Rubicon Trail Foundation supports requiring every Rubicon Trail user to carry portable human waste disposal devices and requiring every motorized user to carry oil spill kits.

The Rubicon Trail Foundation works hand in hand with the Friends of the Rubicon and together, with the agency partners, these groups are ensuring an access-friendly future for the Rubicon Trail.

\"We look forward to implementing this order from the Water Quality Board in conjunction with our great partners in the county and USFS, because we all will benefit, and our trail will stay open, alive and well,\" Albright concludes.

More information on RTF position statements, mission, and the CAO is available at www.RubiconTrailFoundation.org - or by emailing Board Director Scott Johnston at Scott.Johnston@RubiconTrailFoundation.org

[Guest]

BLUERIBBON COALITION ANNOUNCES ONLINE AUCTION FOR ACCESS

POCATELLO, ID (April 30) - The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a nationwide, non-profit recreation access group, announced today the launch of its 2009 Board of Directors Online Auction, put together by board members to help raise funds for preserving responsible recreational access.

Announced earlier this year, the auction is a result of BRC board members taking initiative to make use of one of the many new and exciting avenues for non-profit fund raising. The auction will last into May of 2009, with many items available for bidding. Included among them are gift certificates, trail guide books, snowmobile boots, a tire pressure gauge, CB radio antenna, lodging in West Yellowstone, and more.

All of the proceeds from the auction will be used to defend your access. A list of items can be viewed on BRC\'s website (www.sharetrails.org/brc-board-auction-2009) and will be updated as new items are added.

[Guest]

ARRA Newsletter
May 2009
 
Spirit of Cooperation
---------------------
On April 29th, a number of national and state trail advocacy
groups released a new guide called \"Sharing Our Trails - A Guide
to Trail Safety and Enjoyment.\" You can find this useful
document on the ARRA website:
 
   http://www.arra-access.com/ct/2pBeD_s15SH6/
 
ARRA was actively involved in the process, as were a number of
other OHV, equestrian and bicycle organizations.
 
The underlying basis for developing these guidelines was a
common goal of ensuring safety and access for all types of
recreational interests when visiting public lands. It\'s amazing
what can happen when people choose to work together to solve
problems.
 
We hope this will be but the first of many efforts on the part
of national recreation groups to jointly address issues
affecting the management and use of our public lands. When we
do, we all come out ahead.
 
Recreational Trails Programs
----------------------------
It\'s \"start your engines\" time with the congressional efforts to
renew, reinvigorate and reauthorize the surface transportation
act, the vehicle that authorizes and funds highway construction
as well as the very successful Recreational Trails Program
(RTP). The Coalition for Recreational Trails, the umbrella
organization to promote RTP, comprised of a wide range of
motorized and non-motorized trail organizations, has forwarded
to the Congress its recommendations for adjustments/improvements
to the Recreational Trails Program. If you would like to take a
look at those recommendations visit:
 
   http://www.arra-access.com/ct/27BeD_s15SHb/
 
While the engines of change have started to warm up, it will be
a long legislative haul for the surface transportation act. The
process is beginning in the House of Representatives, but there
are many challenges ahead as funding shortfalls threaten the
viability of the Highway Trust Fund. A series of factors have
contributed to this financial strain, including the decline of
revenue from the tax on gas sold. Earlier this year, rising fuel
prices discouraged people from driving, and now with the general
economic decline in the country, people are parking their cars
rather than taking leisurely trips. Fewer gallons of gas sold
simply equals less tax revenue for the Highway Trust Fund. Fewer
dollars coupled with higher highway construction costs means
less construction can occur at a time when our national highway
infrastructure is in a greater need of repair.
 
Various ideas to generate new revenue for the Highway Trust Fund
are being explored. These proposals range from increasing the
federal excise tax charged for each gallon of gasoline sold to
instituting a new form of tax that would charge consumers for
each mile driven. This new tax scheme is called
vehicle-miles-traveled, or VMT. VMT would require the
installation of a special computer on your vehicle that would
electronically notify taxation authorities of the number of
miles you have driven. (Maybe George Orwell was right about Big
Brother watching us).
 
Some policymakers have suggested that consumers might be charged
an average of 2 cents per mile driven. To date the Obama White
House has expressed severe reservations about embracing VMT, but
it should be noted that the new Secretary of Transportation, Ray
LaHood, indicated that he thought the time will come when VMT
will be the revenue raiser of choice.
 
It\'s hard to know where all of this will go or even the fate of
the Recreational Trails Program. We need to be actively involved
throughout the process because until new revenue sources are
found, pressure will be to cut and or drop existing programs
under the auspices of the surface transportation act. ARRA will
keep you posted of further developments.
 
Manhattan Knows Best?
---------------------
I grew up in a small farming community in Ohio. In my town, the
Saturday morning traffic jams on Main Street were caused by
farmers waiting in line to deliver their crops to the local
grain elevator. Being from a small town, we were somewhat
intimidated by the big city folks because they always acted as
though they knew best. When I went to a big city (Washington) to
go to college, I found out that this wasn\'t the case. My fellow
students from the Big Apple acted as though they owned the
world, but I soon realized their attitude was merely a defense
mechanism to ward off the unknowns of attending college. In
other words, they were just as scared about attending college as
I was, but they were better at pretending that they knew what
was best for the rest of us.
 
So, from experience, I am a natural skeptic when it comes to big
city solutions. This is especially the case when I think about
the far reaching ramifications of H. R. 980, the Northern
Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act, introduced in the 111th
Congress by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney. Rep. Maloney
represents Manhattan in the U. S. Congress, and I don\'t mean
Manhattan, Kansas. I mean Manhattan, as in New York City.
 
Rep. Maloney\'s legislation would create massive \"biological
connecting corridors\" throughout five western states (Idaho,
Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming), requiring
approximately 23 million acres of land to be placed into new
wilderness designated areas. The scope of this bill is so
overwhelming that it is impossible to comprehend. Rep. Maloney\'s
legislation has 71 cosponsors, and most reside east of the
Mississippi. There is nothing in this bill that has anything to
do with Manhattan, including Central Park, but somehow, the
Congresswoman from New York seems to think she knows what is
best for those five western states.
 
On May 5th, the House Resources Committee\'s Subcommittee on
National Parks, Forests and Public Lands will hold a public
hearing on this legislation. I testified against a similar
measure back in 2007. It was bad legislation then, and nothing
has changed. To a certain degree, it is a waste of taxpayer\'s
money to hold another hearing on the bill, but in light of more
pressing matters, such as a declining economy and the threat of
swine flu, I am half amused by the audacity of the proponents of
this measure.
 
So, the hearing will be held. Testimony will be given. Members
will listen intently, and I hope little else will happen. And
that, my friends, would be a good thing. But, first we will need
to oppose this legislation and with your help, we will succeed.
If you are interested in lending a hand, visit our action
campaign page at http://www.arra-access.com/ct/w1BeD_s15SHO/.
 
Sincerely,
 
Larry E. Smith
Executive Director
Americans for Responsible Recreational Access

[Guest]

May Declared Protect Your Right to Ride Month

POCATELLO, ID (April 30) - The BlueRibbon Coalition, a national trail-based recreation group, announces a new nationwide effort to keep riding areas open for responsible OHV use. KTM North America and FMF Racing have banded together with a giveaway of a brand new motorcycle and quiet exhaust system to strongly support the access efforts of BRC and other land-use organizations by declaring the month of May as Protect Your Right to Ride month.

\"In these tough economic times we feel it is essential to take time to inform motorcycle enthusiasts on how they can become involved in the motorcycle organizations that are protecting their right to ride. The last thing we can afford to lose is our riding areas,\" commented KTM President Jon-Erik Burleson.

There is power in numbers and now is the time for OHV recreationists to join forces to ensure that everyone has a place to enjoy the sport. There are many legal riding areas across the country that are facing land use and noise emission regulations which could threaten or potentially close the areas from off-road-related recreation activities.

Greg Mumm, BRC Executive Director, states, \"This is a precedent-setting effort by two international companies to help protect our recreational access to public lands. This nationwide program will make a difference to bolster our membership numbers and to send a strong message to closure advocates that riders are going to fight back.\"

During the month of May, visit a KTM dealer to find out information about what you can do to protect your right to ride. Each KTM dealer will supply materials provided by the motorcyclist activist clubs and organizations that have been fighting for your rights all along. When you visit your KTM dealer and show your BRC, AMA and/or ORBA membership card, or choose to sign up for a membership at the dealership, you will receive an entry toward a chance to win a brand new KTM 250 XC-FW with an FMF Q4 Titanium exhaust system. Participants will receive one entry for each of the organizations to which they belong.

KTM North America is an avid supporter of BRC and other land-use groups and has taken an active role along with FMF to help these organizations reach a larger part of the motorcycle community through the implementation of Protect Your Right to Ride Month. Please take time to stop by your KTM dealer in May and learn what you can do to become an active member of the motorcycle community and protect your right to ride.

To Find a Local KTM Dealer go to:
http://www.ktmusa.com/Dealer-Locator.77.20.html

New FMF Land Use Website:
 www.soundoffmc.com

[Guest]

RECREATION GROUPS JOIN FORCES TO IMPROVE TRAIL SAFETY AND ENJOYMENT OF PUBLIC LANDS

A group of national and state trail advocacy organizations representing equestrian, OHV, and bicycle interests recently completed a collaborative effort to develop  a new guide called \"Sharing Our Trails - A Guide to Trail Safety and Enjoyment.\"  The guide is intended to be used in a variety of ways such as incorporation in trail brochures, magazine articles and trail education programs of all types.

The purpose of the guide is to improve safety and improve trail satisfaction for all trail enthusiasts on multiple-use trails.  To quote the document itself, \"In many parts of the country, trails are open to and shared by equestrians , OHV riders, bicycle riders, runners and hikers.  Trail sharing can and does work when people respect each other and work cooperatively to keep each other safe.\"

Deb Balliet, CEO of The Equestrian Land Conservation Resource stated \"We all recognize that there are techniques and practices that will keep trail enthusiasts safe and improve the quality of our experiences.  This guide represents the efforts of  a broad range of trail enthusiasts working together to develop an understanding of each other\'s needs and develop a guide that specifically tells trail enthusiasts what steps to take when they meet on the trail.\"

Jack Terrell, Senior Project Coordinator for the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council said \"Understanding other trail enthusiasts\' needs, particularly when it comes to safety, is critical to minimizing conflicts and maximizing the enjoyment of all trail enthusiasts.  This guide goes a long way toward promoting that understanding among everyone on the trail.\"

Daphne Green, Deputy Director of the California State Parks OHMVR Division stated \"We are proud to work with the organizations involved in this effort to devise programs and initiatives to minimize user conflicts, increase safety, and enhance enjoyment of our public recreation opportunities.\"

 Lori McCullough, Executive Director of Tread Lightly!, Inc. said \"The Tread Lightly! ethic has always encouraged respect and courtesy between all trail enthusiasts, but conflicts still occur.  This joint effort in educating all recreationists on the best practices for sharing trails shows common ground and collaboration can lead to improved trail experiences for all.\"

Jim Bedwell, Director of Recreation, Heritage and Volunteer Services for the US Forest Service stated  \"The groups that came together to produce the guide for sharing trails on our public lands are to be commended for their view of \'the big picture.\'  Outdoor recreation provides many benefits to people, communities, and the economy.  An attitude of sharing increasingly scarce resources and cooperating safely is paramount to sustaining these benefits.\"

 Tom Ward, California Policy Director for the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) said \"This set of guidelines was developed after an extraordinary collaboration between equestrians, mountain bikers, hikers and motorized trail users.  It includes suggested rules of etiquette, which provide understanding between users, and will create a safe and enjoyable experience for all.  IMBA was pleased to be involved in this effort.\"

Organizations and agencies involved in the development of the guide include the  American Endurance Ride Conference, Americans for Responsible Recreational Access, American Motorcyclist Association, American Trails, Back Country Horsemen of America, BlueRibbon Coalition, California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan, Equestrian Land Conservation Resource, International Mountain Bike Association, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, Loomis Basin Horsemen\'s Association, Motorcycle Industry Council, National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, Off-Road Business Association, Open Beaches - Trails, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association,  Specialty Vehicle Institute of America,  Tread Lightly!, United Four Wheel Drive Associations, and United States Forest Service.

The guide can be found on the following websites:

Americans for Responsible Recreational Access        http://www.arra-access.com/
American Trails                                                                    http://www.americantrails.org/
Equestrian Land Conservation Resource                      http://www.elcr.org/index_cal.php
International Mountain Bicycling Association                 http://www.imba.com/
Loomis Basin Horsemen\'s Association                         http://www.garlic.com/~lbha/
National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council   http://www.nohvcc.org/
Tread Lightly!                                                                        http://www.treadlightly.org/
United Four Wheel Drive Associations                           http://www.ufwda.org
BlueRibbon Coalition                                                   http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/ShareOurTrails.doc

[Guest]

Massive Wilderness Sounds Alarm in Land Use Debate

POCATELLO, ID (May 4) - The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national trail-based recreation group, states potential passage of a massive Wilderness Bill is sounding an alarm in the access community. BRC credits a House Subcommittee hearing on H.R. 980, the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA), for resurgence in grassroots opposition to legislation limiting recreational access to public lands.

\"Our phone has been ringing off the hook and our email in-boxes are flooded,\" said Greg Mumm, BRC\'s Executive Director. \"The recent flurry of Wilderness bills being proposed and/or signed into law has raised a red flag in the access community.  Widespread opposition to the massive Wilderness bill is rising among individuals, groups and local governments across the West.\"
 
H.R. 980 was first introduced in 1993 by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and proposes to designate 24 million acres of Wilderness across five Western states, (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming).  The bill has also been described as the modern incarnation of the Wildlands Project, an ambitious proposal first conceived by Dave Foreman, the co-founder of Earth First!. The Wildlands Project would \"re-wild\" approximately half of North America by outlawing most human use and occupancy.

NREPA was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources and is scheduled for a hearing on May 5, by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=58

Brian Hawthorne, BRC\'s Public Lands Policy Director, speculated that NREPA was moving up as a priority for recreation advocacy groups, including mountain bike and sporting conservation groups, perhaps because the growing influence of the green lobby on decision-makers in Washington DC.  \"We don\'t know if the Wilderness lobby really thinks Congress will let eastern politicians draw lines on maps around lands they\'ve never seen, or if this is a strategic ploy to make smaller scale proposals seem reasonable by comparison. Either way, the recreating public should be on high alert,\" observed Hawthorne.

BRC is urging its members to contact their legislators and express opposition to the passage of NREPA and has provided a portal on their website to easily contact legislators. http://www.sharetrails.org/rapid_response/

BRC is also cautioning its members not to let the hearing on NREPA distract their attention from equally serious threats to access to other public lands. In an email to members today the Coalition stated, \"NREPA is perhaps the largest threat to public access to public lands pending in Congress today. However, our members must remember that large, multi-state Wilderness bills are very difficult to pass and there are many smaller bills, each equally unfair in denying public access that need immediate attention by our members and supporters.\"

A few of the smaller initiatives mentioned by the Coalition were:

H.R.1769 & S. 721 -Alpine Lakes Wilderness expansion in the State of Washington
Mojave Desert Wilderness bill - Senator Feinstein\'s effort to designate more Wilderness in San Bernardino, Imperial, and Riverside counties
H.R.192 Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act (CIEDRA), will designate an additional half million acres of Wilderness in Idaho
Montana\'s Beaverhead-Deerlodge Conservation, Restoration and Stewardship Act
Legislation to designate Johnson Valley a National Recreation Area (BRC is supporting this one!)
SUWA\'S massive Utah Wilderness bill (H.R.1925 and S.799)
The ongoing county-by-county Wilderness approach currently underway in Nevada, Colorado and Utah
For further updates on these and other issues, visit BRC\'s webpage at www.sharetrails.org.

[Guest]

Massive Wilderness Sounds Alarm in Land Use Debate

POCATELLO, ID (May 4) - The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national trail-based recreation group, states potential passage of a massive Wilderness Bill is sounding an alarm in the access community. BRC credits a House Subcommittee hearing on H.R. 980, the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA), for resurgence in grassroots opposition to legislation limiting recreational access to public lands.

\"Our phone has been ringing off the hook and our email in-boxes are flooded,\" said Greg Mumm, BRC\'s Executive Director. \"The recent flurry of Wilderness bills being proposed and/or signed into law has raised a red flag in the access community.  Widespread opposition to the massive Wilderness bill is rising among individuals, groups and local governments across the West.\"
 
H.R. 980 was first introduced in 1993 by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and proposes to designate 24 million acres of Wilderness across five Western states, (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming).  The bill has also been described as the modern incarnation of the Wildlands Project, an ambitious proposal first conceived by Dave Foreman, the co-founder of Earth First!. The Wildlands Project would \"re-wild\" approximately half of North America by outlawing most human use and occupancy.

NREPA was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources and is scheduled for a hearing on May 5, by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=58

Brian Hawthorne, BRC\'s Public Lands Policy Director, speculated that NREPA was moving up as a priority for recreation advocacy groups, including mountain bike and sporting conservation groups, perhaps because the growing influence of the green lobby on decision-makers in Washington DC.  \"We don\'t know if the Wilderness lobby really thinks Congress will let eastern politicians draw lines on maps around lands they\'ve never seen, or if this is a strategic ploy to make smaller scale proposals seem reasonable by comparison. Either way, the recreating public should be on high alert,\" observed Hawthorne.

BRC is urging its members to contact their legislators and express opposition to the passage of NREPA and has provided a portal on their website to easily contact legislators. http://www.sharetrails.org/rapid_response/

BRC is also cautioning its members not to let the hearing on NREPA distract their attention from equally serious threats to access to other public lands. In an email to members today the Coalition stated, \"NREPA is perhaps the largest threat to public access to public lands pending in Congress today. However, our members must remember that large, multi-state Wilderness bills are very difficult to pass and there are many smaller bills, each equally unfair in denying public access that need immediate attention by our members and supporters.\"

A few of the smaller initiatives mentioned by the Coalition were:

H.R.1769 & S. 721 -Alpine Lakes Wilderness expansion in the State of Washington
Mojave Desert Wilderness bill - Senator Feinstein\'s effort to designate more Wilderness in San Bernardino, Imperial, and Riverside counties
H.R.192 Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act (CIEDRA), will designate an additional half million acres of Wilderness in Idaho
Montana\'s Beaverhead-Deerlodge Conservation, Restoration and Stewardship Act
Legislation to designate Johnson Valley a National Recreation Area (BRC is supporting this one!)
SUWA\'S massive Utah Wilderness bill (H.R.1925 and S.799)
The ongoing county-by-county Wilderness approach currently underway in Nevada, Colorado and Utah
For further updates on these and other issues, visit BRC\'s webpage at www.sharetrails.org.

[Guest]

Land Use Advocate Blog and U-Tube Message-
The speaker is noted OHV advocate and rider, Don Amador, The Quiet Warrior, BlueRibbon Coalition Western Representative.

Go here for Don?s video broadcast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy8cyutGdL8

 

Go here for Don?s Blog and updates:  http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/

[Guest]

ARE YOU MAD ABOUT TRAILS BEING CLOSED AND YOUR SPORT BEING THREATENED?  WE ARE!

Joining BlueRibbon Coalition is our first step to saving our access

You are part of this online community because you like what we do and you enjoy your ride. However, as we all know, it seems our access to lands and trails is under fire like never before.  It?s time for us to take a major step in saving our sport and keeping our trails open.  It?s time for us to join the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC).  

All of us in the family ask you to take this step - join up now - and here?s why.

For over twenty-two years the BlueRibbon Coalition has held fast to its mission to fight for our access, and to champion responsible use of public and private lands for the benefit of all recreationists.  BRC works tirelessly to carry the OHV enthusiasts? voice nationally where it is hard for the individual enthusiast to be heard on their own. And, they have the hard-fought successes to show for it.

Here?s what they do:

?   Administratively, they work with agency land managers and through agency planning processes to ensure that access for recreation is rightfully considered in the decision making process.  
?   Legislatively, they have, and continue to develop the necessary relationships and provide input on legislative matters and initiatives that affect your access privileges and crucial funding for recreation.  
?   They are usually the first to respond to the endless stream of lawsuits brought by extremist groups seeking to limit your access.


Membership in BlueRibbon is easy and affordable.  For everyone in our forums, BRC offers you their Associate Membership deal which is half price for your first year, only $15, which includes a full color monthly magazine.  Just click this special partnership link to sign up online and put this forum as your parent organization.


BlueRibbon has been very busy in what has been a time of unprecedented emphasis on public lands recreation management that affects you.  If you want to learn more of what they are doing, just take a cruise of their website at http://www.sharetrails.org and click their Public Lands or Legal pages to get the picture!  We need to be on their TEAM.

Join Now at this great price

[Guest]

Del Albright U-Tube message -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nbKW8kCAIA