New CA OHV Division Asbestos Study Shows Clear Creek Closure is Bogus

A Poster Users Made at Coalinga Meeting to Highlight Agency Bias Against OHV Use

The Recreation HQ is proud to announce that the OHV Division has released a long anticipated independent study on the impacts, or lack thereof, of naturally occurring asbestos on OHV users riding at Clear Creek.

March 23, 2011 - OHV Division News Release with Link to Asbestos Study
http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/

March 23, 2011 – BRC News Release on OHV Asbestos Study
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?story=728&filter=media

HQ believes this report validates the OHV community’s concerns that the closure at CCMA was politically motivated and was a gross abuse of federal power by a government agent.

HQ blogged back in Jan. 15, 2010 that the BLM and EPA should be ashamed of themselves for foisting an unwarranted 70K acre landscape level closure on the American People.

Jan. 15 Blog with Links and Stories
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/01/jan-14-clear-creek-meeting-blm-and-epa.html


HQ believes this closure has caused great harm to local users, businesses, and the community. OHV dealerships have closed. There is no excuse for this behavior and this abuse of power by government officials should be the object of a Congressional inquiry or hearing. Rick Cooper, the BLM Area Manager, told me on several occasions that he made the decision NOT to review options or management tools that would allow for CCMA to remain open. As the report states, there are many activities that occur on public lands that are far more dangerous. Yet, you have a government official that went out of his way to exclude any options to keep CCMA open.


HQ believes this issue has gone beyond the Hollister Field Office and will most likely be addressed by BLM Director Bob Abbey with input from county officials, OHV users, recreation organizations, gem collectors, Congress, and the OHV Division.

Stay tuned for more updates, as it appears the CA OHV Commission will have a hearing on this issue on April 5 in Hollister, at the Veterans' Hall on 649 San Benito Street just a few blocks from the San Benito County Board of Supervisors Office. The county officials have been real heroes in this fight as well.

April 7, 2010 Blog about County Voting to Reopen Roads in CCMA
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/04/san-benito-county-votes-to-reopen-roads.html

HQ thanks all who worked tirelessly on this issue since May 2008. It has been, and will continue to be, a tough fight. It is an effort worth the battle. There is only one Clear Creek and we want it reopened to OHV use - Period