CARNEGIE ACTION ALERT - Send Letters to Livermore City Council and Attend May 11 Council Meeting

CARNEGIE ACTION ALERT

Dear Carnegie Fans,

We are getting very close to being able to use the new property!  However, the NO crowd continues to stir the pot with the Livermore City Council.  Council members are getting anti-Carnegie emails from the usual folks as a way to gin up opposition from the Council at their May 11, 2015 meeting.

Once again, we are going to have to show up in large numbers (local riders from Livermore and nearby are important because they are voters!).  I am asking you to do two things:

ACTION ITEM ONE – Send in a pro-Carnegie email to ALL of the Livermore City Council members (each member as an email box where you can cut n paste an email).  I have crafted a sample letter that you may use to send or better yet… craft your own email.  Either way – send an email today and ask your rider network to do the same.

LINK to LIVERMORE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

http://www.cityoflivermore.net/citygov/council/default.asp

SAMPLE LETTER BELOW

___________________________________________________________________________

I strongly support the Preliminary General Plan, Draft EIR, and Notice of Availability of the Draft EIR for Carnegie SVRA.

Carnegie SVRA became a unit of the State Park system in July 1980. The original 1,575-acre site, which had been used by off-highway vehicles (OHVs) since the 1940s, was operated as a private motorcycle park from 1970 to 1979 before being purchased by the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) using dedicated OHV Trust Funds. Legislative action (California Public Resources Code, Section 5006.48) authorized State Parks to plan, acquire, and develop the site for OHV use. From 1996 to 1998, State Parks used legislatively appropriated OHV Trust Funds to acquire an additional 3,100 acres of neighboring lands to provide expanded OHV recreation opportunities. The additional acreage was classified as SVRA lands and added to Carnegie SVRA. The additional acreage is referred to as the expansion area.

This plan will help meet the regional demand for managed OHV recreation that includes dirt-bikes, ATVs, SxSs, 4WDs, and SUVs.  The original 1,575-acre SVRA has long been enjoyed by the off-road motorcycle community.  However, there were few opportunities for the larger OHVs.  The expansion area will provide important touring and backcountry type experiences for 4WDs and SxSs on sustainable trails.

This project complies with existing statutes (SB 742) and subsequent revisions which authorizes and directs California State Parks to implement and administer a program to manage and enhance off-highway motor vehicle recreational uses, and motorized off-highway access to non-motorized recreation (Public Resources Code, Sections 5090.01 et seq.)

I believe the environmental analysis was substantive and thorough and will help ensure that planned actions such as trail construction will not cause significant environmental impacts.

I urge you and the council to support this plan.

________________________________________________________________________

ACTION ITEM TWO – Attend the May 11, 2015 Livermore City Council Meeting

REGULAR MEETING - 7:00 PM

COUNCIL CHAMBERS

3575 PACIFIC AVENUE

LIVERMORE, CA 94550

THE FIRE NEXT TIME - Stunning Film/Case Study of 2013 Rim Fire - A Must Watch Video

Post Rim Fire View of FS System OHV Trail on Stanislaus NF

One of the topics covered at the recent Central CA BLM RAC meeting was an update on the impacts of intense wildfires on the resource and local communities.

Forest Health Presentation at BLM RAC Meeting

The Yosemite Collaborative Working Group created an excellent 13 minute video as a case study of the 2013 Rim Fire.  The Fire Next Time has excellent footage and narratives from FS, timber, and conservation representatives.

THE FIRE NEXT TIME (about 13 min)

https://vimeo.com/122811230

As the 2015 Fire season arrives early this year, the HQ believes it is critically important that recreationists, environmentalists, government officials, agency staff, and other stakeholders craft a way to work together to support important forest health/fuel reduction efforts as a tool to help stem the size and scope of severe/intense wildfires.

The Recreation HQ thanks you for taking time to review this important film.

ACTION ALERT FOR OCOTILLO WELLS SVRA - Comments Due April 6, 2015!

Desert Safari 2014

(photo credit: John Stewart)

The Recreation HQ is issuing a special ACTION ALERT urging OHV recreationists and related businesses to send in a comment letter on the Draft Preferred Alternative/Proposed Action (PA) for Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Notice of Intent (NOI) to conduct an environmental review for the Ocotillo Wells Recreation Area in Imperial County.

SVRA Plan Link

http://ocotillowells.s3.amazonaws.com/static/OcotilloWellsSVRA_PrefAltPropAction_2015.03.03.pdf

BLM NOI Link

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsroom/2015/february/ocotillo.html

This hybrid planning effort by State Parks and the BLM will guide management and OHV use at the SVRA for the next 10-20 years.

The HQ believes it is important for the OHV community to weigh on this planning effort in a large numbers to show support for continued OHV recreation at the park.

Please take a few minutes to utilize the some or all of the comments below in a personal letter to the agencies.  It will make a difference!!!

COMMENTS DUE ON OR BEFORE APRIL 6, 2015

SAMPLE COMMENT LETTER

____________________________________________________________________________

Date:

Tina Robinson

General Plan Project Manager

5172 Highway 78, #10

Borrego Springs, CA 92004

Email: info@planocotillowells.org

Carrie Simmons

BLM, El Centro Field Office,

661 S. 4th Street

El Centro, CA 92243

Email: BLM_CA_Ocotillo_Wells_RAMP@blm.gov

Dear Planning Team:

Please accept my comments on the Draft Preferred Alternative/Proposed Action (PA) for Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Notice of Intent (NOI) to conduct an environmental review for the Ocotillo Wells Recreation Area in Imperial County.

[INSERT BUSINESS NAME, PERSONAL STORY, HOW FAMILY USES OCOTILLO WELLS SVRA, ETC]

I am concerned with the plan’s “trails-only” focus in an area that has historically offered an important mix of trails and open riding opportunities.  I urge State Parks and the BLM to include “Open” designations where appropriate in the final plan.

I believe the agencies should develop a streamlined event permitting process to expedite the approval of competitive and other permitted events that are well-known, historic, and reoccurring. This can be accomplished through known “pre-approved” routes or areas from which an event organizer can choose.

I support the SVRA’s already outstanding efforts to educate the public regarding the many important values and resources that exist in the project area. I also support efforts by State Parks and the BLM to acquire non-public lands to further enhance and consolidate recreational opportunities in the project area.

I am concerned about the focus on “primitive” camping.  Historically, the term primitive camping is limited to tent camping.  I believe the term as currently interpreted could result in a functional ban of trailer/RV camping throughout most of the project area.  I urge the planning team to review historic trailer/RV/tent camping patterns and adjust the final plan to accommodate, to the maximum extent possible, trailer and RV developed and dispersed camping.

I am concerned the proposed plan indicates areas will be identified where OHV events MAY be allowed in future planning efforts.  I believe that permitted events should be granted the same status and areas that are authorized in the plan for “California State Parks Sponsored Special Events Only”.

Thanks in advance for reviewing my comments and I look forward to working with the SVRA and BLM on this project.

Respectfully submitted,

[JOHN DOE]

Thanks for taking time to send in a letter.  Please forward to your riding network.