Take the BRC/Sharetrails.org Challenge this Summer - JOIN or DONATE TODAY

As many of you are gearing up to enjoy various summer OHV activities (both casual and permitted), I want reach out to those of you who are not members of BRC/Sharetrails.org or those of you who have not made a donation this year.

Many of you who are on my email list are BRC members and generous donors who support the sport.  However, for those of you who want to help support BRC’s grassroots, legislative, administrative, or legal efforts please JOIN or DONATE today.  This is the only time this summer that I will ping you on this subject.

I can’t stress strongly enough the importance of having you support our efforts to keep trails open for OHV recreation. 

I would not ask you to do anything that I would not do, so since I can’t JOIN BRC (I am already a member), I made a donation today… it is simple to take the challenge by clicking on the link below and either JOIN or DONATE.  There are various donation accounts for your selection.

TAKE THE JOIN OR DONATE CHALLENGE HERE

https://sharetrails.org/sharetrailschallenge/

I hope to see many of you out on the trail this summer!

Thanks,

Don Amador

Western Representative

BlueRibbon Coalition/Sharetrails.org

Web: www.sharetrails.org

SB 249 Update - Death by a Thousand Lawsuits

 QUICK UPDATE ON SB 249 SENATE VOTE YESTERDAY – First, I want to thank all of you who took time – (on short notice) yesterday to contact your state senator.   Because of your efforts yesterday and past efforts on this subject, there was much stronger bi-partisan opposition to SB 249 than the bill’s author expected.  The final vote was Yes – 22, No – 15.  I believe the vote tally will help our fight in the assembly.

The OHV Coalition remains in strong opposition to SB 249.  I remain convinced that any SB 249-based OHV Program would actually kill the current program that has been acclaimed as a “National Model” for managed/sustainable OHV recreation.  It would open all OHV areas that receive grant funds (i.e. SVRAs, BLM, FS, County) to an endless parade of environmental lawsuits under the premise that the units are not in compliance with local and regional “conservation plans” from entities such as Resource Conservation Districts, East Bay Regional Parks, other agency and NGO conservation or resource plans.

SB 249 remains a kill-shot bill directed at all local, state, and federal OHV units.

The good news is that there are other hearings and as you know - this battle will now be fought in the assembly.

I expect the fight to continue through the end of August.  It’s going to be a long hot summer!

Thanks,

Don Amador

The Recreation HQ

PS - Death by a Thousand Lawsuits - Another takeaway from the hearing yesterday were the comments by Allen and/or another supporters about the numerous lawsuits against Carnegie SVRA with the subtle inference that “lawsuits” might be a good reason to severely restrict OHV use on a unit or maybe even close that unit (local, state or fed) to OHV and sell or transfer/transform it for non-motorized activities.

CODE RED ALERT - Stop SB 249 in Senate Vote Today

STAT ACTION REQUIRED this AM – Senate Vote on SB 249 is today

The Recreation HQ is firing up its CODE RED Alert System and is asking you to take just a minute or two this a.m. to contact your own CA State Senator and ask them to VOTE NO or replacement of the “urgency” which was taken out of the current version of SB 249 as a way to marginalize state senators who support the current CA OHV Program.

LINK so you can quickly find your own state senator

http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

OHV Community Alert to Senate Floor (for additional info and topics)

  

Bullet Points:

·         Ask them to vote NO on SB 249 or replacement of the “urgency” to keep the bill in the Senate for further discussions

·         SB 249 would force the complete rewrite of OHV regulations that would halt any grants going to county law enforcement, conservation/restoration efforts, and safety programs for a period of at least one year or the grants program might not even exist in any meaningful capacity.

·         OHV is an important multi-billion dollar per year economic benefit to the state and local economy

·         The OHV Program is a national model of environmentally sound recreation

·         The current OHV program was created in a bipartisan manner under the leadership of Senator Steinberg in 2007. The OHV program provides critical funding for law enforcement, search and rescue, conservation, and protection of natural and cultural resources.

Please do this today!

Thanks,

Don Amador