Merry Christmas from The Recreation HQ

The Recreation HQ wants to send out very heartfelt and warm Christmas wishes to all the OHVers, conservationists, federal, state, and local land managers, legislators/staff, media, academia, aftermarket, Industry, legal experts, clubs, and fellow advocates who visit with us here on recreation and land-use issues.

2012 has been a very busy year and HQ is looking forward to taking a short break over the Holidays to recharge the batteries and enjoy this very special time of year with family and friends and we encourage you to do the same.

The Recreation HQ will be closing its entry gate from Friday December 21 (3pm) until January 2, 2013.  However, we will continue to monitor breaking news that could impact our sport and will post those important updates on an as needed basis.  So take a few days off and be assured we have your six.

Merry Christmas!

Don

PS – The Great Donstradamus will be working on his new predictions for 2013 and will post those on December 31, 2012.

Here is a link to his predictions for this past year

http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2011/12/dontradamus-issues-top-ten-ohv.html

 

Donstradamus Issues Top Ten OHV Predictions for 2012

10 - Off-roaders and mountain-bikers unite to fight against several Wilderness bills in UT, MT, and ID.


9 - FOX News does a fair and balanced feature story on managed OHV recreation. It is so interesting and factual that Bill O’Reilly sends his producer, Jesse Waters, to do a follow-up story at the Imperial Sand Dunes and Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

8- EPA’s Environmental Justice program adds the protection of OHV recreational access to public lands as new tenet. EPA appoints an OHV representative to their National Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

7- The Forest Service realizes the 2005 Travel Management Rule has created more problems then it solved. The agency withdraws the rule and allows each Forest to decide when to develop travel plans. Trails that meet the Montana 3-State EIS criteria are grandfathered in as “designated” system trails.

6- After Romney wins the GOP nomination; Newt Gingrich changes his position on Global Warming and cuts a new ad with Al Gore where they both embrace the need for “cap and tax” legislation. The video is shot with both men sitting on a bench carved out of old growth redwood to illustrate carbon sequestration.

5 - A major Wilderness organization starts its own “OHV” group. It claims to represent off-roaders who believe the best way to protect OHV recreation is to ban it.

4- A well-known “jeep-type” tour guide on the Rubicon Trail decides to switch vehicles and start using highly modified side x sides. This new venture starts a national debate on which vehicle -- side x side v. “jeep-type” -- is the better and more reliable trail rig. Blogs explode with opinion.

3- Several large green foundations withdraw support from the Center for Biological Diversity because their lawsuits seeking to ban OHV recreation on public land or “minimize” FS road networks have not been cost effective. To keep donors, CBD joins forces with several mainstream conservation groups to support OHV recreation on designated roads, trails, and areas.

2- Rocker motorcycle enthusiasts, Twisted Sister and Tommy Lee, host fundraiser in LA for OHV advocacy groups. The event raises about $2,000,000 dollars to help keep trails open.

1- Mitt Romney wins the GOP nomination for president and selects Jon Huntsman (a dirt-biker and SX fan) as his VP. Both attend several off-road events and speak to the crowds.

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Donstradamus Predicts Flood of Planning Rule-based Eco-Lawsuits

Donstradamus

After watching BRC’s Greg Mumm and other panelists testify at the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands hearing yesterday, I got a sick feeling that I just witnessed the agency’s ill-advised commitment to yet another planning boondoggle similar to the 2005 Travel Management Rule.

To address my nausea, I went online to order some Pepto-Bismol but I got a note back that all lines were busy since it appears that most of the environmental law firms in the U.S. were ordering truffles from France, blowfish from the Pacific, walrus blubber from the Far North, and beluga caviar from Russia in celebration of the agency opening up the door for a guaranteed avalanche of new eco-lawsuits. Those suits will be based on the Forest Service’s inability to maintain species viability that will now extend to fungus, microscopic organisms, and bacteria.

HQ has seen what has happened to OHV recreation when the agency did not adequate protect (according to environmental attorneys and courts) the Spotted Owl, the Goshawk, certain frogs, etc. Now the environmental conflict industry will be filing suits seeking court decisions that will close public lands to multiple-use recreation because human activities may harm bacteria and fungus.

If the agency does not substantively change the final planning rule to address the concerns stated by BRC and other panelists yesterday, the Great Off-Road Prognosticator “Donstradamus” foresees that an incalculable number of eco-lawsuits will be filed based on the vague species viability protection requirements in the planning rule.

SF Chron - Vote NO on Prop 21

For a number of months, the Recreation HQ has shared it views and concerns about Prop 21 – the California State Parks Initiative.

Aug. 24 Blog on Prop 21 and Sac Bee hit piece on OHV
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/08/prop-21-new-tax-slush-fund-or-good-idea.html

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PHOTO: The Great Dontradamus
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If you remember the Sac Bee hit piece on the OHV program and faux crimes occurring in SVRAs, it should come as no surprise that it endorsed Prop 21 today. Even a blind person could see that “slow pitch” coming over the political plate.

Sept. 16 Sac Bee Op Ed in Support of Prop 21
http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/16/3033002/yes-on-21-parks-need-a-stable.html




Besides being a slush fund for enviro groups and a money pot for many of this state’s non-park regulatory agencies, The General believes the biggest hurdle for Prop. 21 is that it levies a tax on a large group of citizens (mostly low-income) who DO NOT use state park facilities.

What surprised HQ yesterday is when the often liberal SF Chronicle agreed with The General and came forward with an Op Ed against Prop. 21. The Chronicle made many points about what is wrong with Prop. 21 including the fact that it will be the low-income that are hurt most.

Sept 15 SF Chronicle Op Ed to Vote NO on Prop 21
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/14/ED0P1FDO0O.DTL




March Blog with Predictions/Overview for Prop. 21
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/03/california-state-parks-initiative-18.html




Donstradamus stated in his March blog that voters will decide if the merits of Prop. 21 warrant their support. His suggestion is that parks must become relevant and self-sustaining if they are to survive. Depending on public largess when the unemployment rate in CA in over 10 percent and in many rural areas is above 20 percent is a gamble at best.

Predicting the outcome of any political proposal is difficult, but Donstradamus will continue predicting that Prop. 21 has a long way to go in convincing a majority of Californians (many who do not visit state parks) they need to drop another check in the mail on their way to the unemployment line or next unproductive job interview.