HQ is closed for meetings - Sept. 16-19

HQ is on the road and at meetings Sept. 16-19.  Back in the office on Sept. 20.

Sept. 19 Field Hearing - FS TMR Constructed on Foundation of Sand?

By now, many HQ followers are aware of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public land’s field hearing being held in Sacramento on September 19, 2011.


BRC Alert with Info on Sept. 19 Hearing
http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/?alert=1376

For several years, HQ has blogged about how the 2005 Travel Management Rule was being misused on number Forests as a planning tool to effect landscape level closures of historic roads and trails to non-street legal (and in many cases street legal) OHVs.

HQ is not the only venue that feels TMR has gone astray. The Chico Enterprise-Record just published an editorial that concurs with our observation.

Chico Enterprise-Record Editorial (Sept. 16)
http://www.chicoer.com/opinion/ci_18908994


Wisdom tells us that you should not build a house on a foundation of sand. HQ believes many of the fatal flaws now clearly evident in TMR have their origin in the 2003 California Route Inventory and Designation Process (RID). Proponents of RID (as in get rid of OHVs on public lands) said users did not have to worry about landscape level closures of historic (and legal) OHV routes. In addition, RID/TMR in Region 5 also included the additional “thumb in the eye” of creating a new federal directive that effectively prohibited (except on rare road segments less then 3 miles in length) non-street legal “Green-sticker” OHVs from using level 3 non-paved logging roads. What makes the R5 ruling even more offensive is the California Vehicle Code expressly states that Green-sticker OHVs are allowed on non-paved logging roads.

CVC 38001

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d16_5/vc38001.htm

Back in 2003 when RID was codified, several FS staffers told HQ offline that supporters of RID would rue the day. BRC strongly protested RID because it was basically an underground regulation created without a formal public process as required by NEPA. Based on the expected tone and direction of the September 19 field hearing it looks like those RID/TMR “planning chickens are coming home to roost.”

Can TMR be salvaged in CA and elsewhere? HQ believes it can, but the agency must work hard to address the user’s legitimate concerns and restore public trust. The FS should also start their long heralded post Subpart B project level trail planning.

Sand should never be used as a foundation nor should it be used as a place where you stick your head. Instead, good planning and management should be based on solid rock and you (the FS) should man-up and admit that mistakes were made in RID/TMR.

See you at the September 19 hearing.

History on National Monument Fight Shows Need for Congressional Fix

2000 Protest/Rally Against Clinton's Monument

By now many riders and public land access interests are aware of efforts in Congress to address misuse of presidential executive orders that create National Monuments.

Article on Current Effort in Congress
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/09/13/2405576/gop-wants-to-give-congress-veto.html

Those of you new to the “monument fight” that question the need for Congress to step and create a legislative fix may want to review some history. Some may remember when President Clinton during his last days in office created a number of new monuments throughout the West including the Sequoia National Monument in California.

Off-roaders and other multiple-use interests fought back in the political and legal arena by organizing protests, filing R.S 2477 claims, and filing a lawsuit.

2000 Protest of the Sequoia National Monument
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?node=142&filter=media

Lawsuit filed against Clinton’s Monuments
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2003/2003-10-06-05.html

The lesson learned is that only elected officials can correct this abuse of executive branch authority when it creates National Monuments as a political favor to environmental groups.

Let’s just hope this effort to address the National Monument issue is successful. We don’t really have any other recourse.

Algore's Fraud a Thon Loses Nobel Scientist

Based on some PMs sent to HQ, it does not look like Algore’s Eco Fraud-a-Thon converted any new disciples. In fact, it looks like his climate change crisis mongering lost his movement a Nobel Prize winning scientist.


Article on Nobel Prize winning Scientist Resigns from Global Warming Hoax
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/09/14/nobel-prize-winning-physicist-resigns-from-top-physics-group-over-global/?test=latestnews

HQ believes that Algore’s sermons on climate change are just as morally bankrupt as Solyndra. He should abandon his “crusade” (oh yea, the Crusades did not work out that well either) and man-up to his ill-conceived theory.

If Algore still has his Honda 305 – from his college years - stored somewhere on one of is properties, HQ suggests that he freshen that bike up and take it for a spin. That ride might just be what he needs to clean out all the green junk in his brain.

Algore's 24-Hour Eco Fraud-a-Thon Starts Sept. 14

Rare Photo of Algore on a Dirt-Bike

The Recreation HQ almost busted a gut today when it read a news article about Algore’s 24-Hour Eco-Fraud-a-Thon slated to run later this week (Sept 14).


News Article on Algore’s Fraud-a-Thon
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/12/us-gore-climatechange-idUSTRE78B2GT20110912

Algore’s Website
http://climaterealityproject.org/

It appears that our favorite green hypocrite is going to try one more time to convince you with his apocalyptic eco-hype that the world is about to end if you don’t quit driving your car (or dirt-bike, ATV, UTV, or 4WD) and flying on jets (remember it is OK for him to drive a SUV or fly on a jet because he is important and you are not).

According to the Reuters report, Algore wants use of your social media networks to bombard your friends with his eco-BS.

Several years ago, HQ warned riders about these types of schemes (see blog below)

The Recreation HQ’s blog on Global Warming and Eco-Hoaxes
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2009/11/global-warming-eco-hoaxes-and-ohv.html

As the far-left greens continue to try and indoctrinate you with their eco-babble, HQ urges you to do the research yourself and make your own decisions.

Former Dep. Director of CA OHMVR Dies at Early Age of 44

Dave Widell - R.I.P.

The Recreation HQ deeply regrets to inform riders that the former deputy director, Dave Widell, of the CA OHMVR Program died recently at the early age of 44.

Here is a local newspaper article on his passing
http://www.losbanosenterprise.com/2011/08/26/142043/grasslands-water-district-gm-dead.html

Dave Widell also wrote an editorial in “Taking the High Road”
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Dave_W_Taking_the_High_Road_Photo0001.pdf

Dave brought a lot of energy and political savvy to that post in the early 2000s. Even though we strongly disagreed on a number of policy issues including his development of the 2003 California Route Inventory and Designation Process (the precursor to the 2005 Travel Management Rule), I considered Dave a friend and will miss his presence on both a professional and personal basis.

The Recreation HQ wants to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Widell circle of family and friends.

Road Ripping Hits Colorado NF

Road Ripping in Six Rivers (without NEPA) that Prompted Lawsuit/Stipulation

Over the last few years, HQ has been concerned the Travel Management Rule was (and apparently continues to be) being used by some units of the Forest Service to illegally “authorize” ground-disturbing project-level activities associated with road and trail decommissioning.

The BRC, Del Norte County, CAL4WD, and several other groups challenged such actions in 2010 and the federal government agreed to a public process before using ground-disturbing activities to decommission routes.

Six Rivers NF Lawsuit with Stipulation
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/12/ohv-legal-effort-takes-forward-step.html

2011 Letter from Six Rivers NF Forest Supervisor Agreeing to Public Notice
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Smith_River_NRA_Kelley_ltr_RE_comments_5-25-11.pdf

HQ wanted to alert riders in Colorado that the same type of illicit road/trail decommissioning appears to be occurring in their state. Our good friends at the Colorado Trails Preservation Alliance recently sent a letter to the Gunnison National Forest challenging ground-disturbing activities associated with road and trail decommissioning. It looks like the agency skipped the public process as required by NEPA.


September 2, 2011 COTPA Letter to the Gunnison NF with photos
http://coloradotpa.org/news/news/letter-to-the-gnf-nf-supervisor-for-action-being-taking-by-the-gnf-district-ranger.html

The 2005 TMR was never supposed to be used to effect landscape level route closures or be used as the authorizing process to obliterate existing roads and trails. Unfortuntely on some units, TMR is being misused.

The TMR saga continues…