Off-Roaders Blamed for County Vote to Reopen Roads

Over the years, the Recreation HQ has followed breaking land use news covered by the crew at World Net Daily. So it was not really a surprise when The General got a call from a WND reporter regarding the historic vote taken by San Benito County to reopen their county roads at Clear Creek.

New WND Article on County Vote and County Gov’t. Fighting Back Elsewhere
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=137737

Comments were made by the BLM regarding their surprise by the vote and that off-roaders are to blame for the county pushback. The agency’s “surprise” is telling The General that nobody was watching the store as the BLM developed their scheme in 2007-2008 to lock OHVs and the public out of Clear Creek. Where were the grownups at Cottage Way in Sacramento (the BLM state office) who let this CCMA closure - founded on junk science and political agendas - take place? Based on letters and meeting with Congressmen, county supervisors, and off-the-record conversations with both retired and currently employed BLM staff, The General is not the only one asking that question.

In the BRC comment letter submitted to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors, it is pointed out that the DEIS is so fatally flawed that it should be withdrawn and CCMA be reopened immediately.

BRC Comment Letter to the Board of Supervisors
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/San_Benito_County_BOS_Meeting_BRC_Letter_April-60001.pdf

As The General has pointed out many times before, ALL land use decisions are political decisions that at the end of the day have very little if anything to do with science or laws.
If the multiple-use community (off-roaders, ranchers, gem collectors, inholders, hunters, etc.) will continue to stand together with local elected officials in access battles that are occurring up and down the State of California and other western states, we have a chance to change the current closure agenda of federal agencies.

As Ben Franklin once said, "We must all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."

The General says, “When it comes to the land use fight, the multiple-use community must unite for in that unity stands our only chance for victory.”

Thanks for your service! I encourage you to post a comment on this blog -you must sign up first before commenting. Also, feel free to send a private message to The Recreation HQ at: damador@cwo.com

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San Benito County Votes to Reopen Roads in Clear Creek

The General attended and spoke (on behalf of BRC and AMA Dist. 36/per Dave Pickett’s request) at the San Benito County Board of Supervisor’s meeting yesterday where the board took a historic stand against an unwarranted federal government proposal to functionally ban OHV recreation on 70K acres in the Clear Creek Management Area.

BRC News Release on San Benito County Vote Yesterday
http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/?story=692&filter=media

The Recreation HQ is proud of the courage shown by the board to pass unprecedented votes to reopen all 25 miles of county roads in Clear Creek, to send a letter to the BLM in support of Alternative A (the pre 2008 closure level of OHV use), and to send a separate letter to Congress asking them to investigate the unseemly and apparently unethical actions by some BLM agents regarding the interim closure and the DEIS.

The HQ is equally proud of the elected officials who stood with local users in the Redding area yesterday at a rally against the proposed closure (in the Shasta Trinity NF’s Record of Decision for Travel Management) of basically all single track trails and trails less than 50 inches in width in the Shasta Trinity National Forest.

Record Searchlight Article about Redding Rally at FS HQ
http://www.redding.com/news/2010/apr/07/shasta-supervisors-will-appeal-shasta-trinity-fore/

The General has warned agency leadership about the pushback they would get by local elected officials and area users if they fronted travel plans that effectively implement the closure agenda of environmental groups or, worse even still, the closure agenda of the federal line officer. Tragically, it appears federal agencies want to ignore those pleadings and remain hell-bent on foisting these plans on county governments and the recreation community.

The Recreation HQ (and a lot of FS and BLM staffers who have sent the HQ private messages or phone calls stating they are not happy with the new closure agenda of the federal government) hopes the Feds will reconsider their agenda and work to rebuild the trust of local people and elected officials. The ball is in their court.

The fight for access to public lands continues. Thanks for your service!

CCMA Update - The General is at San Benito County BOS Meeting Today

The Recreation HQ will be closed today as The General (on behalf of BRC) will be testifying at the April 6, 2010 San Benito County Board of Supervisors meeting in Hollister, CA at 1:30 p.m.

The Board will consider a vote to reassert their jurisdiction on 25 miles of county roads in the Clear Creek Management Area. Currently, the BLM is claiming management authority over these historic county roads. A vote in the affirmative will be a big victory in the ongoing battle to reopen CCMA for historic OHV and other uses.

The Board will also consider a vote regarding if they will send in a comment letter and what directions they will give staff about the content of that letter. BRC is asking them to support historic OHV and other uses in CCMA.

See April 6, 2010 BRC Comment Letter to the San Benito County BOS
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/San_Benito_County_BOS_Meeting_BRC_Letter_April-60001.pdf

Finally, BRC believes the county may find the BLM violated the public trust as well as over stepping their jurisdictional bounds regarding the county road issue and the agency’s trampling of private property rights. The county could request the BLM withdraw the DEIS because if it’s fatal flaws and direct the agency to reopen CCMA post haste.

The General is expecting a large turnout at the Hollister meeting today. He hopes to see many of you there.

Thanks for your service!

Rural County Government is 1st Line of Defense in Access Fight

As more federal and state lands are being closed to public access, many riders are turning to their elected county officials as a last resort in our collective battle to fight trail closures on Forest lands or challenge plans that ban OHV routes at Clear Creek.

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PHOTO: The famous Usal Road on the coast in Mendocino County (this road is on the Lost Coast DS Ride). These types of signs could go up on the county roads in Clear Creek.
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In contrast to the aforementioned paradigm, The Recreation HQ strongly believes that our elected county officials are really our 1st line of defense against closure oriented federal land use plans that impact the residents of the county or folks that visit the area.

Tomorrow’s vote by the San Benito County Board of Supervisors to reassert its historic jurisdiction of 25 miles of county roads in the Clear Creek Management Area and preserve those roads for public use could be a Seminole moment (if they vote in the affirmative) in the access fight here in CA.
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Hollister Freelance Article on County Reopening Roads at Clear Creek
http://www.freelancenews.com/news/264523-county-might-reopen-blm-roads-for-owners-access

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Info on San Benito County BOS Meeting tomorrow at 1:30 pm in Hollister
http://www.san-benito.ca.us/agendas/documents/10.04.06.pdf

AFTERNOON SESSION 1:30 P.M.

PLANNING DEPARTMENT – A. Henriques: 24) Review staff report, and draft comment letter to the Bureau of Land Management Clear Creek Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and provide comments and direction to staff.

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT – S. Wittry: 25) Adopt a Resolution to re-open unmaintained County roads upon the installation of appropriate information signage referencing a potential for human health risks within surrounding terrain in the BLM Clear Creek Management Area; and direct staff to maintain quarterly inspections of signs in the area.

Tomorrow is also important in CA’s access fight because elected officials and users will be holding a rally in Redding, CA to protest the proposed closure of 800 miles of single-track OHV trails in the Shasta Trinity National Forest’s Travel Plan’s Record of Decision.

Info on Redding Rally Against FS OHV Trail Closure
http://www.reddingdirtriders.com/News_View.aspx?Articleid=52

Colusa County is also taking a stand against Obama’s National Monument Agenda for the Stonyford OHV Area (see blog with links to county letter)
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2010/03/obama-outdoors-interview-and-access.html

As OHVers are in a fight for their lives regarding continued use of historic motorized travelways on federal lands, riders should continue to engage their elected county supervisors and have them join and champion our just cause.

Mendocino NF OHV Easter Weekend Update - Closed and Open

The Recreation HQ wishes all of you a Happy and Blessed Easter. Also, for those of you going up to the Mendocino NF for a great OHV weekend, the Upper Lake side of the Forest is closed due to weather conditions but the Stonyford OHV Area is open.

See FS News Release
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino/news/2010/04-02-closure/

Even though the Upper Lake closure is a bummer, the Recreation HQ thanks the Forest for leaving the Stonyford side open and not including it in the closure simply because one part of the Forest hit the weather trigger.

Happy Easter!

OHV Good News - FS Chief Tidwell and Sen. Lincoln Tour Ark. OHV Area

***Good News and Photo comes from the BRC Recreation News
http://www.sharetrails.org/public-lands/?section=BRC_Recnews

The Recreation HQ and BRC have long encouraged local riders to adopt a holistic approach in support of their favorite riding area. That recommendation includes forming a local formal or informal group that partners with the agency on projects like trail building and public outreach.

PHOTO: Senator Blanche Lincoln and US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell speak to Tim Kiser from the Ouachita ATV Club about trail closures on the Ouachita NF.



The group can also loop in federally elected officials like these OHVers did in Arkansas with Senator Blanche Lincoln who I am sure was instrumental in getting the FS Chief Tom Tidwell (he used to be here in Region 5 and attended a number of CA OHV Commission meetings) to tour the site or as Clear Creek riders did with Congressmen Costa and Farr.

See very cool article regarding OHVers working with U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln
http://www.hotsr.com/news/Hot-Springs-FYI/2010/04/01/ohv-access-takes-spotlight-36.php

Users should also make sure their local Boards of Supervisors/County Commissioners are engaged as again the OHVers did in Clear Creek with the San Benito County Board of Supervisors or as the Recreation Outdoor Coalition has done regarding the proposed closures on the Shasta Trinity NF.

Besides the partnerships and working with elected officials, users must also be prepared to strongly defend (comments. appeals, lawsuits) the riding area from closures. Many of those closure threats are precipitated from eco-lawsuits or sometimes - as is the case with the Shasta Trinity NF - from closures that are driven by agency decisions.

Riding areas that have been “adopted” by active OHV clubs - such as the Georgetown OHV Area on the Eldorado NF has been adopted by the California Enduro Riders Assoc – stand the best chance of preserving riding opportunities for this and future generations.

Federal or state OHV areas that are being operated in a vacuum with no local club support are clearly an EOHVS (Endangered OHV Species).

Although there is a lot of bad OHV news out there, The General wanted to share this optimistic story with the troops to show how being proactive can help protect the sport.

CA OHV Commissioner Wins Appeal and Closes Routes on Modoc Forest

In late February, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors praised the Modoc National Forest’s Travel Management Record of Decision because the plan added 331 miles of unauthorized routes as Forest Service System Trails and designated 513 miles of Level 3 Roads as available for use by non-street legal dirt-bikes, ATVs, and side-by-sides. In contrast, the BOC criticized the Shasta Trinity National Forest’s plan to close almost 100% of its currently legal dirt-bike and ATV trails less than 50 inches in width. The article also noted an appeal filed by the Wilderness Society against the Modoc plan.

See Article about BOS Praise for Modoc Decision and Threat of Appeal
http://www.redding.com/news/2010/feb/25/modoc-travels-a-different-path-on-road-closures/

Well folks, the Recreation HQ was not surprised to learn yesterday about the Regional Forest’s decision to uphold the recommendation of the Appeal Reviewing Officer to CLOSE all unauthorized routes and to BAN use of non-street legal OHVs on 513 miles of level 3 roads.

See March 11, 2010 Regional Office Decision to Uphold Appeal and CLOSE routes
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Modoc-Appeal-Resol-March-11.2010.pdf

*Stan Van Velsor – who wrote the appeal for The Wilderness Society is also an OHV Commissioner at CA State Parks – Gee, thanks Stan!
Here are the OHV Commission Policies -- see if you think Stan lived up to the spirit and intent of these policies of SB742

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/OHMVR-Commission-Policies-SB742.pdf

The General and his legal staff are reviewing the appeal decision as it is the first time that the HQ is aware of an appeal decision overturning a ROD decision without requiring the ROD to be withdrawn and a reset button pushed to start the planning process all over again.

Historically, the NEPA appeal process does not allow for substantive changes to a ROD. Generally only technical or non-substantive changes are allowed.

What the Regional Office has done is take a plan that was crafted with local involvement and decision-making and replaced it with a heavy-handed top-down decision that is an affront to that local process.

As the General told many riders at the Carnegie Rally…”2010 will be a very challenging year regarding OHV access.” This decision sadly fulfills that gloomy albeit realistic prediction.

The Recreation HQ thanks you for your support and for staying engaged.