Its Time for ALL OF US to act now and let the BLM know how we feel about them proposing to take away our OHV riding opportunities!
CODE RED – D36 LAO ACTION ALERT
SEND LETTER BEFORE JULY 5 TO SAVE OHV RECREATION ON BLM LANDS (see sample Letter below for your use to send comments)
OVERVIEW – Hard-core environmentalist at the BLM Washington Office have proposed the most extreme land policy change that I have seen in my 33 years of OHV advocacy. This plan targets OHV, grazing, mining, energy and commercial recreation for elimination across all BLM lands including our riding areas.
By sending a letter to the BLM objecting to the draft proposal, you will be joining an ever growing national movement of other recreation groups, Governors from many Western States, pro access Members of Congress, and the powersports community.
While it is important for D36 clubs to write a letter about how this plan could impact their events, related charity work, and volunteerism – it is critical that individual riders send in their own letter about how closure of riding areas will affect their family’s ability to enjoy the great outdoors.
The LAO has prepared a sample letter that you can use in crafting your comments. The link below will take you to the BLM proposal where you can submit your comments online. Feel free to cut and paste any portions of the sample letter below.
LINK TO BLM PROPOSAL AND COMMENT SITE
https://www.regulations.gov/document/BLM-2023-0001-0001
Thanks for taking time to help keep OHV recreation alive on federal lands.
Don Amador, LAO
SAMPLE LETTER FOR D36 MEMBER
As a proud member of AMA District 36, I am deeply concerned about how the draft Conservation and Landscape Health rule will negatively impact my access to motorized trails at designated BLM OHV areas in California and the West.
Conservation of natural resources is a key tenet of my organization’s mission statement so that current and future generations can enjoy trail-based recreational activities on public lands. However, the draft rule redefines the term Conservation as a “use” and directs agency staff to focus on land restoration and protection mitigation efforts with the functional effect of returning designated OHV areas to a natural state.
Popular federal recreation areas in Northern California, such as the BLM Fort Sage OHV Area, BLM Chappie Shasta OHV Area, and BLM South Cow Mountain OHV Area – where I do trail rides with family and friends or participate in amateur competition events – would be dramatically affected by this proposal.
A new concept of private sector-managed Conservation leases on BLM lands is also troubling since the strict prohibition of OHV activity is a core tenet of most, if not all, private, state, and federal conservation lease plans and programs.
I strongly urge you to withdraw this draft rule because it creates a vague set of hard-to-understand policy directives that will result in confusion, chaos, and a loss of OHV access for casual use and permitted events.
