http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums A place for information on land closures and what you can do about them. en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:26:00 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/97843-dnr-seeks-comments-environmental-assessment-worksheet-va.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:43:02 GMT

DNR Seeks Comments on Environmental Assessment Worksheet for Virginia Expansion of the Iron Range Off-highway Vehicle Recreation Area


The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is seeking public comments on a proposal to develop a 2,704-acre expansion to the existing Iron Range Off-highway Vehicle Recreation Area (OHVRA), in Gilbert, Minnesota. The proposed expansion site is located one mile north of the existing Iron Range OHVRA, partially within the city of Virginia, Minnesota.

The Virginia expansion site will be managed out of the existing facility, which will be linked to the expansion area by a connector road. This proposed expansion includes the development of the connector road, a core trail system, vehicle-specified trails, and perimeter fencing.

Public comments on the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) will be accepted during the 30-day public review period, which runs from November 16 through December 16, 2009.

The EAW document and maps can be viewed or downloaded from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' website at Virginia Expansion of the Iron Range Off-highway Vehicle Recreation Area EAW: Minnesota DNR: Minnesota DNR
Additional copies may be requested by calling 651-259-5157.

A copy of the EAW is also available for public review at the following locations:

DNR Library, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55155
DNR Northeast Regional Headquarters (Region 2), 1201 E. Highway 2, Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Minneapolis Public Library, Government Documents, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55401
Arrowhead Regional Library, Duluth Public Library, 520 W Superior St., Duluth, MN 55802
Virginia Public Library, 215 5th Ave S, Virginia, MN USA 55792
Gilbert Public Library, 17 N Broadway, P.O. Box 75, Gilbert, MN 55741-0758
MAIL COMMENTS TO:
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Division of Ecological Resources, Box 25
Attn: Ronald Wieland
500 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155-4025

EMAIL COMMENTS TO:
environmental.review@dnr.state.mn.us

Please put "Virginia OHVRA" in the subject line of e-mail comments. Comments should include your name and address.

FAX COMMENTS TO:
(651) 297-1500.

Written comments on the EAW must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16, 2009.

For further information, please call (651) 259-5157.

JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN; PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national (non-profit) trail-saving group that represents over 600,000 recreationists nationwide The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) season is beginning. Federal employees, please mark BlueRibbon Coalition and Check #11402 on your CFC pledge form to support our efforts to protect your access. Join us at 1-800-258-3742 BlueRibbon Coalition: Preserving your recreational access to public lands. ]]> Land Use Action Forum sincityfjc http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/97843-dnr-seeks-comments-environmental-assessment-worksheet-va.html http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/97842-brc-announces-christmas-auction-project.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:37:24 GMT

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Del Albright, BRC Ambassador
Phone: (209) 286-1009
Email: brdel@sharetrails.org
Date: November 16, 2009

BRC Announces Christmas Auction Project

POCATELLO, ID (November 16) - The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) is pleased to announce the launch of a very special Christmas and holiday season online auction designed to help us all save trails and keep our sports alive. This "Christmas Auction Project" is being supported by a huge variety of businesses who believe in BRC's mission to provide leadership in responsible recreation nationwide.

The auction will officially launch December 1st on eBay. All proceeds will help BRC continue to champion multiple use recreation throughout our great country. Items will be shipped directly to the winning bidder. All you have to do is bid!

We are building our Christmas list of goodies for you to bid on and many more businesses are putting their elves to work to come up with more product to support this auction. So far we have:

5 off-road Tires from BFGoodrich with the set of 5 Monster Beadlock Raceline Wheels by Allied.
2 Dynatrak ProRock 44s for JK Jeeps (yes, the new ProRock 44 ready to install)
Rubicon Express JK Suspension Upgrade
4 Diff covers from Dynatrak
Olympic4x4 Heavy Duty Deluxe Receiver Rack
Poison Spyder Rocker Knockers
Recovery Gear from WARN
And we're just getting started. Save up some bucks and get ready to bid.

As we get more goodies on our list, we'll let you know. We cannot thank enough the businesses who are bagging up products for BlueRibbon and bringing a special cheer to our holiday trail-saving season.

# # #

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national (non-profit) trail-saving group that represents over 600,000 recreationists nationwide The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) season is beginning. Federal employees, please mark BlueRibbon Coalition and Check #11402 on your CFC pledge form to support our efforts to protect your access. Join us at 1-800-258-3742 BlueRibbon Coalition: Preserving your recreational access to public lands. ]]> Land Use Action Forum sincityfjc http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/97842-brc-announces-christmas-auction-project.html http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/97443-skunk-ohv-politics.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:33:51 GMT From the Blog of Don Amador - The General's (aka Don Amador) Recreation HQ: Skunk in CO OHV Politics

After reading the Nov. 6 article about a faux “OHV group” (RTA) and a number of anti-OHV organizations in Colorado trying to strip trail maintenance funds from state parks and use them for more “law enforcement,” I was reminded of my March 2009 blog regarding such groups as being a Trojan Horse or Skunk at the Party.

Nov. 6 Article on User Fees Being Diverted (quote from OHVers including Jerry Abboud)
User fees divide OHV riders

March 2009 – RTA et al being a Skunk at the Party
The General's (aka Don Amador) Recreation HQ: RTA - Trojan Horse or Skunk at the Party

Having been involved in California OHV politics (remember that ALL land use decisions are political decisions) for almost 20 years, I can guarantee the OHV community that when you have any organization (most of these will be anti-OHV at the core) that focuses primarily on law enforcement to the detriment of trail funding …you have a skunk at the party or worse yet… a Trojan horse in your midst.

My good friend Jerry Abboud (executive director for the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Assn) who has been at this game for even longer than I… must have an equally good sense of smell. (see his quote in the Nov. 6 article)

These faux OHV groups that now claim to speak for “responsible recreation” should spend an equally proportionate amount of their time and energy supporting trail maintenance, new trail construction, trail volunteer projects, or trail reroutes to address resource issues. If not, get ready to hold your nose.

Most agency and green groups (if they are honest) know that I have been – and continue to be – a strong supporter of appropriate law enforcement as part of a holistic approach to the management of motorized recreation. However, The General believes a strategy that relies primarily on “law enforcement” as a management tool in the absence of a well-managed OHV program --that includes a functional trail network, well kept staging/camping areas, good signing and maps, and most importantly an involved and committed land manager – is doomed to fail.

Groups that require, as their main focus, the following mandates – use of large license plates (so you can be turned into authorities more easily), trail funds be used mostly for law enforcement, and increased fines -- are not your friends.

Not all environmental/conservation groups are so narrowly focused. Be prudent before you jump on the trail with groups that have a hidden or not-so-hidden agenda. ]]> Land Use Action Forum sincityfjc http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/97443-skunk-ohv-politics.html http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/96961-h-r-765-would-establish-nellis-dunes-national-off-highway-recreation-area.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:25:44 GMT

H.R. 765 Would Establish the Nellis Dunes National Off-Highway Recreation Area

Please click the Take Action link below to urge your Representative and Members of the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands to support H.R. 765, the “Nellis Dunes National Off-Highway Recreation Area Act of 2009.” H.R. 765 would create an OHV recreation park in Clark County, Nevada and protect access to 10,000 acres of BLM land by designating it as the Nellis Dunes National Off-Highway Recreation Area.

The House Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the legislation on November 5th. Click the Take Action button to encourage your Member and the Members of the Subcommittee to support OHV access in NV.

Please click the Take Action link below to send a letter to your Member supporting H.R. 765.

Take Action - https://secure3.convio.net/arra/site...6iml71.app332a ]]> Land Use Action Forum sincityfjc http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/96961-h-r-765-would-establish-nellis-dunes-national-off-highway-recreation-area.html http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/96901-enviro-litigation-gravy.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:19:09 GMT ENVIRO LITIGATION GRAVY

Ever wondered how so called environmental groups can afford to keep filing more and more lawsuits each year? You think it is because they win huge awards, well think again. Most people are unaware that these groups legal fees are reimbursed by our government under the Equal Justice Act. That is correct we the taxpayers are paying them to sue us. This means each lawsuit they file is a money maker for them. That is why most of the suits filed today actually harm the environment instead of helping. It's about the money not the environment.

For example:

There are much needed Forest fuel reduction projects which would reduce dangerously high fuels loads in our unnaturally overgrown National Forests. Enviro Groups file lawsuits blocking these projects, a death sentence for the Forest which ends up incinerated along with all the wildlife and destruction of the watershed.
Or lawsuits forcing trail closures which concentrate use and increase impacts on the land.
Or lawsuits to ban fish stocking which cause native trout population to become over fished and also severely reduced the food supply to native wildlife like eagles
Reports show Enviro Groups like the Wilderness Society, Forest Guardians and Center for Biological Diversity have been paid over $4 BILLION of your tax dollars to file lawsuits from 2003-2007.

Lawsuits filed under the guise of preservation which harm the environment in order to make money, show the true colors of such groups as Litigation Machines using pseudo Environmental Fronts.
Read more here Enviro Litigation Gravy



Your Friends at Save The Trails ]]> Land Use Action Forum sincityfjc http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/96901-enviro-litigation-gravy.html http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/96676-oregon-dunes-nra-working-group-schedules-next-meeting-field-visit.html Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:24:47 GMT

Oregon Dunes NRA Working Group Schedules Next Meeting and Field Visit

The Siuslaw National Forest, located in western Oregon, has announced that a field tour and meeting for the Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Designated Routes Working Group for the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (Oregon Dunes) will be held on Friday, November 6, and Saturday, November 7, 2009.

The November 6 field tour will focus on the middle riding area of the Oregon Dunes, located adjacent to Umpqua Beach, south of Winchester Bay. The field tour will begin at 12:30 p.m. at the Douglas County OHV Staging Area, and conclude at 4:30 p.m. at the same place. The staging area is located two miles southwest of Winchester Bay on the east side of Umpqua Beach Road, across from the first parking lot.

The following day, November 7, the Working Group will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Winchester Bay Community Center. The meeting agenda will focus on a review of the history of designated routes on the Dunes, criteria for evaluating potential designated route recommendations, and a specific review and discussion of potential designated route recommendations for the middle riding area.

The public is invited to attend both the field tour and meeting. A public comment period will be provided at 11:45 a.m. on November 7. Members of the public attending the field trip will have to provide their own transportation.

The Working Group was recently formed to develop recommendations for the designation of OHV routes in a portion of the Oregon Dunes (upland vegetation areas included in Management Area 10(C)). The process to designate OHV routes was identified as an action item in the 1994 Management Plan for the Oregon Dunes. Working Group members were selected from a pool of applicants, and represent a broad range of interests. This will be the second in a series of six meetings of the Working Group scheduled to take place over a one-year period. The first meeting was held on October 3 in Florence.

Working Group members represent the following specific interests or organizations: Organized OHV groups, unaffiliated OHV users, outfitters and/or guide businesses, mushroom pickers, fish and wildlife advocates, conservation groups, local Tribes, local community leaders, State ATV Program, local emergency response agencies, local Parks Departments, local landowners, and the general public.

Individuals requiring alternate format material or accommodation, or who have questions regarding the November 7 meeting, can contact Ross Holloway, OHV Designated Routes Working Group Facilitator, by phone at 503-812-4056 or by e-mail at rholloway@inciplan.net.

Questions about the November 6 field tour can be directed to Sharon Stewart, Dispersed Recreation Supervisor, by phone at 541-271-6071, or by e-mail at slstewart@fs.fed.us

More information about the OHV working group, meeting times and agendas can be found online at Siuslaw National Forest - Recreation Management Projects & Policies.

JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN; PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107 ]]> Land Use Action Forum sincityfjc http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/96676-oregon-dunes-nra-working-group-schedules-next-meeting-field-visit.html http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/96284-san-juan-mountains-wilderness-act-co.html Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:08:54 GMT Congressman Salazar introduces 61,682 acre San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act - Press Release -- Congressman John T. Salazar, Third District of Colorado (http://www.house.gov/list/press/co03_salazar/PR_102209.html) Congressman Salazar introduces 61,682 acre San Juan Mountains Wilderness Act - Press Release -- Congressman John T. Salazar, Third District of Colorado ]]> Land Use Action Forum sincityfjc http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/land-use-action-forum/96284-san-juan-mountains-wilderness-act-co.html