Two Minutes to Help Free Up 43 Million Acres of Public Land

The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
0
Contact your Representative today!

Representative and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) along with Representative Rob Bishop (R-UT), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands and Representative Steve Pearce (R-NM), Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus plan to introduce the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act of 2011 shortly. This bill would remove restrictions to motorized access on more than 40 million acres of public land nationwide.

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and All-Terrain Vehicle Association (ATVA) support this bill and applaud McCarthy, Bishop and Pearce for helping every American achieve greater access to our public lands. On April 5, 2011, the AMA and ATVA sent McCarthy a letter of support for this bill.

The Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act would remove the riding ban on 6.7 million acres managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and riding restrictions that may be in place for 36.1 million acres of U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land.

More here: American Motorcyclist Association

Please give this thread a “BUMP†for our fellow forum members after you send your letter!
 

rupert14

Raber Racing - UTVUnderground Approved
Jan 14, 2010
436
14
18
Just printed the letter, and changed the heading to include the loss of the Snowflake race.

Bump
 

The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
0
Just printed the letter, and changed the heading to include the loss of the Snowflake race.

Bump
Much appreciated, I am sorry for the loss of Snowflake! Forty plus years of historic access, exemplary organization, management, safety and fun gone in the blink of an eye.

Injury litigation, dust mitigation, toxic soil, archeological sites, endangered species, soil erosion, sound pollution, user conflicts, lack of staffing, lack of funding, bogus science, theft of our dedicated registration/fuel tax trust funds, and endless litigation brought by enviRomanticists which is funded by our tax dollars whether they’re right or wrong-win or lose!

I’m sure I’ve missed many other excuses but the one thing not lost on me is the fact that if we don’t start fighting back HARD AND OFTEN with every bit of spare time, money, information, science, political advocacy and creativity we can muster . . . it will soon ALL be gone, in the blink of an eye!!

The days of going out to have some good clean family style fun without paying every outing forward far in advance by fighting for that outing, ended over twenty years ago!

The OHV Community just failed to realize it and continues to be in denial . . .
 

The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
0
You are right on! So sad and yet so true! :mad:
Given the fiscal crisis facing our once Great Nation, expect Local, State and Federal governments to do even MORE of the unthinkable.

If Land Managers don’t beat them to it, expect the USFS and BLM to follow closely behind taking the path of least resistance (read expense) as usual, that being a single change to their web sites and local lands offices.

This will take the form of a simple web notification and single sign at each NFS/BLM office reading . . . "All Roads and Trails CLOSED to Motorized Use Unless Signed as Open".

Simple, cheap and effective. Then, be ready to flip your freaking lid when your rigs registration renewal notification arrives in the mail.

Oh, and don't even think about going the 1% er route as they'll still fund law enforcement via a few LEOs riding rigs confiscated from those who tried, they will be electronically dispatched to a GPS location when remote cameras and other detection devices alert one of the few local office staffers remaining of a security breech.

H.R. 1581 will help prevent much of this from becoming a reality!
 
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The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
0
The OHV Community usually has to fight to keep a few million acres from being CLOSED.

The goal of this Congressionally sponsored Legislation is . . .

A) To OPEN 43 MILLION LOCKED UP ACRES for public use.

B) Tell Ken Salazar he has to take his SO 3310 “Wild Lands†designation and SHOVE IT!!!

Who doesn’t have two minutes to support a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY like this???
 

The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
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Congress Acts to De-Fund "Wild Lands Initiative"

Keep those emails flying!


From the "ARRA" . . .

Congress has avoided a government shutdown and an access crisis by crafting a Continuing Resolution (CR) that has been agreed to by House and Senate leaders. The CR legislation for Fiscal Year 2011 includes a provision that limits the use of funds for the Department of Interior (DOI) to “implement, administer, or enforce†Secretarial Order 3310 (also known as the "Wild Lands" policy). This means that DOI cannot implement its Wild Lands Initiative in Fiscal Year 2011, which ends on September 30th 2011. This will give valuable time to key Congressional leaders to permanently stop Secretarial Order 3310.

As you know, the Wild Lands Initiative gives the BLM immediate authority to "designate appropriate areas with wilderness characteristics under its jurisdiction as 'Wild Lands' and to manage them to protect their wilderness values." This is clearly at odds with the Wilderness Act, which provides sole authority to designate areas as wilderness to the Congress.

Secretary Salazar unveiled the Wild Lands Initiative over the Christmas Holiday and friends of sustainable access immediately jumped in to fight back. The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on this issue and others have weighed in as well to make sure access and multiple use is protected on BLM lands.

House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA), National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) and House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Chairman Mike Simpson (R-ID) have provided key leadership to advance this issue, but there will be more work to do to.



-Return 43 Million Acres of Public Land to the Public

-Tell Ken Salazar to take his “Wild Lands†Designation SO 3310 (BRC Land Use Update) and SHOVE IT!!!

Do it here:
American Motorcyclist Association

https://secure3.convio.net/arra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=277

Please give this a "Bump" once you've sent your letters.
 

The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
0
It's Working!!!

Just got this from a member of another forum . . .

"Thank you for contacting me in regards to the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act. I appreciate your input and the opportunity to respond.

This legislation has been put forth by Rep. Kevin McCarthy and should be introduced sometime in early May. If passed, the bill would release all Wilderness Study Areas and Inventoried Roadless Areas that have been found as not suitable for wilderness by the Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service. It also directs that those released areas be managed for multiple uses, including recreation.

I have joined Rep. McCarthy as an original cosponsor and I will do all I can to see it passed by the House of Representatives this year. Please do not hesitate to contact me on this issue as we continue to move through the legislative process.

Thank you again for reaching out to me.

Sincerely,

Jerry Lewis
Member of Congress
"
 

The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
0
BRC NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Western lawmakers move key issues via budget battle


No funds for Salazar's Big Wilderness

Last week the U.S. House and Senate approved the final fiscal year 2011 appropriations continuing resolution (HR 1473). The 2011 budget deal hammered out between Democrats and Republicans was signed by President Obama on Friday. The bill included several key budget riders affecting recreational access and public lands management.

Specifically, a provision pushed by Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson and supported by Washington Rep. Doc Hastings, Utah Rep. Rob Bishop, several western governors and others, precludes the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from using any funds for the implementation of the Wild Lands policy.

Simpson's budget line item was made necessary when Interior Secretary Ken Salazar issued Secretarial Order 3310 requiring all Bureau of Land Management planning decisions to first consider impacts on "wilderness characteristics," embedding what amounts to a "de-facto Wilderness" authority in the land managing agency.

This provision is in affect for the 2011 fiscal year, so the Bureau of Land Management could begin finding more Wilderness beginning in October.

Simpson said in a press release his line item was to ensure the Department of Interior remained focused on its core mission, "ensuring that agencies like the BLM, the Forest Service, and the National Parks Service can continue to carry out fundamental operations that serve the American people." Simpson chairs the House subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies appropriations.

It remains to be seen what impacts, if any, the budget line item will have on the BLM's never ending Wilderness inventory.

Frankly, it would be wise for recreational advocates to assume BLM will not cease its Wild Lands policy, which is currently being implemented in planning projects in Utah, Idaho, Montana and other western states.

Please keep the emails flying and the pressure on!!!

Bump . . .
 

The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
0
It's Working!

Keep Those Emails Flying . . .

It is now a House Resolution!

All invited to rollout HR 1581 in Bakersfield

Written by [email protected] (Chris Horgan) on Apr 21, 2011 09:02 am

Legislation authored by Rep. Kevin McCarthy proposes to release millions of acres back to public use

I wanted to be sure to invite each of you to the rollout for HR 1581 Wilderness Study Area & Roadless Release Act, which will take place at Congressman McCarthy's office on April 29, 2011 from 9:45 am to 10:45 am, 4100 Empire Drive, Suite 150, Bakersfield, CA 93309.

This important bill was submitted to the house on April 15 and it will be vital that we show full support at the rollout and also by submitting letters of support.

A sample letter is available for download here . . . Wilderness Roadless Area Fax Template

I am unsure if the anti-groups may attempt to pack the room for the rollout, but it might be best to arrive a bit early to ensure being in the room, just in case. Please invite others to attend, especially those who live locally.

Hope you can attend the April 29 rollout in Bakersfield.


Click here to send your letter now from the ARRA site:
https://secure3.convio.net/arra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=277

Click here to send your letter now from the AMA site:
American Motorcyclist Association
 

The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
0
Ok, here are three different 2 minute deals to help get this done. All in one easy to access place!

https://secure3.convio.net/arra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=277

American Motorcyclist Association

Wilderness Roadless Area Fax Template


Here’s a link to the bill . . . H.R. 1581: Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act of 2011 (GovTrack.us)


We only have 22 co-sponsors and need many more, please take a minute or two to get involved! We usually have to fight to try opening up a few thousand acres that have already been locked up!

Make no mistake, this is the chance of a lifetime to affect major change for OUR Public Lands, don’t let it pass you by!!!


Please give this a “bump†once you’ve sent you letter(s)!
 
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The Lyin King

Public Lands Advocate
Feb 7, 2009
630
17
0
If this passes, it would increase the amount of available "multilple-use" Public land by roughly 20% and stop the Department of the Interior from locking anymore up.

Isn't that worth a two minute investment of time???
 

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