Thanks to all who have signed the petition
I happen to know the printed out 4200 signature petition is on a plane with Harry Baker
headed to Washington DC as I type this.
Harry Baker to testify United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Washington, DC tomorrow (Thursday)
Here is the link if you have not signed it
http://www.petitiononline.com/notS2921/petition.html
From Cal 4 Wheel:
S2921 The California Desert Protection Act of 2010
The California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc. is the largest 4WD organization in the state of California representing over 8,000 family members. CA4WDC works to maintain access to public lands and promotes responsible use of those lands. CA4WDC is based in Sacramento and has three districts to serve the state. CA4WDC was founded in 1959 and has over 50 years of service to the OHV community. 8120 36th Avenue Sacramento, CA 95824-2304 (800) 4x4-Funn www.cal4wheel. com
Issue:
If enacted the California Desert Protection Act of 2010 (S2921) will:
• Create the Mojave Trails National Monument containing ~941,000 acres.
• Create the Sand to Snow National Monument containing ~134,000 acres.
• Set aside a minimum of 200,000 acres as "mitigation lands" to provide for alternative energy projects. This will likely exclude recreation in these areas.
• Add ~90,000 acres to Death Valley National Park
• Create new wilderness areas totaling ~300,000 acres in BLM, USFS, and NPS managed Lands
• NOT protect Johnson Valley from the Marine Corps expansion.
This bill WILL have an adverse effect on recreation opportunities and public access in California. Access for mining, recreation, and other uses will be curtailed. While not yet fully understood, it is believed that at least 400 miles of roads in the new wilderness areas and monuments will be closed.
Supporters of the bill state that Rasor OHV Area, Stoddard Wells OHV Area, El Mirage OHV Area, Spangler Hills OHV Area, and a portion of the Johnson Valley OHV Area are all slated to receive a congressional designation as OHV areas. It can be argued as to what this means as these areas are already OHV areas, and there is no guarantee that they will remain open and unaffected. There is also no compensation for the areas that will be closed.
CA4WDC Position:
The California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs is OPPOSED to S2921 in its present form. We oppose legislation that restricts the public’s access to public lands. We oppose the creation of new wilderness areas and National Monuments that withdraw lands from public access and close existing routes. We oppose the creation of new wilderness areas that do not meet the standards of the Wilderness Act of 1964, which established the National Wilderness Preservation System. We also oppose legislation that attempts to indiscriminately close any area or route of travel without verification of the economic impact to the area.
Contacts / Additional information:
Harry Baker Robert Reed
(818)705-3930 (925)784-4702
bakerhab@aol. com robertreed5@ comcast.net
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORVA
United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Washington, DC
RE: Opposition to California Desert Protection Act of 2010 – S2921
Dear Honorable Committee Members,
At the Annual Meeting of the California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA) held in Bakersfield, CA on May 15, 2010, the Members voted in opposition to the California Desert Protection Act of 2010. CORVA has joined the California Association of 4WD Clubs in opposition to the Act, which if passed may have a major negative impact on the desert environment, the business environment, the recreational choices of the public and the availability of access to the desert by future generations.
Further, the Association states the main reasons for opposition includes (but is not limited to):
1) The addition of more than 290,000 acres of Wilderness to the already 9 million acres of Wilderness currently designated in the California Desert recognizing that the Wilderness designation removes this land from all human visitation except hikers.
2) The removal of vast Desert areas currently and historically used by the American public for multiple uses with no guarantee that more areas will not be removed from use in the future.
3) The addition of yet another management plan replacing the management plan currently controlled by the Bureau of Land Management, without stipulated funding to implement the new plan or guarantees that the management plan will match the original bill.
4) The plan to locate necessary solar energy resources in the desert, geographically distant from where the power will be used necessitating a transmission infrastructure and perhaps further eroding multiple use land.
Although our Association, which represents over 5000 Californians who use off-highway motorized vehicles, has voted in opposition to S2921, we acknowledge the courtesy and professionalism of Senator Diane Feinstein and her staff for including our members, most of whom are her constituents, in the discussion. We further encourage the Senator to continue this practice and include all stakeholders in continuing discussion of this legislation and future legislation affecting OHV recreation.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Woods
President
I happen to know the printed out 4200 signature petition is on a plane with Harry Baker
headed to Washington DC as I type this.
Harry Baker to testify United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Washington, DC tomorrow (Thursday)
Here is the link if you have not signed it
http://www.petitiononline.com/notS2921/petition.html
From Cal 4 Wheel:
S2921 The California Desert Protection Act of 2010
The California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc. is the largest 4WD organization in the state of California representing over 8,000 family members. CA4WDC works to maintain access to public lands and promotes responsible use of those lands. CA4WDC is based in Sacramento and has three districts to serve the state. CA4WDC was founded in 1959 and has over 50 years of service to the OHV community. 8120 36th Avenue Sacramento, CA 95824-2304 (800) 4x4-Funn www.cal4wheel. com
Issue:
If enacted the California Desert Protection Act of 2010 (S2921) will:
• Create the Mojave Trails National Monument containing ~941,000 acres.
• Create the Sand to Snow National Monument containing ~134,000 acres.
• Set aside a minimum of 200,000 acres as "mitigation lands" to provide for alternative energy projects. This will likely exclude recreation in these areas.
• Add ~90,000 acres to Death Valley National Park
• Create new wilderness areas totaling ~300,000 acres in BLM, USFS, and NPS managed Lands
• NOT protect Johnson Valley from the Marine Corps expansion.
This bill WILL have an adverse effect on recreation opportunities and public access in California. Access for mining, recreation, and other uses will be curtailed. While not yet fully understood, it is believed that at least 400 miles of roads in the new wilderness areas and monuments will be closed.
Supporters of the bill state that Rasor OHV Area, Stoddard Wells OHV Area, El Mirage OHV Area, Spangler Hills OHV Area, and a portion of the Johnson Valley OHV Area are all slated to receive a congressional designation as OHV areas. It can be argued as to what this means as these areas are already OHV areas, and there is no guarantee that they will remain open and unaffected. There is also no compensation for the areas that will be closed.
CA4WDC Position:
The California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs is OPPOSED to S2921 in its present form. We oppose legislation that restricts the public’s access to public lands. We oppose the creation of new wilderness areas and National Monuments that withdraw lands from public access and close existing routes. We oppose the creation of new wilderness areas that do not meet the standards of the Wilderness Act of 1964, which established the National Wilderness Preservation System. We also oppose legislation that attempts to indiscriminately close any area or route of travel without verification of the economic impact to the area.
Contacts / Additional information:
Harry Baker Robert Reed
(818)705-3930 (925)784-4702
bakerhab@aol. com robertreed5@ comcast.net
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORVA
United States Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Washington, DC
RE: Opposition to California Desert Protection Act of 2010 – S2921
Dear Honorable Committee Members,
At the Annual Meeting of the California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA) held in Bakersfield, CA on May 15, 2010, the Members voted in opposition to the California Desert Protection Act of 2010. CORVA has joined the California Association of 4WD Clubs in opposition to the Act, which if passed may have a major negative impact on the desert environment, the business environment, the recreational choices of the public and the availability of access to the desert by future generations.
Further, the Association states the main reasons for opposition includes (but is not limited to):
1) The addition of more than 290,000 acres of Wilderness to the already 9 million acres of Wilderness currently designated in the California Desert recognizing that the Wilderness designation removes this land from all human visitation except hikers.
2) The removal of vast Desert areas currently and historically used by the American public for multiple uses with no guarantee that more areas will not be removed from use in the future.
3) The addition of yet another management plan replacing the management plan currently controlled by the Bureau of Land Management, without stipulated funding to implement the new plan or guarantees that the management plan will match the original bill.
4) The plan to locate necessary solar energy resources in the desert, geographically distant from where the power will be used necessitating a transmission infrastructure and perhaps further eroding multiple use land.
Although our Association, which represents over 5000 Californians who use off-highway motorized vehicles, has voted in opposition to S2921, we acknowledge the courtesy and professionalism of Senator Diane Feinstein and her staff for including our members, most of whom are her constituents, in the discussion. We further encourage the Senator to continue this practice and include all stakeholders in continuing discussion of this legislation and future legislation affecting OHV recreation.
Respectfully submitted,
Jim Woods
President
