ATVA Submits Testimony to Congress
on Managing Motorized Recreation on Public Lands
Pickerington, OH (3/17/2008)
- The ATVA told a Congressional committee on March
13 that motorized recreation is a "legitimate
and popular" use of public land that needs
more federal funding.
"Motorized recreation is a legitimate and
popular use of our public lands,” said Ed
Moreland, AMA/ATVA vice president for government
relations, in written testimony to the U.S. House
Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on National
Parks, Forests and Public Lands. “The AMA
has long supported access to public lands for
responsible motorized recreation. Motorized recreation
is also compatible with other public land resource
values."
The topic of the subcommittee hearing was "Impacts
of Unmanaged Off-Road Vehicles on Federal Lands."
Moreland told the federal lawmakers that recreation,
like any other resource, must be managed.
"Too often motorized recreation has been
managed by the extremes of either being ignored
or prohibited," he said. "The land management
agencies must recognize that they have many management
tools that they can utilize to provide motorized
recreation opportunities while protecting other
resource values."
Moreland also made a case for more funding for
federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service
and Bureau of Land Management so that they can
better manage motorized recreation. And he noted
that the motorized recreation community has taken
proactive steps, often in partnership with public
land managers, to reinforce its land-use ethic
through rider education and public awareness.
"Motorized recreation enthusiasts even support
stricter penalties for anyone who damages our
public lands," he said.
Besides benefiting riders and the off-highway
vehicle industry, motorized recreation pumps funds
into local economies, Moreland added.
"One of the most dramatic cases is that
of the $7.7 million impact of the Hatfield-McCoy
off-highway vehicle trail system in some of the
most economically challenged areas of West Virginia,"
Moreland said. "According to Marshall University,
the expansion of motorized trails has lead to
the creation of 146 new jobs and an increase of
over $622,000 in state and local tax revenue."
Moreland closed his testimony by noting that
the motorized recreation community has a long
history of volunteerism and is ready to help public
land managers by maintaining trails, promoting
the ethical use of the land and advocating for
appropriate funding.
"The AMA is confident that with the continued
commitment of the recreation community, coupled
with a commitment to manage our recreation from
our land-management agencies, and with adequate
funding support from Congress, the management
challenges facing our public lands can be addressed."
Other motorized recreation advocates who provided
testimony before the panel include Russ Ehnes,
executive director of the National Off-Highway
Vehicle Conservation Council; Larry Smith, executive
director of Americans for Responsible Recreational
Access; and Greg Mumm, executive director of the
BlueRibbon Coalition.
Ehnes testified in person before the subcommittee
that the active management of off-highway vehicles
on federal land is working, and that closing public
land to the millions of Americans who enjoy motorized
recreation would be a step backward.
Smith testified that the issue of "unmanaged"
OHV recreation on U.S. Forest Service land was
settled back in 2004 when U.S. Forest Service
Chief Dale Bosworth announced the Forest Service
would go to a designated-route system for OHV
recreation, rather than continue the policy of
permitting cross-country travel on Forest Service
land.
He also noted the federal Bureau of Land Management
has begun active management of OHVs on BLM land.
"Some witnesses today will probably wring
their hands and say that OHV recreation is a problem.
We believe this (management) issue is already
being addressed by the federal agencies,"
Smith testified. "However, a greater problem
exists that deserves this subcommittee's attention
and that is the lack of adequate resources for
all forms of recreation on federal lands."
About the ATVA:
The ATVA, sister organization of the American
Motorcyclist Association, is the only national
organization devoted exclusively to fighting for
the rights of ATVers. More members mean more clout
to fight to protect your right to ride. To join
the ATVA, call (800) ATVA-JOIN, or go to www.ATVAonline.com.
|
Fighting for your
Rights
All Terrain Vehicle Association
P.O. Box 800
Pickerington, OH 43147-0800 |
Discuss
this in ATVriders.com Forum
| 
