Help Solve the Off-Road Vehicle Problem
- by: League of Conservation Voters
- recipient: U.S. Forest Service
| © Ted Wood |
Tens of millions of Americans visit public lands and waters every year to experience scenic wonders, our rich cultural heritage, and the naturalness and solitude that can only be found in these special places. Americans understand that there must be a balance between different types of uses of lands and waters. Our system of public lands, the most diverse in the world, was developed with that balance in mind.
But we are losing that balance today as dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and other off-road vehicles push further and further into the backcountry, causing pollution and other impacts on our public lands, as well as displacing other visitors.
The U.S. Forest Service has proposed new rules to govern the use of off-road vehicles on AmericaÂ’s National Forests. Although the rules represent a step forward, they fall far short of what is needed to address what Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth terms one of the greatest threats to our National Forests.
"This is not an easy issue to tackle, but if we wait a day, a week, or even a year, the impact on the land and the issues surrounding the problem will become even harder to deal with. We need to address the issue now," Chief Bosworth said. Now the Forest Service needs to hear from you to ensure our forests are protected.
Our forests suffer greatly from highly damaging and uncontrolled off-road vehicle use and your comments are needed to let the Forest Service how people feel about this issue. Please urge the Forest Service to strengthen the draft rules by sending your comment today. Consider adding your own personal comments in the petition which can be done after you hit "Sign This Petition!"
Proposed Rule for Designated Routes and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use
c/o Content Analysis Team
U.S. Forest Service
P.O. Box 221150
Salt Lake City, UT 84122-1150
I urge the Forest Service to significantly strengthen the proposed rule for designated routes and areas for motor vehicle use. [Your comments here.]
I support several elements of the proposed rule and urge that they be retained, including the:
- General prohibition on motorized cross-country recreation;
- Requirement that off-road vehicle use be authorized only on those roads and routes specifically designated as open on use maps; and
- Conclusion that forests are not required to inventory and/or map unauthorized - or renegade – routes prior to commencing the route designation process.
I urge the Forest Service to ensure that any final rule requires each National Forest to:
- Complete off-road vehicle route designations within 2 years of the effective date of that rule;
- Designate roads and routes, including any unauthorized, renegade route, for off-road use only after public participation and site-specific analysis of environmental impacts and user-conflicts;
- Immediately end use of all unauthorized, renegade ATV and dirt bike routes pending site-specific study and official designation; and
- Ensure that it can afford, maintain and manage any system of roads and routes designated for off-roads vehicle use.
[Your additional comments here.]
Sincerely,
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