pokey
06-18-2004, 06:24 AM
PRESS RELEASE
June 17, 2004
Contact: John Stewart
Director of Environmental Affairs
United Four Wheel Drive Associations
619-390-8747 or E-mail: landuse@ufwda.org
######
RECREATION GAINS IN BUDGET BATTLE
The annual budget battles are heating up in the halls of Congress.
The Fiscal Year 2005 Appropriations Bill for the Department of
Interior has been a hotly contested issue during the week. Over a
dozen amendments were offered; some accepted and some rejected.
Three amendments had a major impact on recreation and access to
public lands.
One amendment, submitted by Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA-52),
concerned an amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the bill for
salaries and expenses of any employee for the expenditure of user
fees for the costs, in whole or in part of the biological monitoring
of a species on the endangered list.
This amendment is the result of a monitoring program for the
contested Peirson's Milk Vetch (PMV) in the Imperial Sand Dunes
Recreation Area of southern California. Bureau of Land Management
officials entered into a massive monitoring study of the PMV funded
by almost $800,000 of user fees paid by recreationists. The
amendment was accepted by a voice vote. This action affirms
recreation advocates position that the original intent of the Fee
Demo program was to enhance the recreation experience: not to spend
user fees for environmental studies.
For recreationists, this is the culmination of three years of effort
including numerous trips to Washington, DC by recreation advocates.
The Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), a non-profit trade
association, has organized those trips bringing a variety of
recreation advocates together to lobby elected representatives for
sensible recreation regulations.
In other action, the ban on snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand
Teton National Parks and an amendment to prohibit the use of funds to
finalize or implement proposed revisions to Forest Service rules
relating to National Forest System Planning for Land and Resource
Management Plans were defeated.
These actions are viewed as a positive step for recreation and access
to public lands. The efforts of ORBA and other recreation advocates
are credited with raising the awareness of the issues with the
elected representatives.
ORBA, California Off Highway Vehicle Association (CORVA), California
Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs (CA4WDC), American Sand
Association (ASA) and San Diego Off Road Coalition recently joined to
retain a Washington, DC based lobbyist. They join BlueRibbon
Coalition (BRC), International Snowmobile Manufacturing Association
(ISMA), and American Motorcycle Association (AMA) with Washington
lobbyists supporting multiple use recreation.
######
--
John Stewart
Director, Environmental Affairs
United Four Wheel Drive Associations, http://www.ufwda.org
Natural Resource Consultant
California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, http://www.ca4wdc.com
Recreation Access and Conservation Editor, http://www.4x4wire.com
Moderator, MUIRNet - Multiple Use Information Resource Network
To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE to MUIRNet, send email to john@muirnet.net.
June 17, 2004
Contact: John Stewart
Director of Environmental Affairs
United Four Wheel Drive Associations
619-390-8747 or E-mail: landuse@ufwda.org
######
RECREATION GAINS IN BUDGET BATTLE
The annual budget battles are heating up in the halls of Congress.
The Fiscal Year 2005 Appropriations Bill for the Department of
Interior has been a hotly contested issue during the week. Over a
dozen amendments were offered; some accepted and some rejected.
Three amendments had a major impact on recreation and access to
public lands.
One amendment, submitted by Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA-52),
concerned an amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the bill for
salaries and expenses of any employee for the expenditure of user
fees for the costs, in whole or in part of the biological monitoring
of a species on the endangered list.
This amendment is the result of a monitoring program for the
contested Peirson's Milk Vetch (PMV) in the Imperial Sand Dunes
Recreation Area of southern California. Bureau of Land Management
officials entered into a massive monitoring study of the PMV funded
by almost $800,000 of user fees paid by recreationists. The
amendment was accepted by a voice vote. This action affirms
recreation advocates position that the original intent of the Fee
Demo program was to enhance the recreation experience: not to spend
user fees for environmental studies.
For recreationists, this is the culmination of three years of effort
including numerous trips to Washington, DC by recreation advocates.
The Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), a non-profit trade
association, has organized those trips bringing a variety of
recreation advocates together to lobby elected representatives for
sensible recreation regulations.
In other action, the ban on snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand
Teton National Parks and an amendment to prohibit the use of funds to
finalize or implement proposed revisions to Forest Service rules
relating to National Forest System Planning for Land and Resource
Management Plans were defeated.
These actions are viewed as a positive step for recreation and access
to public lands. The efforts of ORBA and other recreation advocates
are credited with raising the awareness of the issues with the
elected representatives.
ORBA, California Off Highway Vehicle Association (CORVA), California
Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs (CA4WDC), American Sand
Association (ASA) and San Diego Off Road Coalition recently joined to
retain a Washington, DC based lobbyist. They join BlueRibbon
Coalition (BRC), International Snowmobile Manufacturing Association
(ISMA), and American Motorcycle Association (AMA) with Washington
lobbyists supporting multiple use recreation.
######
--
John Stewart
Director, Environmental Affairs
United Four Wheel Drive Associations, http://www.ufwda.org
Natural Resource Consultant
California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, http://www.ca4wdc.com
Recreation Access and Conservation Editor, http://www.4x4wire.com
Moderator, MUIRNet - Multiple Use Information Resource Network
To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE to MUIRNet, send email to john@muirnet.net.