June 1998 Newsletter

CHAIRMAN'S CORNER

- Jim McGarvie

Annual elections were held at last month's meeting for members of the SDORC Board of Directors. As there was no opposition for any of the positions, the existing Board members were automatically reelected via a "white ballot." Speaking for the rest of the Board I would like to thank the members for their faith in us, and pledge to continue to do our utmost to further the goals of the membership.

Although there are no new Board members there was one change. Scott Grossglass declined to run for reelection as Business Representative, citing personal reasons. We are sorry to see Scott leave, but we respect his decision. Scott did a tremendous amount of good for this group, racking up impressive business membership numbers and gathering considerable donations from businesses. We thank you Scott, and hope you will continue to remain as active as your schedule will permit.

In the meantime we are interviewing candidates for Scott's replacement. The position of Business Representative is a critical one, and we don't want to see it go unfilled for long. Our association with local off-road enterprises is important to the financial health of the Coalition. Additionally, we rely on businesses to help us get the word out to users, especially those who are not yet members of the Coalition. In return, the businesses rely upon us for information regarding off-road concerns which directly effect their livelihood. As you can see this is an important position. Any of you with the ability and desire to help in this area are encouraged to get in touch with any Board member and let us know of your interest. We'll be happy to give you more details.

OFF-ROAD VEHICLE LEGISLATIVE COALITION UPDATE

Pete Conaty is new to the ORVLC. He has already been quite productive, and has shown an interest and ability in keeping member organizations informed about issues that he is keeping an eye on. The following is from a recent report of his.

Assembly Bill 2359 (Olberg) would allocate $7,500,000 to the Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Commission to acquire land and facilitate the development and completion of El Mirage. AB 2359 is currently on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file. The suspense file is scheduled for hearing on May 21. ORVLC is the sponsor of this bill.

Assembly Bill 1776 (McClintock) would eliminate the vehicle license fee over the next five years. The vehicle license fee (tax) is a sizeable portion of the amount paid to register a vehicle in the state of California. This bill not only applies to personal vehicles but all vehicles subject to registration. The hearing of this bill has been postponed and the concept is now part of the Governor's budget proposal. This will be one of the major subjects of the annual budget negotiations. Letters of support to the "Big Five", the Governor (Pete Wilson), the Assembly Speaker (Antonio Villaraigosa), Assembly Republican Leader (Bill Leonard), Senate Pro Tem (John Burton) and Senate Republican Leader (Ross Johnson) regarding this issue should be sent. The "Big Five" will ultimately negotiate the major sticking points of the annual budget drill.

Assembly Bill 1984 (Miller) would delete the authority of the Department of Housing and Community Development to adopt, modify or enforce standards for the manufacture of recreational vehicles, retaining instead the standards as established by the American National Standards Institute. ORVLC is on record as supporting this bill. AB 1984 has passed out of the Assembly on consent and is in the Senate awaiting assignment to a policy committee for its first Senate hearing.

Senate Bill 1639 (O'Connell) expands laws prohibiting the drinking of alcoholic beverages or possession of open containers to off-highway vehicles on public lands. While ORVLC supports the bill, we are working with the author's office to have amendments that would alleviate problems specific to many of the off-road vehicles. These issues include how to accomplish having a locking container for the alcohol, drinking while sitting on vehicle although not moving, etc. Because of the minor fiscal impact, this bill has moved out of the Senate Appropriation Committee and will be heard on the Senate floor within the next few days. If Senator O'Connell does not accept our amendment, then we will oppose the bill in the Assembly.

Senate Bill 1726 (Johannessen) prohibits the state Air Resources Board from adopting emission standards for all-terrain vehicles or off-road motorcycles that are powered by a 2-stroke engine. SB 1726 failed passage in the Senate Transportation Committee.

Assembly Bill 2439 (Bowen) would prohibit the use of watercraft with 2-stroke engines on lakes or reservoirs that are directly connected to a drinking supply system. This bill greatly affects Californians who have invested in marine recreational equipment and may now have the ability to use their equipment taken away. Not only is this a bad idea that directly effects many of us, it could also have an impact upon our OHV brethren of snowmobile persuasion. After all, they operate on snow which eventually melts to become drinking water. Especially in light of the defeat of SB 1726 this is not a far-fetched concern.

BACK COUNTRY DISCOVERY TRAIL UPDATE
- Janette McGarvie

Pack up the 4X and head for some backcountry adventure. Take along your "green sticker" toys, as many segments of the trail are open to green sticker vehicles.

CLEVELAND NF - A route through the Cleveland NF seems to be dead in the water for now due to intense opposition from the residents of Julian and Pine Hills. Residents of the two communities started a letter writing campaign to the County and the Forest that has made the proposal very controversial and unpopular. The forest is not interested in moving forward with the trail at this time. However, with ongoing meetings with the forest, this position may be reversed.

ANGELES NF - Has signed and dedicated 86 miles and will add another 61 miles to their segment of the trail.

SEQUOIA NF - The forest is about to issue a record of decision and final environmental impact statement on its trail system plan amendment. The amendment says it will begin designating the CBCDT routes, but the forest is expecting some resistance from local, non-motorized users.

STANISLAUS NF - A route of 221 miles is proposed in a forest plan supplement, the Motor Vehicle Travel Management Plan.

MENDOCINO NF- The forest has signed and mapped 86 miles and is working on a proposal to add an additional 60-mile loop.

SIX RIVERS NF - Trail in place, signed and mapped. A hiking trail with a panoramic vista point near the Bailey Canyon Campground is in the planning stages.

MODOC NF - The Modoc has the lead for coordinating the route for the Lassen, Plumas, and Shasta -Trinity NF. The planning effort will get underway this summer.

RIDGECREST BLM AREA - The trail has been identified and will be signed in the near future. An exciting part of this segment is the availability of old miners' cabins (which have been cleaned up by volunteers) along the route for overnight stops. This area has many historical mines.

Our "across the border" ceremony with Oregon will likely occur in 1999. The first phase of the Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route should be complete in June. This route will go from the border crossing at Dismal Swamp to Walla Walla, Washington. From there it appears the route will swing into Idaho to remain on public lands and head to Canada.

CALIFORNIA RECREATIONAL TRAILS COMMITTEE

Janette McGarvie, SDORC member, has been appointed to the California Recreational Trails Committee. The Recreational Trails Program is included in the reauthorization of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). It has been popularly called the Symms National Recreational Trails Fund Act (NRTFA).

Federal gas tax monies are appropriated by Congress each year for motorized and non-motorized trail related projects. Up to $30,000,000 may be allocated annually, nationwide. These funds are divided 70% for non-motorized and 30% for motorized trail projects. Among the grants awarded to the motorized recreation this year is a grant for $45,000 to CAL4WD Association to purchase and install signs along the California Back Country Discovery Trail.

ADVENTURE PASS REPORT, FEES PILOT PROGRAM - Janette McGarvie

On April 30,1998 a meeting was held with the staff of the Southern Province Adventure Pass program in San Bernardino. We were given a tour of the offices that handle the orders from the 370 vendors who have purchased 127,667 passes. Administration of the program appears to require a five or six person staff. The answer to our concern of determining which recreation was participating and at what level was always to be accomplished by compiling user data provided by the participant on the pass itself. The forest has not included in the database a field for recreational interests. What that means is that even if participants do specify what particular activity and/or location they intend to use or would like their recreation fee applied to, the forest has no efficient means to track the information. Currently the allocation process is strictly subject to the judgement of the Forest Supervisor and District Rangers. Work projects submitted by District Rangers have included restroom renovations forest-wide, campground improvements such as tables and fire rings, and general resource protection. When asked how many OHV projects have been submitted, they could not respond. However, John Wambaugh, San Bernardino NF, presented a report on the improvements to the Pinnacles Staging area which was funded with fee revenues.

At the beginning of the fee program we were told that the intent of the program was to develop funding for recreational services that can be directed back to those that are producing the funding. The OHV community currently supports the Enterprise Forest at about $1.3 million annually in Green Sticker grants. That represents 25% of the Enterprise Forest Recreation budget. Certainly those paying into those funds have a rightful expectation to either receive some refund on those grants or an added level of service equal to the amount of fees that are collected from them.

To overcome the lack of information on recreational interest, the forest has commissioned a survey through the University of San Bernardino to assess which recreational types are participating and at what level. The surveys will be taken at recreation sites chosen by the Forest administrative staff and chosen at random. It was estimated by a survey of 500 visitors that about 7% are OHV users and of those 50% did not purchase a pass. We were told that they estimate a 30% compliance from the OHV community this first year, increasing to 60% compliance by the end of the pilot program. I have recently learned that the Forest is proposing 40 additional fee areas statewide before the results of this current pilot are known.

As Chairman of the Fees Committee, I recommended at the OHMVR Commission meeting on May 22 that the Commission continue to monitor the fee program and that the issue be included in the agenda for the July Commission meeting.

OCOTILLO WELLS SVRA

The expansion of the SVRA with the exchange of 42,000 acres from the BLM is proceeding at a satisfactory pace. As of the projected completion date of 1999 the SVRA will be the largest in the state with 70,000 acres.

IMPERIAL DUNES

The BLM had proposed initiating a camping fee at Roadrunner, Gecko and Grey's Well campground this past desert season. That plan was postponed pending public hearings. Three open houses will be scheduled in the next 60 days at San Diego, Phoenix and Orange County.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

The annual Tankslappers Grand Prix will be held Sunday, July 12. Gates open at 6:30 a.m. This may be the last race at Carlsbad, so come on out and enter, cheer or help with the event. For further information contact Julie or Phil Allen at 619-588-8851.

Our next scheduled highway cleanup is set for Sunday, June 7. This is for our section of the "Adopt-A-Highway" program, which we as a group committed to participate in. It is next to Buckman Springs Road on Interstate 8. A barbecue will be held at Corral Canyon for participants following the cleanup. There should be time to get in some riding for those so desiring.

There will be a meeting addressing OHV grant requests from Southern California agencies on Tuesday, June 9, at 8:00 a.m. It will be held at the Ontario City Hall. Any members interested in expressing their input or just seeing how the process works should call Jan McGarvie at 619-561-3877 for further information.

RIDING PARTNERS WANTED

We received a call from a Pine Valley resident who would like to find a family to go camping and riding with him and his 13-year-old son. If any of you are interested give us a call and we will put you in touch with him.

ATTENTION SDORC SHOPPERS

Blue light special at SDORC meeting. Bring your wallet and select from our outstanding selection of SDORC shirts, stickers and, new to our inventory, ball caps!
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Last Updated June 8, 1998