MOAB Closeing?

[Ghost00TJ]

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s799/text

Does this mean all this is now closed?

[Fred]

Doesn't say anything about offroad vehicles. All it says is they are forming wildlife managment areas

[HillBillE]

Doesn't say anything about offroad vehicles. All it says is they are forming wildlife managment areas

Not specifically, but they use the word preservation, which should have all of us scared!

Conservation means the managed use of an area,

Preservation means just that, preserved as is, no motorized use.

Theyre are plenty of orginaizations out there that would love to shut down any form of motorized recreation, here in MN we have ZERO trails designated for Jeeps/Trucks, and only 2 state run OHV parks.

You can't even cross a stream in MN, unless you use a bridge!

It's illegal to drive in any area that contains cattails.

The enviro-nazi's are out there, so write some letters, join the UFWDA, and your states FWDA, the Blue Ribbon Coalition or other group that supports our hobby!

[Navy-Jeepster]

I posted a press release with the names of the sponsors of this bill.

I would bet that most if not all of them have never been to Utah to look at this land, and the recreation that is there.
They do not care. The sponsor of the bill is from Illinois.

Go here for a map of the areas that are having wilderness added:
http://www.protectwildutah.org/proposal/index.html

There is a big map, and a map of the smaller areas.

Moab is in the lower right hand side of the map. This bill will add areas in every direction around Moab.

We need to write our elected representatives, and ask them to not sign this bill.

Comment on how much you recreate, and would like to enjoy these areas with your family in your 4x4.
If you have a disability, and can not walk into these areas if they become wilderness, please state that.

But the Anti-Access folks do not care if we are ever allowed to recreate in these areas with a 4x4, and most of them supporting this bill, will never venture out into these areas.

Thanks

Todd

[korisu56]

Do you have like a nicely-worded template letter? I wouldn't mind sending one in, I just wouldn't know where to start.

[Navy-Jeepster]

I can post part of one that I have used before.

Todd

[Navy-Jeepster]

Here is a good way to start a letter.
This is from Del Albright's web site: http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/letters.htm

The Honorable <Congressperson>

Address

Washington DC 00000


Dear Congressperson ______:


I am writing to let you know that I am opposed to any legislation that might close roads in the southern California desert. I appreciate the efforts of you and your staff thus far with all the legislation that has come before you. I know you are working hard to keep the interests of the public first in your mind. However there are too many bills before you now that are threatening to take away our rights to use public land.


As I see it, there are three important points that you should consider:


1. The opportunity for motorized recreation has been severely limited by previous legislation; nearly ____ miles of roads have already been closed;


2. The number of back country recreationists and off road enthusiasts is growing every day; nearly a __% increase in our local club alone.


3. Many of the roads in the desert have been there since the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, and are the only realistic way to see the many historic and cultural resources in the back country.

I have been exploring the back country for over thirty years. I have yet to place a tire where it didn’t belong. I want my children to enjoy the same opportunities to explore the desert and its vast expanses of scenic wonder -- by vehicle. Most of us who adventure in the back country are responsible recreationists and deserve the right to continue our sport.

Let me close by saying again that I am opposed to any legislation that might close any more roads in the southern California desert. I request that you vote against any such legislation. I would also like to be included on your mailing list and notified of any actions that affect this area.

If I may be of any help, or provide you with any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

you.....

and your phone number, email address, and address.

******************************

To summarize the tips I’ve offered you:

1. State your key message right up front, in the fir

st sentence.

2. Say something nice and acknowledge previous and ongoing efforts.

3. Lay out your facts in bullet point form.

4. Establish your credentials (if necessary).

5. Close by summarizing your key message and requesting specific action.

6. Include a pleasant salutation and a sincere offer to help.

[SGM O]

I copied this from the link that Navy-Jeepster posted, the red text say it all. The real issue is that this is not being supported by the folks in Utah but Senators in Illinois, Massachussetts and Rhode Island. We need to make sure our voice is heard on this.

"But the BLM, in its wilderness inventory process during the 1980s, as mandated under the 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act, disregarded many qualifying lands and failed to give them protective status as Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs). This left them open to the ravages of resource development and rampant motorized recreation. All this, despite the fervent cry of opposition from citizens everywhere.
In response to the agency’s clear negligence, citizen activists and technical experts alike have completed two unassailable groundtruthing efforts. The first citizens’ inventory covered only portions of Utah BLM lands but nevertheless found 5.7 million acres to qualify. In 1989, the late Representative Wayne Owens first introduced a bill to designate these lands as wilderness in the U.S. Congress, then as H.R. 1500. As support for the proposal grew, from 1996 to 1998 Utah activists conducted a second, more comprehensive inventory that documented over nine million acres of Utah BLM lands that qualify for federal wilderness protection. Many of the newly inventoried lands were in the remote West Desert, which had been little studied until then. In 1999, Utah wilderness champions, Representative Maurice Hinchey of New York (who in 1993 had replaced Wayne Owens as the Utah Wilderness champion) and Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois introduced this expanded version of the proposal. Since these introductions, bi-partisan support for America’s Redrock Wilderness Act has grown steadily in both the House and Senate; in the 108th Congress 163 representatives and 16 senators supported America’s Redrock Wilderness Act. What’s more, over 240 local and national environmental groups and other organizations have endorsed the Citizens’ Proposal as they became members of the Utah Wilderness Coalition."

[Navy-Jeepster]

Also, if you ever have the opportunity to look at the book called " Thrillcraft, The Environmental Consequences of Motorized Recreation."
This is a book that the Anti-Access/Recreation crowd likes to put on the door step of every elected official.

That is what we have to combat in this fight to keep trails open.

Myself at UFWDA, Del at BRC and others are fighting this stereotypical picture that they paint of us that recreate with a 4X4.

Please, take the time to write a letter or two to show our opposition to the expansion of wilderness in this country.

Enough is Enough.

Todd

[HillBillE]

Thrillcraft, now thats a scary organization! They want to ban everything with a motor!!

Please do what you can folks, as Navy-Jeepster says, there are a lot of 'anti's' out there, trying to shut down our sport.

We need to make our voices heard, and tread lightly when we wheel.