April 2, 2002

NATIONAL NEWS

Jet Ski Rollbacks in Congress
The personal watercraft industry and congressional allies are looking to overturn a decision to protect national parks from jet ski abuse. On March 20, 2002, the House Resources Committee approved a bill (HR 3853) that contains a provision that would keep jet skis in 21 National Parks, seashores and recreational areas for at least two more years. Under a current Park Service rule and a court-approved settlement between the agency and Bluewater Network, park units must issue formal rules authorizing jet ski use to continue by April 22 or September 15 of this year or such use will be eliminated until rules are issued. During Subcommittee and full Committee consideration, Representative Rush Holt (NJ) offered an amendment to strike this provision from the bill. Unfortunately, the Holt amendment was narrowly defeated.

H.R. 3853 would overturn a court settlement without a single congressional hearing. This technical corrections bill has been rushed through sub and full committee without an oversight hearing to assess the need for and ramifications of postponing protection for these special areas. In addition, tens of thousands of citizens have already
made the park service aware of their opposition to allowing jet skis in parks in the March 2000 final rule. Their voices will be lost if this legislation advances. A vote is expected on the house floor regarding H.R. 3853 as soon as Congress gets back from recess next week.

Endangered Species Imperiled at the Dunes
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently published a Draft Recreation Area Management Plan to regulate dirt bike, ATV, monster truck and other off-road vehicle use in the Algodones Dunes in Imperial County, California. The BLM proposes to reopen more than 49,000 acres of the Dunes that are currently closed, to motor vehicles. The BLM's preferred alternative, if implemented, would erase a November 2000 agreement between the BLM, conservation groups, and off-road vehicle organizations to close this area until a plan is developed that will permanently protect endangered species. The Algodones Dunes are home to the endangered Pierson's milk vetch, desert tortoise, and many other rare, threatened, and endemic species.

The BLM's Recreation Area Management Plan can be found on the web at:
http://www.ca.blm.gov/elcentro/isdra_deis.html
A history of the dunes can be found at
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/goldenstate/cdca/algodones.html

REGIONAL NEWS

Off-Road Vehicle Trespass - a National Issue

MAINE
Private property owners are finding off-road vehicle damage to be an escalating problem financially, ecologically and emotionally.

On March 24, 2002 the Portland Press Herald documented the story of Harlan Brown whose experience parallels the problems other landowners are having with off-road vehicle trespass. Brown has been posting signs, and has gone as far as installing heat and motion sensors on his property to aid him in preventing further damage to his property from off-road vehicle abuse.

Corporate landowners like International Paper and Portland Natural Gas Transmission System are trying to mitigate ATV and other off-road vehicle damage and trespass on their corporate properties as well.

Some of steps these corporations have taken to mitigate damage including hiring security officials, installing large boulders and putting up barricades.

Read the article online at: http://www.portland.com/news/state/020324atv.shtml

QUOTE OF THE WEEK -
"Brown is among a growing number of Maine landowners who are frustrated by irresponsible all-terrain vehicle riders who descend on their property during mud season and tear up roads and trails with their vehicles. It's illegal to ride on someone's property without permission, but many enthusiasts do it anyway. The damage that results can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to repair."

Portland Press Herald, Sunday, March 24, 2002

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