Family Fun Four Wheeling

SANTA CRUZ, CA (February 9, 2012) -- Santa Cruz 4 Wheel Drive Club's annual "Last One Standing" 4x4 competition results in a generous $1100 donation to the BlueRibbon Coalition Legal Action Fund, a national recreation advocacy group.

Directors' Pick:  0 Press Release Eli Casey, Santa Cruz 4 Wheel Drive Club Trail Ride:  0

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The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) faces a critical hurdle in Washington DC.  As you know, a portion of the tax you pay when you fill up your snowmobile, ATV, Dirt Bike, 4X4 or PWC is made available to develop and maintain thousands of miles of motorized (and non-motorized) trails across the nation.

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MICHIGAN - FS Announces Decision On Proposal To Ban Gun Hunting And Snowmobiling In Areas Of Huron-Manistee NF--The U.S. Forest Service has released the Record of Decision and the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that addresses issues stemming from a lawsuit in federal court over gun hunting and snowmobiling in the Huron-Manistee National Forests. The Record of Decision and associated documents are posted on the Huron-Manistee National Forests' website: www.fs.usda.gov/hmnf.

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Yellowstone National Park - Winter Supplemental EIS Scoping Announced! Dear Interested Snowmobilers, I am sure many of you have followed the twists and turns of Winter Use Planning processes for the last twelve plus years.  There have been many.  In addition, the continuing legal battles in the Washington D.C. and Wyoming courts have yet to come to a conclusion that both sides will accept.

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Yellowstone National Park - Winter Supplemental EIS Scoping Announced!
Dear Interested Snowmobilers,
I am sure many of you have followed the twists and turns of Winter Use Planning processes for the last twelve plus years.  There have been many.  In addition, the continuing legal battles in the Washington D.C. and Wyoming courts have yet to come to a conclusion that both sides will accept.
The good news is that the next Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) process will start on February 3, 2012, and could provide for a much-needed, reasonable, science-based, long-

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Contact:  Jack Welch, Volunteer Consultant, BlueRibbon Coalition

Staff Column by Jack Welch
On Sunday, January 15th, I had the opportunity to join a guided group on the trek from West Yellowstone, Montana, to Old Faithful. Our guide was Gaylon Tibwell from Yellowstone Arctic and Yamaha Tours, one of the commercial trip providers from West Yellowstone, Montana. On my trek, I saw first hand how international visitors, fellow citizens and member of the U.S. Air Force from Utah enjoyed the snowmobile as a form of transportation to Old Faithful. The Israelis really enjoyed the adventure and took lots of pictures.

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 This update just in from Douglas County, Nevada, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hear a presentation on the components and framework of the Douglas County Conservation Bill on February 2, 2012.  Public comment will be heard on the item, but no action will be taken.  Public comment will also be taken at the Douglas County Board of Commissioners' February 16, 2012, meeting, at which time the Board may consider taking action.

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On Sunday, January 15th, I had the opportunity to join a guided group on the trek from West Yellowstone, Montana, to Old Faithful. Our guide was Gaylon Tibwell from Yellowstone Arctic and Yamaha Tours, one of the commercial trip providers from West Yellowstone, Montana. On my trek, I saw first hand how international visitors, fellow citizens and member of the U.S. Air Force from Utah enjoyed the snowmobile as a form of transportation to Old Faithful. The Israelis really enjoyed the adventure and took lots of pictures.

Directors' Pick:  0 Staff Column Jack Welch Trail Ride:  0

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The United Four Wheel Drive Associations are sending their Legislative Advocate to Washington DC in early February to discuss the pending Surface Transportation bill that eliminates the dedicated funding mechanism, upon which the entire Recreational Trails Program (RTP) relies.  Without dedicated funding, administrating entities do not have to fund the RTP Program.  While the Program would still exist in name, it is extremely doubtful that adequate funding would be supplied without Federal direction.

The latest email update from the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ASCA) is a reminder for tax-exempt organizations. Like ASCA, many BRC member clubs are tax exempt so we thought we would pass it along. We've pasted the information below. Please take a minute to read it over. Be sure your organization is up to date!! You can assist ACSA by joining your local snowmobile club. To find a club near you check ASCA's website HERE.  Select your state and join!

BLUERIBBON COALITION PARTNER UPDATE!

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The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Yuma Field Office will hold an open house on Tuesday, February 7, 2012, to update the public on the La Posa Travel Management Plan (TMP).  The open house will be held at the Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA) building located at 235 East Ironwood Street; Quartzsite, Arizona, from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. There will be a brief presentation about travel management planning at 2:30 pm, followed by time for residents and interested parties to individually speak with local BLM specialists and managers regarding their questions and concerns.

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Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today announced the release of the final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for a new Forest Planning Rule. The Planning Rule is a set of regulations which governs how the U.S. Forest Service develops individual Forest Plans.  Forest Plans provide a broad management framework which often guides subsequent OHV-related project level planning. The agency's press release is HERE. The Rule is HERE. BRC will be joining with recreational advocates and multiple use interests across the country in a thorough review of the new Rule.

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On January 9, 2012, BRC blasted a national land use update on the sage grouse issue and promised you an action alert. We are working hard assessing impacts to recreation and comment suggestions. We will have an update out soon. You ask; Hey BRC.... What about the meetings!!! Oh yeah! A lot of advocates are asking about the public meetings. Click Here for a breakdown of the meetings schedule by State and Region.  Many seasoned access advocates think these meetings are WORST place to give a comment. We agree.

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Our partners over at the New Mexico Off Highway Vehicle Alliance (NMOHVA), just sent us a their latest Access Alert on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Carlsbad Field Office's upcoming workshops. There is more information in the Access Alert, which is pasted below. The folks over at NMOHVA are doing outstanding work in the fight for access and are certainly deserving of your support, so visit their website and learn more about how you can help. As always, call or email if you have any questions or comments.

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The Coronado National Forest, located in southeastern Arizona, is considering changes to the designated road system. Now that travel analysis plans and proposed actions have been developed, the Forest Service is inviting public input and collaboration on the next phase of the travel management process. To ensure interested stakeholders and the public have an opportunity to provide input to potential changes in the Forest's designated road system and are well-informed about the process, the Forest Service has asked the Udall Foundation's U.S.

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DENVER, CO (January 19) -- Recreation advocates today filed papers to join a lawsuit about motorized vehicle access to the Rico-West Dolores area in southwest Colorado managed by the San Juan National Forest.  The lawsuit, filed in December 2011 by the Colorado Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, seeks to have specific trails declared off limits to motorized use.  The Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO), Trails Preservation Alliance, San Juan Trail Riders, Public Access Preservation Association and BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) today filed a motion to intervene and attain formal party status in the case.  The Colorado groups and the BlueRibbon Coalition have previously worked together in responding to similar threats in Colorado and Utah.  Collectively, the Recreation Groups have defended recreational access in dozens of lawsuits filed by preservationists across the country.

Image:  Contact:  Paul Turcke, Esq.

DENVER, CO (January 19)--Recreation advocates today filed papers to join a lawsuit about motorized vehicle access to the Rico-West Dolores area in southwest Colorado managed by the San Juan National Forest.  The lawsuit, filed in December 2011 by the Colorado Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, seeks to have specific trails declared off limits to motorized use.

Directors' Pick:  0 media Rico-Dolores Area, San Juan National Forest

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It's not too late to join the ongoing celebration of International Snowmobile Safety Week.  There are over 10 million people across the United States and Canada who enjoy snowmobiling as a fun and exciting sport. Each January, riders and the industry take time from their busy schedules (between work and having fun) to focus on safety.

Directors' Pick:  0 Staff Column Jack Welch Trail Ride:  0

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BRC just received an email from Mike Swenson, Executive Director of the Utah Shared Access Alliance (USA-ALL), with a quick note about an upcoming conference call with Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey that is open to the public. We've pasted USA-ALL's email below. Please take a minute to read the notice and then pass it along to friends, family and riding buddies. Thanks, Ric Foster Public Lands Department Manager BlueRibbon Coalition 

BLUERIBBON COALITION PARTNER ALERT!

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BOISE, ID (Jan 17, 2012) -- The BlueRibbon Coalition today filed papers seeking to enter a lawsuit threatening snowmobiling on lands throughout the National Forest System. The suit claims that numerous Idaho Forests have illegally relied on a "snowmobile exemption" in the 2005 Forest Service Travel Management Rule in allowing continuing snowmobile access.  BlueRibbon Coalition is a nonprofit, grassroots organization headquartered in Pocatello, Idaho, which has participated for more than two decades on the administrative, legislative and legal fronts defending reasonable access to public lands.