More restrictions loom for off-road travel in Idaho

[Ithaca 37]

More good news!!!

The days of unrestricted off -road travel are probably dwindling for off-road vehicle users on federal lands in Idaho.

Most national forests now limit motorcycles, ATVs and four-wheel-drives to existing roads and trails designated for their use, and the Bureau of Land Management may soon be taking similar steps.

The BLM controls about 12 million acres in Idaho, and about half that is open to unrestricted off-road travel, said Terry Heslin, BLM trails and travel management coordinator.

"We're moving in a similar direction that Nevada is," he said.........................................

http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050509/NEWS01/505090332

 

[BuzzH]

More good news, looks like the BRC is losing yet again! What a great organization.

 

[ELKCHSR]

More good news, looks like the BRC is losing yet again! What a great organization.

Stated in a maniacal sort of way...

 

[Muledeer4me]

Wow, another case of someone blowing half truth.



ROUTE DESIGNATION

The BlueRibbon Coalition supports the policy of limiting wheeled off-highway vehicles (OHV) use to existing roads and trails, in areas where cross country use of OHV has been adequately studied and shown to cause adverse impacts. An open classification, which includes cross-country travel, can be appropriate in areas such as sand dunes, borrow pits, play areas, and other open lands. In areas where existing trails are causing unacceptable impacts, relocation, or reconstruction should be evaluated before closure is considered. Where trail closure is required, additional trails should be developed to offset the lost mileage or opportunity. Additional trails and connector routes should also be developed in areas where existing roads and trails are not providing the necessary quantity and quality of recreation experiences.

The BlueRibbon Coalition acknowledges that an essential aspect of the snowmobiling experience is the freedom to travel off groomed routes to explore scenic snow-covered landscapes. The establishment of groomed and ungroomed snowmobile trails should be determined by appropriate agencies in cooperation with state and local snowmobile organizations, other land management agencies, private landowners and other publics. The BlueRibbon Coalition recognizes that limiting snowmobiles to groomed routes may be appropriate in unique areas such as Yellowstone NP, and in other areas as determined by land managers using a thorough analysis and public involvement process.



ROUTE DESIGN AND DIVERSITY

The BlueRibbon Coalition supports the use of OHV Master Performers, those individuals recognized as having exceptional skills and expertise, from within the agency and from private sources, to assist in OHV system planning, trail location, trail design and trail development. Proper trail location, design, construction or reconstruction has been shown to significantly reduce impacts caused by OHV recreation and improve enthusiast experience.

The BlueRibbon Coalition supports providing a range of opportunities and experiences in OHV riding areas. This range of experiences can vary from short easy loops for young riders and families to longer very difficult trails for more experienced riders seeking a higher level of challenge. Available experiences can also range from more concentrated areas with interconnected loops to long distance, point to point, trails for those seeking a linear trail experience.





ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The BlueRibbon Coalition strongly supports enthusiast education and, if necessary, enforcement to reduce irresponsible use. We also encourage active management by the agencies to redesign or relocate recreation routes that are causing problems to reduce these impacts. We recognize that recreational travel can cause unacceptable adverse impacts to the environment when used improperly, in the wrong locations or on poorly designed trails.





WILDERNESS

The BlueRibbon Coalition supports the designation of Wilderness in areas that truly meet the characteristics identified in the 1964 Wilderness Act, and where obvious evidence of human development, such as roads, does not exist and has not existed. We also support management of Wilderness areas for the use and enjoyment of the American people as required in the Act.

 

[Muledeer4me]

http://www.sharetrails.org/index.cfm



HUNTING AND OHV USE

"The BlueRibbon Coalition requests that state fish and wildlife agencies actively work with land management agencies to ensure that OHV travel management requirements are included in hunter education programs, hunter booklets and on unit maps to ensure that hunters are aware of any vehicle restrictions. We support the use of OHV by hunters. We do recognize that inappropriate use of vehicles during hunting season may cause unacceptable environmental and social impacts.





LAW ENFORCEMENT

The BlueRibbon Coalition supports the development and implementation of clear and precise OHV regulations and their strict enforcement. We also support uniform enforcement of all regulations governing land uses.





IRRESPONSIBLE ADVERTISING (Adopted 04-27-02)

One of the objectives of vehicle advertising is to influence the perceptions people have about the vehicle and its capabilities. Advertising that shows inappropriate or environmentally damaging activities can adversely influence the behavior of vehicle enthusiasts. The BlueRibbon Coalition supports adherence to the Tread Lightly! principles in all text and images in the vehicle advertising. Advertisements should always show safe and environmentally responsible behaviors. The Coalition encourages all members to contact the manufacturers whenever they encounter an advertisement that shows irresponsible activities. "

 

[Tom]

It reminds me of reading about spotlighting, actually torching, back in 1895. Some did it, some didn't, each yells back and forth at the other about ruining the hunting. They actually had laws going back and forth from year to year in the Adirondack's of New York during that time from the history that I read on it. One year dogs are legal, torches are not, then vise versa. Finally, they figured out how to enforce good game management. Good game management is the main thing to focus on with all of this type thing isn't it? What's legal is good game management, if its not good game management, its illegal.

Do they enforce these off road vehicle driving rules any? How does that work? It seems to me, from a distance, that a lot of the problem is enforcing the rules for the road use. Is that true?

 

[JoseCuervo]

Hey MD,
What is the Blue Ribbon's policy on illegal outfitting on BLM land by their executives???

 

[noharleyyet]

Hey MD,
What is the Blue Ribbon's policy on illegal outfitting on BLM land by their executives???

Do you have an example? I'm interested. Please elaborate.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Here is the E-Mail that the Executive Director sent out as he was allegedly "fired" or "resigned", or "parted amicably" after he got cited for allegedly blatantly disregarding the laws on Public Lands....

Media Release: Letter To Friends, From Bill Dart
Contact: Clark L. Collins, Executive Director
Phone: (208) 237-1008 (x101)
Fax: (208) 237-9424
E-mail: [email protected]
Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/index.cfm?page=21#Clark
Date: September 27, 2004


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dear Friends and Associates:

I recently e-mailed you asking you to consider contacting members of the Board of Directors of the BlueRibbon Coalition on my behalf and ask them to reserve judgment on my future as the Executive Director of BlueRibbon until the issue of the notice of violation I received alleging conducting a business on public lands without a permit was resolved.

On September 24 & 25, the BlueRibbon Board held their regular semi-annual board meeting here in Pocatello, and I had the opportunity to meet with the Board and discuss my situation with them. The end result was that we came to a mutually agreed upon decision that it would be in the best interests of everyone to resolve the issue at this time. Accordingly, I have resigned as the BlueRibbon Coalition Executive Director, effective 9-24-04. Many, many issues in the recreation access arena are ongoing right now, and BlueRibbon needs to direct all of its resources on these issues and not be distracted with side issues that might impact the effectiveness or credibility of BlueRibbon.

I am leaving BlueRibbon in an amicable manner, and I do not want this issue to affect your relationship with BlueRibbon. I want to ask each of you to continue to support BlueRibbon and its mission of "preserving our natural resources FOR the public instead of FROM the public" as you have in the past.

I also want to thank everyone so very much for your support. I want to tell you that it is hard for me to express how much your support means to me. I hope to be able to continue to work in the recreation access arena and have an opportunity to give something back to you in return.

If I can be of any assistance, you will be able to contact me by e-mail at <[email protected]>.

Bill Dart

 

[noharleyyet]

Sounds like their policy was to can him Jose. Has there been a formal hearing? If so, what was the outcome? Irregardless, he is disassociated, right?

 

[JoseCuervo]

I had not seen this E-mail till I just went and looked for it. Last time we checked in, he was denying that he did anything wrong and was keeping his position in the BRC.

It looks like he even went and made a plea to the rest of the membership to have them pressure the board to keep his job.

I doubt we find the outcome of the legal proceedings as he is no longer "in the public eye". So, it is good enough to know the organization has a history of blatant disregard for our Public Lands and the laws governing them.....

 

[Nemont]

Funny that he says he departed "in an amicable manner". If you read through this you will see he justifies all he did and goes onto accuse a board member of conducting illegal snowmobile rides. It appears his ouster was anything but amicable.

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=181993&page=1&pp=10

Nemont

 

[noharleyyet]

Nemont, any current info available? This was Sept. 04...and you're right, not too amicable.

 

[SageGhost]

reply..

i think this might be your GREATEST cut and paste job yet..kudos !!!!!

 

[Muledeer4me]

I havent followed that either,but I had hoped that if found guilty he would get the big boot and be made to pay .
Same thing I think should happen to anyone that is illegal.
Make the punishment fit the crime and be swift about it.

"Hey MD,
What is the Blue Ribbon's policy on illegal outfitting on BLM land by their executives???"

Jose,
My take is that I dont give a rats butt about who you are or what position a person holds ,if your illegal your illegal and should pay the price.
We all understand that no group is safe from morons that use there position to make more money or get a free ride.
From the executive of the BRC to Laywers to Bill Clinton. LOL
Scumb is scumb no mater what position a person holds.



"August 20, 2004
Bad News for Bad Lawyers
Getting bad lawyers out of the legal profession isn't cheap. Just ask State Bar of California officials who have calculated that policing their own puts the agency in a financial hole to the tune of about $600,000 a year.
But that might be changing soon as agency leaders push aggressive new measures that could force errant attorneys to pay a substantial portion of the costs of their own prosecution in State Bar Court."

 

[Ithaca 37]

“BAD APPLE” LEADER OF THE BLUE RIBBON COALITION GETS BUSTED


The Forest Service frequently calls on organized motorized recreation groups to self-police. The recent citation of the BlueRibbon Coalition’s director for illegal dirt bike guiding demonstrates the failure of the agency’s strategy of employing the fox to guard the henhouse. Bill Dart was cited for exemplifying “bad apple” behavior on August 20th when a Sawtooth National Forest officer encountered Dart providing paid, backcountry motorcycle tours without an outfitters license. Forest Service spokesman Ed Waldapfel said the fine is $250 and could be paid by mail or contested in court.


Dart has been temporarily placed leave and Clark Collins, co-founder and former director of the national off-road vehicle group, is now serving as acting director in the interim.


The Associated Press reported that Jake Howard, director of the state Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board, said that the board would likely prosecute Dart for illegal outfitting if the Forest Service citation stands up.


But Collins emphasized that "the plain fact of the matter is that in our legal system he's innocent until proven guilty, and that's pretty much where we're at."


=============================================================

September 1, 2004, Idaho Falls Post Register....
BlueRibbon Coalition chief placed on leave Director charged with
outfitting
with no license

Associated Press

BOISE (AP) - The director of the BlueRibbon Coalition has been placed on
indefinite administrative leave after being cited earlier this month for
outfitting without a license in the Sawtooth National Forest.

Bill Dart was placed on leave without pay pending resolution of the
charge
against him, said Clark Collins, former director of the off-road vehicle
group who is serving as acting director in the interim.

"We're taking this very seriously," Collins said Monday from the
organization's headquarters in Pocatello. "Right now, it's a board
matter."

Dart did not immediately respond to a telephone request from The
Associated
Press for comment.

But Collins emphasized that "the plain fact of the matter is that in our
legal system he's innocent until proven guilty, and that's pretty much
where
we're at."

Forest Service spokesman Ed Waldapfel said Dart was cited by enforcement
agent Breck Young on Aug. 20 for providing backcountry motorcycle tours
for
a price to an unknown number of clients.

Waldapfel said the fine is $250 and could be paid by mail or contested
in
court. There was no indication Monday whether Dart would contest the
citation.

Jake Howard, director of the state Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board
said that if the Forest Service citation stands up the board would
likely
prosecute Dart for illegal outfitting. Dart became the coalition's
executive
director last fall after serving as its public lands director since
mid-2002. He replaced Collins, the group's co-founder, who has been
concentrating full-time on fund-raising and membership development.

Before that, he was an official for the American Motorcyclist
Association
in
California.
http://www.sierraconservation.org/Dart citation.htm

 

[Ithaca 37]

MD4me, Sorry, I can't see your posts. I know I'm not missing anything important. Keep sending your money to the BRC, they need it to pay a headhunter to find them a new director!

 

[JoseCuervo]

Ithica,

You didn't miss anything by having MD on "Ignore". She made some looney post about the guy from BRC, Bill Clinton, and Lawyers in California, none of which are related topics. She then expressed concern about black helicopters that keep circling her house and how she has proof that the world is flat.

I'll pass along anything if she starts making sense, but I don't think you will need to check back anytime soon based on these posts.