Congressional Public Access Hearing

[Grumpy]

Subcommittee to Hold California Field Hearing on Restoring Access to Our Public Lands

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands will hold an Oversight Field Hearing in Sacramento, California, on "Restoring Public Access to the Public's Lands: Issues Impacting Multiple-use on Our National Forests," on Monday, September 19, 2011.

BlueRibbon Coalition Executive Director, Greg Mumm said "We are extremely pleased to see Congress focus on the importance of multiple-use/sustained yield management on public lands." Mumm noted that recently completed management plans on millions of acres of lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service have emphasized a preservationist oriented management policy over the Congressional mandated multiple use policy.

Utah Representative Rob Bishop said; “Utah and other western states including California suffer each year from new and existing federal regulations and mandates that hinder multiple-use of our federal lands and resources. Many of these policies continue to be detrimental to the creation of jobs and the generation of revenue upon which so many communities rely. This is the wrong approach and defies the intent for which our national forests and public lands were created. This hearing will examine the effect of these policies on multiple-use and the subsequent impacts on communities and their local economies.â€

[Grumpy]

Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Closures and Analysis Paralysis Headline Sacramento Field Hearing



Trail history was made yesterday in California when a congressional subcommittee held a field hearing that was primarily focused on the loss of multiple-use access to, and use of, our national forests.


As HQ told attendees at the Ride Reno 200 Dual Sport banquet on September 17, the OHV community has a lot to be proud of as they are now having their access issues being addressed by both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Two examples of that seismic shift was that a representative from U.S. Senator Dean Heller’s office was at the banquet to listen to concerns about special recreation permits being denied to clubs and there was a September 19 field hearing in Sacramento. At the field hearing the loss of forest trail access, abuse of the event permitting process, and forest health were front and center.

HQ is very proud of all the access and multiple-use witnesses including Charles Hirst, president of the California Enduro Riders Assn., and Nick Haris, the western representative for the AMA. PEER’s testimony that OHV recreation brings zero economic benefit to local communities was shot down quickly by Eldorado County Supervisor, Jack Sweeney. Plumas County Sheriff Hagwood gave very compelling testimony. The hearing played to a packed house.

The Recreation HQ strongly urges you to take time and watch the hearing including the Q&A. There is some very compelling testimony in both the written and oral presentations.

Link to the Hearing’s Audio and Written Documents

http://naturalresources.house.gov/Calen ... tID=258843

Stockton Record Article on Hearing (pretty good overview)
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... 1/A_NEWS14

HQ agrees with the one or two hearing panelists that a “TMR reset buttonâ€

[Grumpy]

Please note the third paragraph regarding OHV economic impact