4x4Voice

A positive step forward has been achieved in on-going efforts to build relationships with public land managers by United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA) and was negotiated by Carla Boucher, the UFWDA legal advocate, who stated:

The recently signed Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between the US Forest Service (USFS) and UFWDA indicates strongly the desire of both the Forest Service and UFWDA to express our common support for four wheel drive motor vehicle use recreationally on lands managed by the US Forest Service.

ANOTHER MASSIVE NATIONAL MONUMENT PUSHED IN UTAH!

Greetings Utah BRC members and supporters...

Given the news of this week, we felt a need to update our update. We hate to inundate your inbox like this, but the threat is real, and you need to know about it.  

Situation:
For whatever reason (November election, perhaps?) the Washington, DC.., Wilderness Lobby has twisted their proverbial throttle to "WIDE OPEN."

From Montana, we learn the Wilderness lobbyists feel "emboldened by election results" and are pushing the incredulously named "Forest Jobs and Recreation Act." That's Montana Senator Jon Tester's pitch to add an additional 600,000 acres to Montana's already impressive 3.5 million plus acres of Wilderness.  

And in California, our friends at the American Lands Rights Association recently sent an action alert noting plans for yet another new National Park are in overdrive. Ditto for Wilderness efforts in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.

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Litigants fail to recognize the consequences and threat their reckless lawsuit immediately poses to condor conservation

Nov 6, 2012 - The Arizona Game and Fish Department today filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit recently filed against the Kaibab National Forest by the Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Wildlands Council and Center for Biological Diversity. The groups want the U.S. Forest Service to place a mandatory ban on hunting with lead ammunition in northern Arizona.

The authority governing hunting regulations rests only with the state and Arizona Game and Fish believes that voluntary, cooperative efforts to reduce lead available to condors is the best approach for long-term success of the condor program. The department also believes that a mandatory ban could create a backlash against condor conservation and hinder future endangered species’ reintroductions if the original condor reintroduction agreements are changed by court order.

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OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE GROUP WINS HISTORIC CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT  LAWSUIT AGAINST STATE PARKS: TRUCKHAVEN TRAILS STAY OPEN

After nearly 18 months of hard-fought litigation, EcoLogic Partners, Inc. ("EcoLogic") has prevailed in its California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lawsuit against the California Department of Parks and Recreation ("State Parks") over the closure of recreational vehicle routes in Truckhaven (also known as the "Freeman Property").  On October 16, 2012, Judge Jeffrey Jones of the Imperial County Superior Court issued his final Judgment in the action, finding that State Parks violated CEQA when it approved a "boundary signage and fencing" project without first analyzing whether and to what extent the project would have adverse impacts on natural and recreational resources.  As a result of the Court's ruling, State Parks' decision to approve the boundary signage and fencing project has been set aside.

Welcome to the launch of the 4x4Voice BLOG.

Watch for weekly commentary about recreation and environmental issues affecting your recreation opportunity.

Expected commentary will address the increasing regulation burden on OHV recreation from local public land administrators and the federal EPA along with increased congressional action to create additional wilderness.

Legal cases lead the headlines for October.  Action continues in the long running WEMO case.  While the below information notes a September 2009 date, legal action has been occurring with WEMO and other southern California desert plans for over a decade.  Throughout this time, Cal4Wheel has been active in the issues while partnering with the BlueRibbon Coalition for legal support.

WEMO (the continuing Saga) -  On September 28, 2009, Judge Illston entered an “Order re: Summary Judgment Motions” finding that Defendants United States Bureau of Land Management, et al., (“Federal Defendants”) had violated the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) and the Federal Land and Policy Management Act (“FLPMA”) when they adopted the Western Mojave (“WEMO”) management plan amendment.