OORRACING
Pebble Pounder
I just got back from the El Centro BLM office and was handed a peice of paper from the EPA that is directing the following:
"ICAPCD (Imperial County Environmental Pollution Control District) should evaluate the feasibility and impacts of additional restrictions in recreational OHV areas, such as closing some of the 250 square miles that are open to OHV use that are particularly likely to impact populations, and restricting OHV activity during summer months when there is virtually no rain to reform surface crust."
Public comment is due by THIS THURSDAY 3-25-10!
This effects OHV users, Farmers, Local Land Owners, Construction Companies, The Imperial Irrigation District (handles cannals and cannal access roads), and anyone else that may kick up a little dust in the course of their day while in Imperial Valley.
Please take the time to submit a comment. Keep it respectful and mention all the groups listed above. There are thousands of people that use these areas. We need thousands of comments to make our voice known.
Please forward this to everyone you know that uses Plaster City, Superstition, and Ocotillo Wells. We need racers, play riders, off-road companies, farmers, construction companies, and the IID to make their voices heard before THIS THURSDAY!
Link to submit a comment http://www.regulations.gov/search/Re...00006480aab912
(I copy and pasted from another forum.. Even if you do not frequent these areas, please submit a comment. Land closures are happening EVERYWHERE, and we, as a group of Off Roaders, need to help eachother keep OUR PUBLIC LANDS open. Thank you. Also, here are a few different comments to help you as a guideline, DO NOT copy and paste, they are just an idea to get your mind flowing. :ror:
"please stop closing our deserts. moving sand is not going to hurt our planet
in times like these we (as americans) need to stop wasting resources on very insignificant issues.
instead of just closing land and restricting everything to our citizens of the country, we should be investing time and resources into improving how we operate motor vehicles and make secondary vehicular systems more efficient. Lets improve roadways, improve street light efficiency, work for a better public transportation system, road construction times changed to improve traffic movement, police to enforce a minimum speed limit on freeways and highways,etc...
dirtbikes, sandrails, trucks, atvs, rhinos, SXS's dont effect our earth. I can understand how the CARB thinks this, its always easier to gang up on a smaller outnumbered group
we cant move forward towards a cleaner california if we just keep putting band-aids on everything"
"The following action to restrict useage of this land would have great negative effects to business owners, farmers, OHV users, race car owners, construction companies, and campers. I personally have used this land and will continue to do so as long as it is premitted. I have been riding dirt bikes in Imperial Valley for the past 15 years and now I am imployed with a company that deals greatly with OHV vechicles that use these lands. Further impacting these lands will not only hurt my recreation time out there, but also my place of employment. It isnt just about me either, its all the fabrication/race shops from Mexicali, Mexico all the way to Las Vegas, NV and beyond. Local businesses would be force to close such as the Blue Inn and others that rely on the business of the visitors. The closure of, and severe restrictions of this land would have tremendous negative effects to the economy. There are also many organizations such as Clean Dezert, Drive, and many other organizations that organize clean-ups and promote clean desert efforts. The further impact to our shrinking area for OHV use is causing crowding and injuries to operators of OHV vechicles because there is not enough room for us to operate our vechicles safely. This area of land is prone to drought and is naturally a dry climate so dust is a natural occurance in this area, not just caused by human interaction with the land. I strongly consider that you do not pass this rule because of the negative effects it will have for Farmers, Local Land Owners, Construction Companies, The Imperial Irrigation District (handles cannals and cannal access roads), and anyone else that may kick up a little dust in the course of their day while in Imperial Valley."
