Keep our Public Lands OPEN! Oct 2014 Volume 3, Issue 7 BOISE, ID (October 6, 2014)--A newly-filed settlement agreement would withdraw restrictions on motorized and mechanized access to "Recommended Wilderness" Areas (RWA) in Idaho's Clearwater National Forest. The settlement comes in a lawsuit filed in 2012 by the Idaho State Snowmobile Association and the BlueRibbon Coalition, which alleged that the Northern Region of the Forest Service (FS) created an internal "recommended wilderness policy" that illegally limited management options. In the settlement, the Forest Service "dispute[s] Plaintiffs' claims" but acknowledges "that regional issuance of documents described as guidance for forest planning, including planning for RWA management, has led to confusion and misperception regarding the role that such documents serve with respect to FS planning, including motorized travel planning..." The FS commits in the settlement to issue a new decision that will govern motorized and over snow access management to RWAs. The agreement states the FS will endeavor to implement a new decision before the 2014-2015 winter season. In the
There’s a certain mystic about Baja California. Some people are scared to death of going south of the border and others crave going every chance they get. I am one of the latter, and was very excited when I got the call from BFGoodrich asking me if I would like to spend a couple of weeks in Baja putting their latest and greatest allterrain tire to the ultimate test… After all, Baja is where it all began for BFGoodrich back in 1975 when a group of engineers and other crew members came down to the wilds of Baja to test an all new tire that would soon take the off road by storm. In 1976, in an off-road world dominated by bias ply tires, BFGoodrich officially launched the radial All-Terrain T/A.
absence of such a new decision, management will revert "to previous management direction" which has authorized snowmobile, motorcycle and mountain bike access to some portions of these remote areas, particularly including the "Great Burn" along the north central Idaho-Montana border. "We are pleased by this development," stated Sandra Mitchell, Public Lands Director of the Idaho State Snowmobile Association, the lead plaintiff. "The concern over administratively designated wilderness will likely continue, but at least in this case the Service is agreeing to reconsider what we contend was an illegal expansion of the agency's role," Mitchell concluded. The settlement is awaiting court approval. Wilderness advocacy organizations have intervened in the case, and court documents suggest they will object to the settlement agreement. "We have on numerous occasions reviewed similar settlement agreements where the parties' roles were reversed," noted Paul Turcke, the Boise, Idaho lawyer representing the recreation plaintiffs. "We look forward
Nearly 40 years later, BFGoodrich is still doing product development in Baja. So what better way to launch the 4th generation All-Terrain T/A KO2 than in Baja? But this wasn’t going to be just a bunch of nerdy engineers getting their pocket protectors dirty and driving around a rental truck and running tread wear algorithms and calculations…This was going to be like no other tire launch I’ve ever seen. BFG invited approximately 200 media, industry VIPs and influencers to put the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 to the ultimate test. Armed with 22 Baja Challenge desert race buggies, 8 Miller Motorsports prepped Ford Raptors, and 3 rock crawlers all outfitted with off the shelf KO2’s, BFG intended on showing the world that the latest All-Terrain KO2 truly is not only the toughest all-terrain tire ever
1
to responding to any objections the intervenors may seek to raise," added Turcke. The case is entitled Idaho State Snowmobile Ass'n v. U.S. Forest Service, Case No. CV-12-447BLW. A copy of the complete settlement agreement may be viewed at http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/ ISSA_v_USFS_Case_CV-12-447BLW.
built, but provides the most traction and tread wear of any all-terrain. Guests would begin their adventure down at Horsepower Ranch which is located just east of Ensenada on the west coast of Baja. From there they would all get the opportunity to drive the Baja Challenge cars and Miller Motorsports Ford Raptors on parts of the actual Baja 1,000 race course all way up to Mike’s Sky Ranch (about 135 miles off-road).
Desert renewable energy meetings Public Access Victory
2
Ground Water Directive
3
NAXJA fall clean-up
3
BRC Membersip Application Nightmare at Nightmare Gulch EPA hiding water control attempt AA Links
3
MidFlorida JC Donations Rock UFWDA Membership application CA4WDC Sweepstakes Jeep Events & Staff
5
Special points of interest: The new BRC Blog is up and running. Content is being posted by our Director of Operations, Del Albright. http://blog.sha retrails.org/
2
4 4 4
5 6 6