4x4Wire

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (May 4, 2017) -- A settlement involving BLM Utah travel management has been favorably received by the courts, and is poised on final approval. Recall that a proposed settlement agreement was filed in U.S. District Court in Utah on January 13, 2017, affecting roughly ten million acres of lands in six BLM Utah field offices.

Following months of negotiations, the proposed agreement was signed by the BLM, preservationist plaintiffs led by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, and OHV advocacy organizations the BlueRibbon Coalition/Sharetrails.org, Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition, and Trails Preservation Alliance. Two groups of energy companies and the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) did not sign the settlement but do not object to it, while San Juan/Kane Counties, and the State of Utah along with six other counties, filed written objections and urged the court to reject the settlement.

PARON – The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission would like to remind everyone to be cautious and use good judgment when driving around water or deciding to go through with previously planned trips involving on-the-water recreation. Wildlife officers and other swift-water recovery teams were involved in many operations during the last week, but the work is far from over. 

We were returning from the Easter Safari at Moab. It was a nice drive that Saturday: sunny and warm but gusty. Soon after turning onto I-15, my radio crackled. Tim, one of my friends, excitedly reported a “major accident” involving a vehicle that had just passed him in the fast lane.

Caught by a sudden gust of wind, the Jeep careened into the cement retaining wall in the median, then bounced off into the guard rail on the other side, flipping several times in the process. Tim managed to narrowly miss being involved in the carnage.

Riders Unite is an idea born of a partnership between business, advocacy groups and riders all united to dramatically change the manner in which the Federal Government (and other land use agencies) see OHV interests.

Riders Unite aims to ensure that conversations about the management of Public Lands are not dominated by environmental and preservationist interests. Public Lands belong to everyone and OHV interests are legally entitled to a seat at the table. Our goal is to make sure that we are fully involved in all conversations regarding the management of our shared heritage. Although our arguments, based on demonstrable economic benefits and issues of fairness, are very strong we’ve faced strong headwinds for decades. The opportunity to change the narrative is now. The message “It’s everyone’s Public Land” resonates in the right places. It’s up to us, however, to take it to the next level – while the time is ripe.

National and Regional News

WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Donald Trump signed a resolution in March allowing use of the Congressional Review Act to block the implementation of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Planning 2.0 rule. The rule, touted by environmental groups, was opposed by the AMA and by state and local governments because the rule reduced local input on management plans for public lands. It also failed to address the economic impact and administrative costs of the proposed changes. U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) introduced H.J.Res. 44 on Jan. 30. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a vote of 234 - 186 on Feb. 7. The Senate voted 51-48 in support of the resolution on March 7.