On July 6, 2009 PEER (parent organization of Rangers for Responsible Recreation – one of its rangers is being interviewed by the US Senate today for National Director of BLM) issued an error filled news release advocating for the gutting of the CA OHV Program.
As some of you know, BRC’s Don Amador spent over 100 hours in the summer of 2007 working with a core group from state parks, the OHV and green lobby, and the Governor’s Office on SB742 – a bill that would provide the state with an ecologically-balanced OHV program. At the end of the day, it got almost a unanimous vote of approval by the state legislature and was signed into law by the Governor. BTW – PEER opposed the bill.
A bipartisan committee (GOP, Dems, Enviros, and OHVers) back in the early 1970s: created the 1971 Chappie-Z’berg Act. The bill provided a stable funding source of non-General Fund monies to help pay for trail maintenance, law enforcement, new riding areas, and safety/education. This concept is similar to other user pay/user benefit state programs such as Boating and Waterways where fuel taxes on gasoline burned by boaters is set aside for managing reservoirs and waterways. In a similar fashion, fuel taxes on gasoline burned while operating vehicles off-highway is set aside for managing off-highway vehicle recreation throughout California on local, state, federal and private lands.
Read more here . . .
The General's (aka Don Amador) Recreation HQ: COMMENTARY ON PEER'S EFFORT TO DEFUND CA OHV PROGRAM