Listen up folks, Just got this from Don Klusman, This is a direct attack (as far as I can tell) at closing the Rubicon and MANY other trails in Eldorado National Forest. We need to spread the word NOW! We thought we had a fight with the gate, this is 100 times bigger! That means EVERY SINGLE one of us have to do SOMETHING NOW!!! Don't wait until they CLOSE all of our trails to speak up. Write letters, make phone calls, send money, WHATEVER you can do to help, PLEASE do. I will continue to keep everyone posted as I am informed.
Scott Casagrande


A lawsuit has been filed suing the Eldorado National Forest. See press release below. I have already asked for a copy of the suit.

Thanks
Don Klusman

SACRAMENTO — CENTER FOR SIERRA NEVADA CONSERVATION
CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
CALIFORNIA WILDERNESS COALITION
NEWS RELEASE: For Immediate Release: Monday, February 11, 2002

Contact:
Karen Schambach, Center for Sierra Nevada Conservation, 530-333-1106 or 530-305-0503 (cell);
Daniel R. Patterson, Center for Biological Diversity, 909-659-6053 x 306, 520-909-2159
Keith Hammond, California Wilderness Coalition, 530-758-0380

PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS SUED: Feds Ignoring Off-Road Vehicle Laws; results in damage to soils and wildlife.

SACRAMENTO – A trio of conservation organizations filed a lawsuit Friday charging that Eldorado National Forest officials have failed to obey laws for managing off-road vehicles on the 786,000 acre Sierra Nevada forest between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. As a result, ORV use off designated roads and trails is uncontrolled and causing widespread damage to soils, wildlife, and vegetation.

Eldorado County-based Center for Sierra Nevada Conservation (CSNC) and co-plaintiffs Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and California Wilderness Coalition (CWC) charge in a lawsuit filed on Friday that the Eldorado’s Off-Road Vehicle Plan failed to analyze the effects of ORV use on the forest. It also charges the Forest with violations of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Forest Management Act (NFMA). The suit also challenges the Rock Creek ORV area decision, adopted in 1999, saying it failed to adequately address impacts to soils and wildlife, including the declining Pacific deer herd and California spotted owls.

According to Karen Schambach, President of the Center for Sierra Nevada Conservation, lack of the analysis renders the Forest Service unable to restrict ORV use on the Forest. “In lieu of enforceable Forest Orders, the Eldorado relies on signs that are routinely vandalized. Their law enforcement officers can’t cite riders going off designated routes; the riders know this, and the irresponsible ones are taking full advantage of the situation. You can go almost anywhere on that forest and see significant damage.”

The Eldorado’s Land Management Plan, adopted in 1989, restricts ORV use to a designated route system, but failed to analyze the impacts of the route designations to soils, fish and wildlife and other recreationists. Appeals of that decision to the Forest Service Washington DC office resulted in an order to the Eldorado to complete analysis of their trail plan by May 1997. The Eldorado has not initiated those studies, nor even indicated that it intends to do so.

Daniel R. Patterson, Ecologist with the Center for Biological Diversity said, “The Eldorado Supervisor John Berry can’t continue to dodge his responsibilities for limiting off-road vehicle harm. To protect the public-interest, we will vigorously pursue full compliance of NEPA and all other applicable conservation laws.”

A copy of the lawsuit is available upon request.

*** CSNC / CBD / CWC ***

For more information, contact:
Daniel R. Patterson
Ecologist
Center for Biological Diversity
909.659.6053 x 306
dpatterson@biologicaldiversity.org
Web site: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org

Posted in General Chit Chat:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=31849

And there's a sticky on the General 4x4 thread:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=31852

here we go with the fucking owls again :mad3:


:usa:

I am getting sick and tired of this fucking bull shit.:mad3: :mad3: :mad3: :mad3: :mad3: :mad3: :mad3:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/show...&threadid=31852

Originally posted by scramblin
I am getting sick and tired of this fucking bull shit.:mad3: :mad3: :mad3: :mad3: :mad3: :mad3: :mad3:

Scramblin- I'm not picking on you here, but what are you willing to do about it? A lot of people bitch and moan when a trail is threatend or closed, but that's all they do:mad: and nothing get's done. We all need to get involved and do it now! As a member of FOTR, I encourage all of you to get involved with this group. Get on the mail list and get involved! Go to www.friendsoftherubicon.com and get started.

Thanks for the thread Toyaholic!

Its my understanding that the Rubicon is not a target at this point, it is other areas of the forest. But it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on this just in case they try to pull a fast one.

The Thursday, Feb. 14th Mountain Democrat ran my editorial. Keep sending them in!

I couldn't find the editorial online, but here is what I sent them:

I am a firm believer in the public's right to engage in responsible off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation on our public lands. As an avid off-road enthusiast I am dismayed by the latest lawsuit filed by environmental extremists aimed at shutting down off-roading in El Dorado County (see article from SacBee "Off-road-vehicle impact not studied, suit says", Feb. 12, 2002). The is just another example of a small minority using litigation and half-truths to shut down access to public lands.
All of us want to be good stewards of our wildlife and natural resources. But these continuous lawsuits threaten countless communities all across America with economic and social disaster. In the case of the Klamath Basin, thousands of farmers were denied irrigation water because environmental extremists forced federal bureaucracies to give a higher priority to the comfort of fish than to the lives of humans. And now we are learning that these "endangered" species may have actually been harmed by the intervention. Time and again, environmentalists have been successful in closing off access to public lands based upon the inability of government agencies to properly monitor endangered species that are truly not endangered. Bad science and lawsuits shouldn't close off access to public lands.
If these environmental organizations were so concerned about the environment, why don't we see them organizing cleanups or helping manage habitat already set aside in national parks, monuments and wilderness areas? Because protecting the environment isn't their goal. They want to set aside huge areas that are not open to public use and they recognize that closing roads and prohibiting mechanized access are key to imposing their will on others.
Each year, millions of Californians, mostly families, enjoy the state's natural beauty in OHVs. We contribute billions annually to the state's economy. And while OHVs have become more popular while more and more land has been closed. When was the last time you saw a new trail open? The result is squeezing more people into smaller areas. This in itself can cause damage by over use. Unfortunately, large sums of money will be spent on litigation, money that could be used more effectively to improve recreation opportunities on public lands.
Haven't environmentalist ruined enough lives?

Crowdog

good job crowdoghttp://www.pirate4x4.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif


:usa:

There were three editorials in the Mt. Demo today. They ran mine again for some reason, and from Keith Ratzburg and Mark Nadolski. Keep them coming!

You can email the editor at: mtdemo@mtdemocrat.net

this was brought up at a Pacific North West Four Wheel Drive Asso meeting we aew willing to do what ever is neded just keep me informed and i well keep them informed


Email ERIC@SWJA.NET

i will do what can

I personally have never done the con or even seen it for that matter, but I definately hope to one day. These claims are pathetic. Conservationists bitch and moan over endangered bugs and soil so much that it becomes a major nuisance even when land developers want to try and build houses. Pretty soon the damn environmetalists will find more endangered fungus and try to close off land that already has people living on it. This must be halted. Before too long people might become the endangered species from being forced to live in such crowded conditions. If need be there should be more scheduled trail maintenence and cleanups, the environmetalists should get involved as well in helping the wheelers clean up the land. All they do is complain and try to close land off from everyone when they should be trying to help keep it open for everyone to enjoy. My dad always told me whenever hiking to "take only memories and photos and leave only footprints." While this may be nearly impossible to do completely for wheelers, I believe that practices such as these will give the people who run the con a better reputation. Crap like this pisses me off. We should all find some endangered mouse or somethin and let them loose in the environmentalits offices and houses and see how they like to have their lives screwed up. The next time they want to have a good time we should be there ready to f*ck it up for them since they are in essence trying to do that to us.

these treehuggers have the perfect ploys, thats the problem. they preach of saving the enviroment for our kids and all this other shiat, right on, i want to do the same. obviously they enjoy walking miles and miles in the woods to watch the wildlife, my question is, can't they go do that in a differant part of the 97,000 acres of national forest in el dorado county alone:question: no that would make it to easy, and unless you drive a VW, spend your social time at starbucks drinking 10 dollar mocca's as you talk about saving the world from these out of control drunk redneck 4 wheelers, then you don't deserve to enjoy the woods eather. And i'll bet a 12 pack of :beer: these are the same a-whores that are trying, and doing a damn good job at, taking away your rights to own and bear firearms.

get off your asses people, help these org's, clean up some trails and support your 2nd ammendment rights. the longer we take our rights for granted the less they are going to be there when we need them

I just donated $100 to the legal defense. You can use pay pal to do the same:

https://www.sharetrails.org/paypals.cfm

ianbike said:
Pretty soon the damn environmetalists will find more endangered fungus and try to close off land that already has people living on it.

I hate to tell you this, its already here. Its' called the Wildlands Project.

Well that just gets my panties in a bunch.