: 2 more land closures in Arizona...read on....


RogueDogg1985
08-12-2002, 08:57 AM
This was an article that was found in the Arizona Republic.

Off-Roading is banned from 2 sites

In the name of curbing air pollution, the state has banned motorized vehicles from two tracts of state-owned land in the Valley.
The indefinite closures affect 78 acres newar Buckeye and 642 acres in the far North Valley.
Both parcels are undeveloped and often used by all-terrain vehicle enthusiasts. The vehicles chew up the desert crust, which holds dust in place, and then kick up microscopic particle pollution that worsens air quality.
The state took the action on the advice of the Maricopa County Enviromental Services Department, which is responsible for enforcing dust control rules. The county felt that the two tracts of land were a troublesome source of particulate pollution, said Nick Simonetta, a spokesman for the state Land Department.
The idea is to let the land “heal”, Simonetta said, adding that the motorized-vehicle ban will last until particulate levels drop enough to satisfy health standards.
The North Valley site is north of Cloud Road and between Seventh Street and Seventh Avenue. The Buckeye tract is between Interstate 10 and McDowell Road, west of Jackrabbit Trail.
People can still use the land for other activities, such as hiking and horseback riding, Simonetta said. That requires a permit, available from the department at (602) 542-4632 or through it’s web site at www.land.state.az.us/support/faqs.htm

As far as I'm concerned this is BULLSH!T *(pardon the language)* them damn gas powered leaf blowers kick up more dust and crap into the air than my truck does. What a way to keep some high paid pollitical kiss a$$ working. Anyways enough of that crap but here's the article and I hope that some of you take this as a wake up call as I have, we're getting a bad rap for something is so irrelivent that it's amussing to read. Anyone interested in contacting me for a possible follow up on this article feel free, I would really like to see the actual reports that justify this closure.

Brian "ROGUEDOGG" Ford

email me (bford@toughtoysaz.com)

Sully
08-14-2002, 12:52 PM
I agree that a slow moving truck doesn't kick up that much dirt.... But when you add in the quads and dirt bikes... those things tear the crap out of a trail. (not that I'm against them... They are just far higher RPM, wheel spinning machines, and that is half the fun of them.)

I think the valley could do a hell of a lot more to curb air pollution by instituting a decent underground public rail system for public transportation, than by cutting down on our precious few areas where we can still get offroad.