Help protect California ’s National Forests, State Parks and other public lands from off-road vehicle damage and disruption.
Join us and meet with your State Legislator to voice support for protecting California ’s wild places.

What’s At Stake?

California’s off-highway vehicle (OHV) grants program funds important law enforcement and restoration efforts to protect California ’s wilderness, wildlife, and waterways from off-road vehicle damage, and to protect our communities and recreation opportunities from off-road vehicle disruption. This year’s legislative session will be critical to the future of California ’s $18 million OHV Grants Program. The program is set to expire on January 1, 2008, and off-road vehicle industry groups are working to undermine important elements of the program that prevent and repair the damage caused by unmanaged off-road vehicle use.

A growing coalition of conservationists, outdoor recreation advocates, private landowners and community activists is working to strengthen the California OHV grants program to make sure that wild places and communities are protected from irresponsible and illegal ORV damage.

Join us for Lobby Day on March 13th at the State Capitol or for a local meeting with your representative.
Contact Brent at bschoradt@calwild.org or 510-451-1450 to attend ORV Lobby Day in Sacramento or to sign-up for a local meeting with your representative.

CALIFORNIA WILDERNESS COALITION | 1212 BROADWAY, SUITE 1700 | OAKLAND , CA 94612
EMAIL US AT: info@calwild.org | TEL: (510) 451-1450 (c)2001-2005 CALIFORNIA WILDERNESS COALITION

[LAO comments: Of importance is that this meeting is being held 1 week before the CLORV Lobby Day invitation sent out to all members of the legislature. This press release/invitation by CWC is being sent to the same legislators. The text they have written paints us as bad people and OHV radicals, which is not true. What they don’t say is all the good things we do, and are only out to control the sport of OHV, and to continue to have control of our money. Please note that former OHV Commission Chair Paul Spitler was the Executive Director of the CWC. He is a current sitting member of the commission right now. OHV has filed 2 lawsuits against this commission, and one just had a judge slap them down on the Desert Riparian Policy they have tried to enact. The 2^nd one filed is for being Arbitrary & Capricious concerning the Grants process that just ended.

The CWC statement “Strengthen the California OHV grants program” basically is a cash grab for control of more OHV dollars for restoration. The recent Grants hearings clearly saw the majority of OHV funds used for purposes other than what the legislature had intended for the program. Law Enforcement, as they say they support, had its funding cut by this commission due to excessive finding going to one area, that being Restoration.

District 36 supports, and always has, funding for Law Enforcement in a fair, and responsible manner. Support for Law Enforcement grants – on the public record, including the last grant hearings – are clearly supported by the OHV community. As an example, this last grants cycle had over $10,000,000 in statewide Law Enforcement grants submitted. This commission only allocated $4,000,000 total for the entire state. In reality, this is only pennies per OHV enthusiast per year. The bottom line is CWC want more OHV money for Restoration, and paints the picture OHV does not want Law Enforcement, which is not true. Restoration grant submissions did not even burn up the funds available, yet the excess could not be transferred to LE, or trail maintenance. Feel free to contact your legislator and let them know your views. Remind them this is a self funded, user fee based program for the last 35 years, and that you support Law Enforcement where necessary. Tell them to ask hard questions if they attend the CWC meeting, and to justify what they are saying here. Partisan politics should NOT guide the OHV program, as we are all Californians first, and this is a legal form of recreation for families. Let them know they are being deceived and not getting all the facts regarding the OHMVR program]
Dave Pickett District 36 Legislative Action Office - Director

Also check out www.calwild.org and their “Off-Road Vehicle Defense Campaign”.
http://www.calwild.org/action/alert_1.12.07.php