PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Action Needed for Responsible OHV Management in Colorado
  1. Signatures
    241 out of 500
    Petitioning
    1. State Parks Board
  2. Created By
    Jay Heeter
About this Petition Petition Letter

Dear Supporter of Public Lands in Colorado,

We are in critical need of your immediate help! 

As you know, a coalition of over 40 Colorado organizations representing hundreds of thousands of Colorado sportsman, conservationists, law enforcement, elected officials and trail users have been working with the State Parks Board to make much-needed changes to Colorado’s OHV Program.  This program distributes $3M-$4M each year in grants but does not substantially fund critical law enforcement or OHV damage mitigation efforts.

Our coalition has pushed for reforms that are common across the U.S. and will:

1) allow for a portion of the fund to go towards law enforcement and habitat restoration efforts and

2) ensure that the OHV Subcommittee that scores the grant applications and awards the grants includes members representing the sportsman and conservation communities.  Similar reforms have been supported by OHV user groups outside of Colorado, because they ensure that OHV recreation is protected and that illegal and reckless OHV use is stopped.

Unfortunately, radical Colorado OHV organizations have fought these reforms every step of the way.

 

ACTION NEEDED NOW!

The Parks Board needs to hear from conservationists before their next meeting, on May 7. 

At 8:50 a.m. on May 7 at the Woodland Park City Council Chambers (220 W. South Avenue), the State Parks Board will vote on a compromise package of OHV reforms.  Please consider attending the meeting yourself.

Feel free to personalize your letter.  Use any points you want and/or these:

*  I support reallocating sticker funds to law enforcement and remediation activities.

*  As [a hunter, angler, skier, snowshoer, hiker, camper, etc.] I am regularly out enjoying and experiencing our public lands, and witnessing firsthand the increasingly detrimental impacts of ORV overuse and abuse.

*  OHV money should be used for wildlife habitat improvements, promoting public safety, and for law enforcement to police the people in these sports that choose not to follow the rules.

As always, thanks for making a difference.

Also see this op-ed (“Reallocate Colorado OHV Funds,” 3/16/10) in New West:

http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/reallocate_colorado_ohv_funds1/C41/L41/

 

Recent Signatures

Critical Changes needed in OHV Reform Proposal

Dear State Parks Board:

I support and appreciate your efforts to reform the program to date. However, there are four critical elements that must be included in your reforms to the Colorado OHV Program.

As you know, a coalition of over 40 Colorado organizations representing hundreds of thousands of Colorado sportsman, conservationists, law enforcement, elected officials and trail users have encouraged you to reform Colorado’s OHV Program. Recently the State Parks Board received over 4000 emails/letters/phone calls asking that the $3M-$4M annual OHV Program direct 40% of the funds to law enforcement, 30% to habitat restoration and 30% to trail maintenance/construction. Despite this overwhelming call for reform, our coalition has worked in good faith to craft a compromise solution. Unfortunately, even this compromise reform package is being opposed by a vocal fringe of the OHV community that has opposed all reforms from the beginning of this process.

This opposition has sadly included personal and unfounded attacks on everyone from State Parks Board members, Department of Natural Resources staff and respected members of the sportsman and conservation community. Unfortunately, this opposition has caused the staff of the State Parks Board to not include (4) very simple but critical changes to the OHV Program. We are asking that the State Parks Board include these (4) elements in the final OHV Program reform package that you will vote on during your May 6-7 meeting.

The (4) changes that must be included in the reform package are:

Regarding the OHV Subcommittee:

1) Since (6) of the members of the OHV Subcommittee are “OHV or Motorized Recreation Enthusiasts”, the (3) new members on the Subcommittee must represent Non-Motorized interests to ensure diversity.

2) The (4) Ex-Officio experts on the Subcommittee (representing law enforcement, wildlife/biology, BLM & USFS) must continue to be able to analyze and score all grant applications and have those scores included in the final tally.

Regarding the OHV Grant Criteria:

1) The criterion focused on “Resource and Habitat Protection” has been a separate and independent category for years and it should not be changed to include “trail construction & maintenance questions” which is appropriately addressed under the “Need and Benefit” category.

2) Since Enforcement and Education are viewed as (2) of the (4) critical elements of responsible OHV management, these (2) elements should be a separate, stand-alone category and must not be further diluted by including a section on Travel Management Plans which is more appropriately addressed in the “Needs & Benefits” category.

On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Coloradans who support OHV recreation and want a program that reflects comprehensive and responsible OHV management, we want to thank you for your time and attention to this issue and ask that you include these (4) changes in the final OHV Program reform package and vote to support the overall reforms to this program.

Thank you.

[Your name]

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