We have read through the entire BLM Final rule document and highlighted the pertinent parts to save you all some time. It is very clear in its intent that the BLM wants to open land to e-bikes. BLM comes under the Dept of Interior umbrella along with National Parks, Dept of Reclamation and Dept of Fish and Wildlife (keep that in mind).
The report is very clear in its intent. It is to open up lands to e-bike use.
It also debunks ALL myths concerning e-bikes:
Affects wildlife..............same as bicycles
Speed..........................same as bicycles
Trail conflicts................same as bicycles
Soil erosion..................same as bicycles
Safety/injuries..............same as bicycles
It cites studies and conclusions, and used that to determine the final rule. This should alleviate OC Parks with the responsibility of doing pilot programs and environmental studies as they have been done and conclusions made by BLM.
The final hurdle with OC Parks is the environmental easement with the Irvine Company in donating the lands. I have also read through that document, and no where does it exclude e-bikes but does encourage mountain biking. E-bike technology did not exist at the time of creating the document. So it was erroneously interpreted that e-bikes are motorized vehicles (and Stacy Blackwood kept insisting at the various OC Parks meetings). Federal, state and Consumer Product law have settled the matter and clearly stated that e-bikes are NOT motorized vehicles (and further confirmed by the BLM final rule).
The public asked for a letter to be written to Fish and Wildlife to request if e-bikes can be allowed in OC Parks considering the land that was donated by the Irvine Company. F&W replied quickly (but the reply was withheld by OC Parks for 6 months despite being asked repeatedly if any response). It stated that only a simple language change would be needed to allow e-bikes in OC Parks. And if you look at the final page of the document (highlighted), you will see that Fish and Wildlife responded to the BLM final rule and stated they encourage the use of e-bikes in accordance with the BLM final rule and comes under the DOI executive order 3376. So since F&W oversees and is the regulatory agency for wilderness areas, it would seem that OC Parks is wrong in its assumption that they cannot lift the ban due to the Irvine Co. agreement. Additionally, F&W oversees the wilderness areas for surrounding counties of Ventura, Kern, San Bernardino, Riverside, LA, and San Diego counties. E-bikes are NOT banned in those counties. So why is OC still banning e-bikes? All reasons for prohibiting e-bikes have been addressed and for all intents and purposes, should be lifted.
Additionally, per Stacy Blackwood there are 38,000 acres under OC Parks control that are not affected by the Irvine Co. environmental agreement. Why can't those lands be opened up? The Irvine Co. agreement does not apply.
This piece was researched and authored by Kevin Schmidt M.D., Advocacy Director, Electric Mountain Bike Association.
Please join and support with your monthly donations of what you can afford The Electric Mountain Bike Association We are fighting for your right to ride. Make no mistake your rights to ride are under attack. The photo is a ticket issued to one of our members last month in Chino Hills State Park. He is fighting it with the information that we provided him. He is just one of many that have been cited and fined about $260.