Some local off-highway-vehicle users are fuming over a proposal to cut funding for trail building and rehabilitation by $2.24 million.
Proponents are asking Colorado State Parks to adopt a new formula for the distribution of OHV user fees, which riders pay to the state when they register their vehicles. The proposal asks that 40 percent of the $3.1 million available from user fees be used for enforcement of OHV laws, and that an additional 30 percent be used for additional signs that tell riders where they can and cannot legally ride.
“There is a desperate need for funding law enforcement,” said Aaron Clark, spokesman for the Southern Rockies Conservation Alliance.
DOWNLOAD THE COUNTY’S LETTER TO THE STATE PARKS BOARD.
Clark said funding of enforcement of OHV riders is left to counties.
“We need to restore the damage and close the illegal routes and enforce those (closings), so we don’t have more damage,” Clark said. “This is a reasonable way to help pay for it.”
The proposal is supported by organizations such as Responsible Trails America, the Southern Rockies Conservation Alliance, Trout Unlimited and the Colorado Wildlife Federation. It is opposed by organizations such as the Western Slope ATV Association and the Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition.
Opponents of the measure say it is a disguised effort to close trails and is supported by out-of-state money and special interests.
One opponent is Jerry Abboud, executive director of the Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition. He blames Responsible Trails America, which is based in Arlington, Va.
“They have seen fit to stick their nose into the programs of the Western states because they think motorized recreation is sort of a quasi-criminal recreational activity that needs a special jack-booted law enforcement,” Abboud said. “It is nothing more than an attempt to take money away from trails.”
Supporters of the proposal say closing trails is not their goal.
“Trying to close trails has nothing to do with it. Our view is we want law enforcement out there, and we want the damage that these machines have done to be repaired,” said David Petersen, state field director for Trout Unlimited’s Sportsmen’s Conservation Project. “They are minority users, yet they just kind of dominate.”
The Colorado State Parks Board is expected to hear initial arguments for and against the proposal at 10 a.m. Nov. 20 in the Frisco Town Council Chambers. The Parks Board is not expected to make any decisions on the matter during that meeting.
Steve Chapel, president of the Western Slope ATV Association, said the issue of law enforcement was resolved last year when the Legislature approved House Bill 1069, which authorized all Colorado Division of Wildlife officers to write citations on public lands for illegal ATV use.
“Law enforcement doesn’t need any more support ... HB 1069 quadrupled the amount of law enforcement out there,” Chapel said. “All law enforcement are able to write tickets and enforce the rules now, which wasn’t the case a year ago. It would be a waste of money.”
The Division of Wildlife tends to agree with Chapel, said Tyler Baskfield, communications manager agency.
“The amount of money would not allow it to make a huge difference. It would pay for about two full-time officers (for the entire state),” he said of shifting more user fees to enforcement.
The division favors an aggressive education process and more signs to let riders know which trails are legal and which are not, he said.
“A good majority of these areas are not properly signed,” Baskfield said. “People are breaking these regulations, not intentionally, it is just difficult to know where these ATVs are allowed.”
Clark said there is a working example in Colorado of how law enforcement can correct an OHV problem. But, because the OHV fund distributes all of its funds to trail building and restoration projects, there is no money that counties can apply for to help offset the cost of law enforcement needed to police OHV riders.
The counties of San Juan, San Miguel, Ouray and Hinsdale hired a pair of back-country rangers four years ago to police OHV riders in their counties.
William Tookey, San Juan County administrator, said the counties allow ATVs on all county roads. As a condition of that, three of the counties now require riders to be licensed, and all four require that they have liability insurance. In order to police those new regulations, they hired the rangers, Tookey said.
“I think it has had a real positive impact,” Tookey said.
The Mesa County Commission became aware of the proposal late last month and drafted a letter to the Colorado Parks Board to say it opposes the proposal.
“We fear that using the OHV funds for other uses will result in the closure of many trails,” reads the letter, dated Nov. 3. “We believe that this is, in fact, the intent of the anti-OHV group who submitted this proposal to the Parks Board.”
Scott Chase, spokesman for Responsible Trails America, said similar programs have been established in several Western states, including New Mexico, Arizona and California. He said it is the responsible thing to do in Colorado.
Email LEROY STANDISH
Comments
By David
Nov 14, 2009 11:35 AM | Link to this
Unfortunately, this old-school and simplistic ıit's our landı mentality doesn't fit the emerging realities. Anyone who observes the growing onslaught of machines in our mountains should realize that the very health of the land and wildlife habitat is at risk. More enforcement funding is desperately needed in Colorado and across the country.
By Joe
Nov 6, 2009 8:52 PM | Link to this
Polaris,
Policing our own does work, very well in fact. Have done it often. And I disagree, the majority of people DO get the annual registration. Rarely do I run across someone without one and I am out there a lot. It is enforced more than any other ticket item, by all agencies simply because that is where the grant money comes from.
By Bob
Nov 6, 2009 4:41 PM | Link to this
The law is there to write ticket after ticket;if it is not getting done then either there are not violations or law enforcement, including DOW is not doing their job. During hunting season, when most violations occur, DOW is on the ground eveywhere. If they are not writing tickets that should be written complain to them.
You can lead an officer to the violation but you can't always make him write the ticket. Most people when stopped will play dumb and get off with a warning, then of course continue the bad behavior. Enough with the warnings, write the ticket.!
And another idea; since the hikers and bikers complain about lack of law enforcement lets tax them $15 each annually for using motorized routes. That money can then go towards more enforcement and those people would then have a legitimate reason to ***** about motor noise in a motorized use area.
C'mon legislators, get er done!
By Polaris
Nov 6, 2009 4:33 PM | Link to this
Joe - I appreciate your response, but you don't need to attack. We both know policing your own is a nice slogan, but really doesn't work. These groups do keep our routes open, absolutely. However, sometimes they get wrapped up in themselves and don't look at the big picture. What hurt would a small amount of funds, surely not 40 going to enforcement? Think about it, we both know the majority of people don't get the required permit, enforcement would catch these people and by doing so add more revenue to our fund down the road. I bet it would pay for itself and then some.
By Joe
Nov 6, 2009 4:19 PM | Link to this
I have a hard time believing the most recent nameless person is actually an OHV owner and rider. If he is he should join a club and get his facts straight.
Have you ever heard of policing your own Mr. nameless? Are you the same type person that will stand by and watch an assault without trying to break it up?
If you are in fact an OHV owner and ever go to Grand Mesa or the Uncompahgre, or Bangs Canyon, or Rabbit Valley ,or Cactus Park then you can thank your local ATV club for keeping those routes open and maintained. Without active clubs like that more routes would be closed.
By Polaris
Nov 6, 2009 3:59 PM | Link to this
To say the matter of enforcement was done by creating a law is political spin. Please Mr. Standish gather a report of the number of citations issued by law enforcement. I am sure this number is extremely low because no resources are available to focus on OHV crimes. Education is extremely non-effective the only measure to take is active enforcement. As a person holding four OHV tags, I welcome some money go to law enforcement to focus on OHV crimes. I'm not naive every weekend when I go out riding I see new roads, careless riders, and I am sick of it occurring. If the OHV community like I care about our activity we will show that we support enforcement by providing grants similar to DUI enforcement. I am also sick of these user groups that encompass probably only 5% of the OHV community speaking their nonsense. We supported the house bills to pass now lets support getting the resources out there.
By what?
Nov 6, 2009 2:30 PM | Link to this
The ACLU...... seriously? poisonous people and I sure don't want them in my backyard! Like you said JWR - keep pushing the tiger far enough into the corner and he will strike back. It works both ways pardner.
By JWR
Nov 6, 2009 1:37 PM | Link to this
When you close lands to anyone for any reason -- whether it be this initiative or Hidden Gems -- they are no longer PUBLIC LANDS. They then become private lands and should be supported only by those who want them closed. These closures are highly discriminatory and self-serving. Several of us are already in discussions with the ACLU regarding these closures as they discriminate against those of advanced years and with handicaps that preclude them from hiking and/or biking in these areas. Public Lands mean just that -- OPEN TO EVERYONE. Let these out-of-state interests keep their hands off Colorado lands and Colorado funds. This attempt and Hidden Gems are merely attempts at self-aggrandizement and ego-centric. The VAST majority of off-road trail work and repair is done by the motorized contingent -- not by the hikers and bikers. Keep pushing the tiger far enough into the corner and he will strike back.
By TLC
Nov 6, 2009 12:30 PM | Link to this
You guys are missing the point. The enviro wackos are using this as the first step in closing all public lands to everyone except themselves. Look at the groups who are sponsoring this. I have met pigs from all sectors and there are those who treat out lands like it was their personal dump. ATVs Campers Hikers ect. If we donıt rise against these wackos it will all be closed.
By blootle
Nov 6, 2009 12:08 PM | Link to this
Maddy, I've plopped my pansy a onto all kinds of rides, including ATV's and dirt bikes, and I still think they are obnoxious. And I do try to hike away from the onslaught of your crowd, but now and then it would be nice to not have to make a huge expenditure of time and effort to get to someplace quiet. Wasn't long ago a person could. Why should people not tuned into your idea of recreation have to either put up with you or go elsewhere? And what about the old and not so nimble people that like to go to a drive-up lake and cast a line and eat a picnic lunch without having to listen to the herds tearing down the access roads and breathe their dust? Smoking laws have made it so we don't have to gag out everywhere we go. Might as well Big Brother your noise, dust and exhaust fumes while we're at it. And, yes, I have seen my share of rude and obliviously intrusive off roaders. I've also seen way too many slob hikers and fishers. I'm sick to death of these types and their kind in the everyday world, too. As I said, my wish is for everybody to chill and stop chasing the self-centered thrill.
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