July 2023

(Photo credit: Ty VanHooydonk) A Major Victory for the OHV Community at Oceano Dunes The San Luis Obispo County Superior Court ruled that the California Coastal Commission (CCC) does not have the authority under state law to ban all OHVs at Oceano Dunes. The Court’s ruling covered four lawsuits – three brought by Friends of…

June 2023

BLM’s Proposed Public Lands Rule Faces Opposition In early April, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule that, according to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA), as amended, and other relevant authorities, would advance the BLM’s mission to manage the public lands for multiple…

May 2023

America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA) Passes Out of Committee On May 17, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed S. 873, America’s Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA), by unanimous consent. The landmark legislation introduced by Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Committee, had solid bi-partisan support throughout the committee process.   “For years, many Senators have been working…

April 2023

(Photo credit: Mike Passo, American Trails) International Trails Summit Breaks Attendance Records The International Trails Summit (ITS), which took place in Reno, Nevada, April 17-20, 2023, was a rousing success, with over 900 attendees and more than 130 informational sessions representing 20 countries and 47 states, making it the largest Summit ever. Co-hosted by American Trails and…

March 2023

(Photo credit: Oceano Dune Riders)   Another Victory for Friends of Oceano Dunes In early March, Friends of Oceano Dunes won another legal battle against the California Coastal Commission to keep OHV access open at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. The San Luis Obispo County Superior Court rejected a motion by the State…

February 2023

(Photo credit: Don Amador) ARRA Members Voice Concerns at Recent CA State Parks Meeting Don Amador – ARRA partner and AMA District 36 Government Affairs Director – along with approximately 40 representatives from various OHV groups, ARRA partners, conservation organizations, and individual stakeholders, attended a February 16th open house in Pleasanton, California hosted by California…

January 2023

Scott Schloegel, Senior Vice President Government Relations, MIC, ROHVA, & SVIA, congratulates chairman Westerman Outdoor Recreation Groups Attend Open House for Rep. Bruce Westerman   On January 31st, outdoor recreation community members attended an open house to welcome Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) as Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. The standing-room-only event was well…

December 2022

Office of Outdoor Recreation Established in Massachusetts For over a year, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) and its members worked with Governor Baker, Lieutenant Governor Polito, Secretary Card, and their staff to establish an office that provides a wide variety of outstanding recreation opportunities. In early December, Massachusetts became the 18th state to establish an Office of…

November 2022

Outdoor Recreation Economy Bounce in 2021! On November 9, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) confirmed what many in the outdoor recreation community suspected: America’s entire outdoor recreation industry had a record-breaking year in 2021. According to the BEA, the new data shows that outdoor recreation generates $862 billion in economic output and…

October 2022

Over $750M Awarded Through the American Rescue Plan Funding In 2021, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable wrote a letter to Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, to ensure the prioritization and funding for outdoor recreation as part of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) American Rescue Plan funding. This effort was rewarded when EDA announced $750 million in funding for Travel, Tourism, and…