July 2021

(Photo credit: American Trails)   ARRA Weighs In on Senate Infrastructure Package As the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works consider provisions for the infrastructure package, ARRA weighed in on that discussion. ARRA submitted a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the respective…

June 2021

(Photo credit: NOHVCC) The Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act Reintroduced On June 1, Rep. Joe Neguse, Chair of the U.S. Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, introduced H.R. 3670, the Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation (SOAR) Act, legislation which would simplify the permitting process for outdoor guides, outfitters, education organizations, and college and…

May 2021

(Photo credit: American Trails) The 2021 RTP Achievement Awards Nominations Are Open The Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT), representing the nation’s top trail-related organizations, announced plans for the 2021 Tom Petri Annual Achievement Awards recognizing outstanding trail projects funded by the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). The RTP has dramatically enhanced the quantity and quality of…

April 2021

(Photo credit: Oceano Dune Riders) MIC, SVIA, and ROHVA Respond to Recent California Coastal Commission Activities Citing dust control, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) wants to eliminate 66 acres of off-highway vehicle (OHV) riding and camping space at the historic Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. At an April 15 hearing, the commission voted to…

March 2021

(photo: CA Parks) Coastal Commission Votes to End OHV Access at Oceano Dunes Despite an ARRA letter campaign, which generated more than 4,300 letters, the Coastal Commission voted unanimously at the March 18 meeting to end OHV activity at ODSVRA within three years. The original staff recommendation was to close ODSVRA to OHVs within five…

February 2021

Outdoor Recreation Community Responds to Preserve Access at Oceano Dunes In response to California State Parks (PARKS) December 31, 2020 release of the Draft Public Works Plan (PWP) and Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Pismo State Beach and Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA), the outdoor recreation community collectively demonstrated their opposition to the concerning…

January 2021

(Courtesy of Don Amador) OHV Access in Jeopardy at Oceano Dunes In Dec. 2020, California State Parks (PARKS) released the Draft Public Works Plan (PWP) and Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Pismo State Beach and Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA). If implemented as drafted, the proposed PWP would create significant adverse economic…

December 2020

(Courtesy of Mario Mairena) Congress Passes Omnibus Appropriations Bill and COVID Relief Bill In late December, Congress passed HR 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The $2.3 trillion comprehensive package included $1.4 trillion for the 12 appropriations bills to fund the government through FY 2021 and $900 billion for COVID response and relief. A key…

November 2020

(Courtesy of Don Amador) MIC, SVIA, and ROHVA Continue to Advocate to Keep Oceano Dunes Open In late October, the California Coastal Commission held a meeting to discuss the future of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, and Commissioners listened to callers in support and opposition to off-highway vehicle use. For residents, dune dust has…

October 2020

ROV Noise Concerns Prompt New Restrictions in Moab, UT On Oct. 20, the Grand County Commission and City of Moab held a joint meeting to vote on three joint resolutions affecting all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). The impetus for the meeting was the record number of public comments objecting to noise impacts from ATVs. There has also…