good morning PSAR!

 

Morning PSAR

-----This is pretty neat.....(watch the 30 second video) . Have you
ever seen one of our military walking past you and wanted to convey to
them your thanks, but weren't sure how or it felt awkward?

Recently, a gentleman from Seattle created a gesture which could be used
and has started a massive movement to get the word out.


[L=http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/shortmovie.php

 

CLOUT Legislative Alert: Final DNR meeting on OHV regulations!!!

Howdy Folks,

PLEASE ATTEND the last public meeting on this matter on November 5 at 7pm:

Issaquah King County Library
960 Newport Way N.W.
Issaquah, Wa

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is concluding its final
comment period on their plan to revise the state laws concerning
recreational use of DNR managed lands. Thank you to everyone that has
commented previously. You comments have helped to shape these changes.

Unfortunately the DNR has ignored some of your most important comments.
This has the Washington Off Highway Vehicle Alliance very concerned. In the
email below you can read what I wrote to our State Commissioner of Public
Lands. If you are not satisfied with the way that the DNR is addressing our
concerns please take the time to let them know right away.

The written comment period ends tomorrow, November 4, 2008. Send your
comments to both of the email addresses listed here:

Mary Coacher
mary.coacher@wadnr.gov

and

Commissioner of Public Lands - Doug Sutherland
CPL@wadnr.gov


NOW is the time to stand up and protect your right to ride so please take a
minute and do it today!

Happy trails,
Tod Petersen
Political Action Committee Chairman - Washington Off Highway Vehicle
Alliance



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



Dear Commissioner Sutherland,
On behalf of the Washington Off Highway Vehicle Alliance, its member
organizations and the over 13,000 motorized recreation enthusiasts that
belong to those organizations I am writing you today because we are very
concerned about the WAC 332-52 revision process. We have provided both
written comments and attended hearings throughout every step of the process
so far and it has become disturbingly apparent that the DNR staff
responsible for drafting these revisions are either oblivious to the actual
meaning of common words or have intentionally crafted a set of Draconian
laws that would not benefit the DNR or the citizens of the State of
Washington.
Here are just a few examples to consider:
332-52-110 (b) states "A person shall not physically damage a trail or road,
including boardwalks, bridges, water bars, or any other related
improvements".

Please consider the definition of the "damage". Isn't it true that any use,
including pedestrian, of any trail or road will potentially cause some
incremental or insignificant damage? As written, this section would
criminalize even the most minute degradation. Furthermore, wouldn't the DNR
have an obligation to prevent this criminal activity on DNR managed lands by
prohibiting public access to the trails and roads?

This section should be clarified or the word "damage" should be clearly
defined.


332-52-120 (b) states that "Persons shall not deposit human waste within two
hundred feet of any campsite, trail, or body of water. Human waste shall be
disposed of by burying to a depth of at least six inches."

Please consider the definition of "human waste". Is the intention to include
urine and spit within the requirement to be buried at least six inches deep?

This section should be clarified or the term "human waste" should be clearly
defined.


332-52-145 (3) (c) states that "Persons shall not shoot on, at, across,
along, down, from, or in the direction, or within five hundred feet, of:"
and "(iv) Structures or equipment".

Please consider the definition of "equipment". Is the intention to include a
person's own firearm, shooting accessories, personal effects or vehicle?

This section should be clarified or the term "equipment" should be clearly
defined


Repeatedly, I have been assured that this is not what the authors of this
draft meant to accomplish. If that is true, why hasn't the revised draft
been changed to reflect what was actually meant? If the common definition
of the words in question are not applicable, why not provide a clarified
definition within WAC 332-52-010?

Even more troubling is that if the task of understanding the meaning of
simple words cannot be accomplished, how can we trust that any of the more
complex language is competently written?



In addition to the issue of definitions and language, we have other concerns
relating to other sections of the WAC 332-52 draft:

WAC 332-52-400 (3) states that "Motorized vehicle use on roads or trails is
controlled through a variety of methods to include signs, gates, berms,
trenches, concrete barriers, rocks, stumps or other barriers. Motorized
vehicle use on or beyond these signs or barriers is strictly prohibited
unless otherwise posted."

Based on the current wording a law abiding off highway vehicle operator
would be required to cease traveling immediately when encountering any
impediment along his intended route if it appears as that there is a chance
that that impediment may be manmade and lacking in specific signage allowing
motorized travel.

How will a motorized vehicle user determine which "barriers" are intended as
a method of closure or exist for other unrelated reasons?

Will every tank trap, berm, bump or water bar on every trail be posted?

Does the DNR have the budget and manpower to install, manage and continually
maintain these postings?

Will a defacto closure caused by a lack of DNR maintenance of postings
comply with the intent of RCW 79.10.100 through RCW 79.10.120?

Furthermore, many legal off highway vehicle trails on department managed
land exist behind gates, but are not accessed anywhere near those gates. As
written a vehicle operator found beyond these gates on otherwise legal
trails would be in violation of this section. Will this require a vehicle
operator to have to assume that every legal trail will be posted as such
regardless of its lack of proximity to any barriers?


WAC 332-52-405 (1) is the equivalent of pounding in a tack with a wrecking
ball. Most reasonable people agree that the public should not be building or
modifying roads or facilities on DNR managed land without prior approval.
Unfortunately, as written this section could send to jail anyone that
happened to travel on an unmarked route and made any slight changes along
the way even if those changes were in the interest of public safety or
protecting the trust. Even the act of blocking an unapproved trail would be
a crime. A Draconian solution at best and lends credence to a concern that
the overall tone of these revisions is to facilitate a defacto closing of
public lands to the public.

As Commissioner of Public Lands I hope that you can take the time to review
this process and assure that the results will be in the public's best
interest.


I sincerely look forward to your timely reply.

Respectfully,

Tod Petersen
Political Action Committee Chairman
Washington Off Highway Vehicle Alliance
16015 62nd Ave NW
Stanwood, WA 98292
Phone: 360.652.5922
Email: tod701@aol.com


If you get active, we will use your support to push for opening up state
land for more widespread use.

Please let Ben Wells mailto[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]soparty@aol.com know you will be there at
these meetings. He needs YOU to show up at these meetings to support him.

For more information on this DNR rule making,
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/laws/wsr/2008/10/08-10-059.htm
">http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documen...0/08-10-059.htm
</a>


** You are receiving this notification because you are a member of the
Washington CLOUT Action List. To update your status, or remove yourself
from this list, please contact the CLOUT Administrator at
mailto:clout@getclout.org. Forward this notice freely to your associates,
and get them involved, too!

Have your PRO-OHV friends get their own personalized CLOUT Alerts by having
them send an email to mailto:clout@getclout.org with "CLOUT" in the subject
line along with their Name, their voting Zip Code AND your name as a
reference. That's all there is to it. Get them to do it TODAY so motorized
recreation will have an even stronger voice in Olympia.

 

Afternoon PSAR [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Well the mouth is feeling better & better every day WHEW I even had meatloaf, mashed taters & peas for lunch today haha

Good day at work got some stuff done finally [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img] asked my lead if I was doing something wrong as to why I was soooo behind but she said NO it's just we have MORE to do I just thought I was getting old & couldn't keep up [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

wEll have a good day

 

Marci, Give Bill our best,,,thanks for the update

 

Yes Marci, thanks for the update!

 

Larry, tell your home coming hero thanks from this side of the mountain. We really do appreciate his service.

Marci, tell Bill "HI" for me and let him know we are thinking of him. Glad to hear he is improving.

Time to head for bed, 0400 shows up really quick.

Mike

 

Good morning PSAR [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

I was right, 0400 does show up early.

Mike

 

mornin Ten [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Mornin' PSAR,
Mornin' Bing