Taken from ATVAM News Releases

In a blatant attempt to kill ATV trail riding in Minnesota, a radical anti-motorized recreation group called Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation (MRR) has filed petitions with the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board seeking environmental reviews of proposed off-highway vehicle trails. They are asking for environmental assessment worksheets on plans by four of those teams working on trails for DNR Region 3, which includes, Snake River, General Andrews, and Nemadji State Forests, 3 popular riding area. You can be sure MRR will pursue this approach across the state if it works for them in Region 3.

State law allows any group of 25 to petition the environmental quality board to require an environmental assessment.The petition is then forwarded to the DNR for them to respond and decide if the petition is valid. MRR is claiming that the DNR is pushing a trail system without adequate public knowledge or input, and that OHV trails are causing great damage to Minnesota public lands.

This move by MRR is their latest attempt to kill our sport and is also an attack on the DNR and the DNR process that was established to finally get trails on public lands. That’s why it is very important for riders to contact the DNR to support the DNR and the planning process that is moving forward. In spite of the fact that we don’t always agree with the DNR, they need our help to defend the progress we are making toward a trail system. Without positive support from the public (that’s you!), all the DNR and the legislators hear are the negative voices of our opponents.

We are urging you to immediately write to the DNR Commissioner to tell him you support the trail system planning process and the plans that have been developed so far. Some points to hit on are: Environmental review at the field level is already in place, and this petition is a blatant attempt to stop the process by bogging it down in needless formal review.

· We are responsible recreationists that want to ride responsibly, ride on designated trails, and respect the environment.

· We have actively sought the laws and rules that the DNR will use to manage state forest land and regulate our sport.

· The planning process is working, and opponents of OHVs have participated, but now want to sabotage the process because they don’t like the results.

· Most of the trails in the initial plan already exist, and adoption of the plan will allow them to be signed, maintained, and repaired or rerouted as necessary.

· Moving forward and implementing the plan will improve most of the situations that MRR is complaining about. Their opposition demonstrates that the only way they want to solve the problems with OHVs is to ban them.

Use any of these points you want, in any order, in your own words if you can, and express your own thoughts on what riding means to you. Write to:

Allen Garber, Commissioner

Minnesota DNR

500 Lafayette Rd

St. Paul, MN 55155

Or e-mail: allen.garber@dnr.state.mn.us

We also ask that you send copies of your letter or e-mail to your state senator and representative, and to the governor.


Please don’t delay .... your trail riding future depends on it

E- mail to atvam@aol.com

All-Terrain Vehicle Association of Minnesota

www.atvam.org

 

Oh well, I tried.

I know you are all tired of hearing

"the sky is falling"... from every organization

 

KEEP IT GOING THOR AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU ON YOUR QUEST. I TALK WITH ALOT OF PEOPLE EVERY DAY EXPRESSING MY VIEWS AND LISTENING TO THE VIEWS OF OTHERS.THE ONE THING I SUGGEST TO OTHERS IS NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL SAY IT.IN THE LAST ELECTION I SAID TO PEOPLE DID YOU VOTE? I DIDN'T ASK WHO THEY VOTED FOR JUST THAT THEY VOTED.MOST REPLIED YES I DID, AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING. ANOTHER POINT WAS AT A FIRE DEPT. GATHERING WHERE THE TALK WAS OF THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS OF THE TOWN BOARDS. ASKED A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT TAXES, SNOWPLOWING ,FIRE NUMBERS ,ECT. THEN I BROUGHT UP THE TOWNSHIPS NO NCOMMITAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS ATVS AND A TRAIL SYSTEM. ON OF THE INCUMBANTS SPOKE UP THAT THERE WILL BE NO TOWNSHIP ROADS TURNED OVER TO ATV TRAILS. I THEN EXPLAINED THAT I WOULD VOTE AGAINST HIM AND WOULD RALLY ALL THAT I COULD TO DO THE SAME. HIS REPLY WAS THAT I WAS PETTY AND SHOULD LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE AND ALL THE GOOD HE HAD DONE IN THE PAST. WELL I'LL NOT ONLY GOING TO VOTE AGAINST HIM BUT I'M GAINING SUPPORT TO RUN AGAINST HIM. I WOULD SAY THE OVER ALL POINT IS TO SAY YOUR PIECE AND VOTE FOR HOW YOU FEEL. GOOD LUCK COOKIEMAN. SAY ARE MINN. ATV LAWS AS VAUGE AS WICONSINS?

 

Thor,
Keep up the good work. If we are persistant about this, they will our words!! Keep in touch.