Todd Adams
10/14/2005, 02:22 PM
I thought this would be the appropriate place to put this post since this will affect ‘ZuZoo and our VX runs in Moab. Please write a letter to the BLM offices in Moab and Monticello Utah so that we don’t loose trails in the Moab area.
A little background information may help you put this on your to do list. In 1997 Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) did what they call a citizens wilderness inventory. This inventory is now known as the Red Rock Wilderness bill and keeps coming up in congress. If passed this bill would eliminate over ½ of our trails in the Moab area. Between wilderness and wilderness study areas there are just under 3 million acres of land tied up in Utah. The Red Rock Wilderness bill would establish almost 10 million acres of roadless land in Utah, much of it in and around Moab. BTW that is 40% of the public land in Utah that has roads and that none of the state government agencies want as wilderness. But then this is public land and the large populated areas of the US think we need wilderness to protect the land for future generations. This is not the Case!
Now to the Red Rock 4-Wheelers permit and comment period ending October 31st this year. If Alternate “A” is not passed then it would give SUWA a foot in the door to close trails. Behind the Rocks, Pritchett Canyon, Moab Rim to name a few already go through or along side of wilderness study areas. SUWA wants desperately to close these trails, then work on the rest.
Below you will find the letter from Jeff Stevens and the links to the Permit that includes addresses of where to send your comment to.
Todd
Jeep Safari EA comment period ; Letters needed!
The BLM has published its EA (Environmental Assessment) for the RR4W Jeep Safari 5-year permit, which expires at the end of this year. Whether you are an EJS fan or not, it is imperative that we all write to the BLM supporting Alternative A, which basically grants the permit as requested. (Alternate B would deny several routes, including Pritchett and others, and Alt. C would deny the permit completely.) The EA for this permit is not only for EJS and Labor Day Campout, but for all other motorized, non-competitive events that require permits on EJS trails.
Even though the EA does not effect casual motorized use (i.e. use that does not require a permit), the denial or restriction of the EJS permit would set disastrous precedent for Moab trails. Once "permitted" use is banned, how long do you think it would be before some of these trails are closed to ALL motorized use?
PLEASE go to www.blm.gov/utah/moab and download the document (its a PDF file), read through it, and WRITE A LETTER TO THE BLM SUPPORTING ALTERNATIVE A. The public comment period runs through October 31.
Jeff Stevens
Moab Friends-For-Wheelin'
Red Rock 4-Wheelers
For further information and sample letters see one of the discussions at http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=25763&page=1&pp=15
and
http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=790675&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1
A little background information may help you put this on your to do list. In 1997 Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) did what they call a citizens wilderness inventory. This inventory is now known as the Red Rock Wilderness bill and keeps coming up in congress. If passed this bill would eliminate over ½ of our trails in the Moab area. Between wilderness and wilderness study areas there are just under 3 million acres of land tied up in Utah. The Red Rock Wilderness bill would establish almost 10 million acres of roadless land in Utah, much of it in and around Moab. BTW that is 40% of the public land in Utah that has roads and that none of the state government agencies want as wilderness. But then this is public land and the large populated areas of the US think we need wilderness to protect the land for future generations. This is not the Case!
Now to the Red Rock 4-Wheelers permit and comment period ending October 31st this year. If Alternate “A” is not passed then it would give SUWA a foot in the door to close trails. Behind the Rocks, Pritchett Canyon, Moab Rim to name a few already go through or along side of wilderness study areas. SUWA wants desperately to close these trails, then work on the rest.
Below you will find the letter from Jeff Stevens and the links to the Permit that includes addresses of where to send your comment to.
Todd
Jeep Safari EA comment period ; Letters needed!
The BLM has published its EA (Environmental Assessment) for the RR4W Jeep Safari 5-year permit, which expires at the end of this year. Whether you are an EJS fan or not, it is imperative that we all write to the BLM supporting Alternative A, which basically grants the permit as requested. (Alternate B would deny several routes, including Pritchett and others, and Alt. C would deny the permit completely.) The EA for this permit is not only for EJS and Labor Day Campout, but for all other motorized, non-competitive events that require permits on EJS trails.
Even though the EA does not effect casual motorized use (i.e. use that does not require a permit), the denial or restriction of the EJS permit would set disastrous precedent for Moab trails. Once "permitted" use is banned, how long do you think it would be before some of these trails are closed to ALL motorized use?
PLEASE go to www.blm.gov/utah/moab and download the document (its a PDF file), read through it, and WRITE A LETTER TO THE BLM SUPPORTING ALTERNATIVE A. The public comment period runs through October 31.
Jeff Stevens
Moab Friends-For-Wheelin'
Red Rock 4-Wheelers
For further information and sample letters see one of the discussions at http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=25763&page=1&pp=15
and
http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=790675&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1