Utah DesertRunners T4R
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

2 posters

Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by Kevin Thu Feb 20, 2014 2:42 am

Cross-posting:


Come to a letter writing party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan (DEIS)!

The letter writing party is sponsored by Expedition Utah, Rocky Mountain Extreme, and the Utah 4- Wheel Drive Association (U4WDA).

What: Come and write a comment letter on the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan/DEIS! Includes free pizza!

When: Thursday, 2/27/2014, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Where: Larry H. Miller Jeep, 10905 Auto Mall Drive, Sandy, UT 84070

We expect to have a wifi hotspot available, so bring your laptop or other electronic typing device in order to submit your comments
Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan/ DEIS
2/27/2014
electronically. We expect to have at least one laptop computer available for those who cannot bring their own, but who wish to submit their comments electronically. We will provide pens and paper for those who wish to make handwritten comments. Representatives from Expedition Utah, Rocky Mountain Extreme, and U4WDA will be on hand to answer questions and provide guidance.

The letter- writing party will be during the U4WDA’s monthly Board of Directors meeting. Come for the letter writing and pizza, feel free to stay for the meeting if you like!



Even if you can’t make the party, please be sure to still submit your comments!

Please send a copy of your comments to U4WDA at ront@u4wda.org. Sending copies of your comments to us is valuable in our overall efforts to keep public lands accessible to motorized recreation.

Submit your comments electronically at:
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentF...cumentID=56859

or submit your comments by US Mail at:
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
ORV Plan/DEIS
PO Box 1507
Page, AZ 86040-1507

DEADLINE is Tuesday 3/4/2014, 11:59 PM (submitted or postmarked)



Below are some items you may want to consider including in your written comments:

INTRODUCE YOURSELF: Describe how you use (or how you wish to use) the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Describe a trip you’ve taken to the area or a trip you plan to take to the area. Describe how four wheel drive access to the area impacts you and/or your family/friends. State that you support the position of Expedition Utah and/or Rocky Mountain Extreme and/or U4WDA and/or any other motorized recreation club or land use group that you know is submitting comments.

ALL ROUTES SHOULD REMAIN OPEN to motorized travel, including OHVs and street-legal ATVs. Describe specific routes/areas that you are familiar with and how important it is to you for those routes/ areas to remain open to motorized travel.

PERMITS, if implemented, should be simple, affordable, and without usage limits. Describe any concerns you may have about access to your favorite areas being restricted if a permit system were implemented.

OPEN OHV PLAY AREAS should remain unchanged. Describe your opinions on the importance of having play areas that are open to cross country OHV travel.

FUTURE ROUTES AND OHV PLAY AREAS should be open to discussion. Describe how having a system in place for creating new routes and new OHV play areas is important to you.

BE POLITE! Refrain from using rude or demeaning language in your comments. Compliment the park service if you feel they are doing a good job in any particular area. Do not give them an excuse to apply any kind negative stereotypes to the motorized recreation community.

It would be awesome if all of us could show up for this.  So far, this travel management plan doesn't seem to be a big thing on SUWAs radar, so a strong effort by the 4WD community and lots of lots of well worded letters could have a huge impact here.  There will be several people on hand at the letter-writing party to assist if you don't feel like you're good with words.  Also, free pizza.
Kevin
Kevin
Badmin

Posts : 3679
Join date : 2012-08-21
Location : Stinkwater

https://desertrunnerst4r.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Re: Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by dutchman Thu Feb 20, 2014 8:47 am

Where is the Glen Canyon OHV Area?

dutchman
Resident Gorilla
Resident Gorilla

Posts : 1912
Join date : 2012-08-21

Back to top Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Re: Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by Kevin Thu Feb 20, 2014 9:07 am

Glen Canyon is south of the Maze. Think Hole In The Wall trail and Flint Trail. Lots of awesome dirt down there.
Kevin
Kevin
Badmin

Posts : 3679
Join date : 2012-08-21
Location : Stinkwater

https://desertrunnerst4r.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Re: Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by dutchman Thu Feb 20, 2014 9:21 am

Oh ok, all places I've never been.

dutchman
Resident Gorilla
Resident Gorilla

Posts : 1912
Join date : 2012-08-21

Back to top Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Re: Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by Kevin Thu Feb 20, 2014 9:24 am

Because you never wheel. You're the new Ty.

I've been in the Glen Canyon area a couple times. It's worth fighting to protect motorized access down there, trust me.
Kevin
Kevin
Badmin

Posts : 3679
Join date : 2012-08-21
Location : Stinkwater

https://desertrunnerst4r.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Re: Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by dutchman Thu Feb 20, 2014 9:34 am

Kevin wrote:Because you never wheel.  You're the new Ty.

Damn...

dutchman
Resident Gorilla
Resident Gorilla

Posts : 1912
Join date : 2012-08-21

Back to top Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Re: Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by dutchman Tue Feb 25, 2014 9:35 am

Kevin, have you written your letter yet?

dutchman
Resident Gorilla
Resident Gorilla

Posts : 1912
Join date : 2012-08-21

Back to top Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Re: Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by Kevin Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:45 am

I haven't. I was going to last night, and then we got busy.
Kevin
Kevin
Badmin

Posts : 3679
Join date : 2012-08-21
Location : Stinkwater

https://desertrunnerst4r.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Re: Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by Kevin Thu Feb 27, 2014 4:54 am

This is my draft, if any of you guys want to crib off it.  Just use this as a formatting guideline if you want, and definitely please don't copy any of it.  The NPS wants "meaningful comments" from people invested enough to write their own letters - they throw out duplicates.




To whom it may concern,

I'm writing in regard to the Glen Canyon DEIS and it's impact on how I use the area. I live in the Salt Lake area and am in southern Utah several times a year to hike, mountain bike, and drive 4WD trails.

None of your proposed plans align exactly with how I use the area or what I'd prefer, so I can't pick just one. In general, I'm in favor of increased access to the remote areas of the park and believe that not only should all current roads and vehicle trails be left open to motorized traffic, but historic routes like the Rincon should be reopened to those with capable enough vehicles to traverse them. I don't oppose a permitting system if it leads to less abuse of the back country, and wouldn't even mind limiting the numbers of vehicles allowed to access certain areas if it meant that the value of the areas in question was maintained. I'm definitely against any futher Wilderness areas, and believe that the current number of Wilderness areas should be capped and further that all current Wilderness Study Areas should be reopened to allow access equivalent to historic use. The west in general and Utah in particular is riddled with Wilderness area, most of it designated for political reasons and against the interests of the majority of users of those areas, so please, no more Wilderness, we have enough. I am sensitive to the need to keep the back country pristine and peaceful, specifically the noise issue raised several times in the DEIS, and I'm in favor of restricting classes of traffic that make too much noise (IE, side by sides with open headers, etc) to certain high-traffic corridors where their impact is negligible. I believe that some areas of the park should be left open to non-street-legal traffic, and that the remoter areas should be closed to non-street-legal traffic but open to street-registered vehicles, so that everyone has access to enjoy the park in their way without impacting others. I do believe that the NPS should be cognizant of State and County road systems, and should place no restrictions on travel that are in conflict with State and Country travel management - roads that local and State government have listed as open to travel should be open to travel. This includes temporary recognition of all RS2477 claims until such time as the courts rule them invalid - the Counties and those roads were there before the park, and the claims in the DEIS that you won't be discussing RS2477 doesn't obviate your need to do so anyway. I further believe that the DEIS should include a clear method for identifying and opening new routes as necessary, either as compensation for the loss of existing routes due to damage/overuse or simply as the need for increased access becomes apparent.

I've been in the Orange Cliffs and the BLM lands south of the Maze several times and anticipate exploring the area many more times in the future. I value the opportunities for solitude and adventure to be had in the GCNRA. Motorized travel is necessary for the vast majority of Park users to enjoy the area in their way, and motorized travel is a way to enjoy the area in and of itself. The number of fourwheelers and offroaders that enjoy technically challenging and remote roads is growing, and increased restriction on motorized routes will lead to more crowding on the open routes, decreasing their value and leading to calls for their closure as well. Increased motorized access in combination with increased user education and rules enforcement is what's called for to keep the park enjoyable for everybody. If permits and user access fees are necessary to make that happen, then I'm in favor of them, but I think more routes need to be opened for legal travel and I'm firmly against any absolute closures of any existing routes.

Thanks for being who you are and doing what you do. This user absolutely appreciates the position you're in, and I know you'll do your best to keep backcountry exploration in the GCNRA a quality experience.





Sincerely,

Kevin Biddle
Salt Lake
Kevin
Kevin
Badmin

Posts : 3679
Join date : 2012-08-21
Location : Stinkwater

https://desertrunnerst4r.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14  Empty Re: Letter Writing Party for the Glen Canyon Off-road Vehicle Management Plan - 2/27/14

Post by Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum