nuclearlemon
Hard Core 4+
Since 2006 UFWDA has been working to reopen Forest Service Road 371,
Forest Service Road 300, and Forest Service Trail 626 in the Pikes
Peak Ranger District, Colorado Springs area. This legal work has
involved many hours of work in research on agency procedure, telephone
calls to the Forest Service and drafting Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) requests and appeal in preparation for litigation.
Just last week, on September 7, 2007, we were notified by the US
Forest Service solicitor that we had won our FOIA appeal. This
monumentous decision is critical, not only to the people of Colorado
but throughout the country, because the agency refused to provide
documents based on their misinterpretation of the law. Forest Service
acknowledgment through its solicitor's office that the district office
and state FOIA officer had erred is a significant victory, paving the
way for future users to successfully utilize the FOIA to obtain
important records on agency decision making.
UFWDA provided policy changing recommendations aiding Colorado
Governor Owens' Roadless Area Review Task Force in development of its
petition for Roadless Area conservation. Attached for your review is
a copy of UFWDA comments.
UFWDA recently provided legal advise in Colorado regarding a road
easement in Boulder County, Colorado, pertaining to 4x4 access in the
Boulder District of the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests. The
goal of this project and UFWDA legal advise was to persuade the Forest
Service on the legality of access in order to retain more than 7 miles
of 4x4 roads during travel management planning.
UFWDA has been involved in the design and implementation of OHV Route
Designation Workshops, a collective effort with the National
Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC), Americans for
Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA), the Motorcycle Industry
Council (MIC), the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA),
American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC),
along with input from US Forest Service trail managers. These
workshops have been held in various locations across the country,
including Colorado Springs in April, 2007. Another Colorado workshop
is planned for the fall of 2007.
UFWDA is working on behalf of 4x4 enthusiasts across the country,
including Colorado on the following national initiatives – U.S. Forest
Service (USFS) Travel Management Planning, USFS Planning Regulation
rulemaking, and USFS National Environmental Policy Act regulations
UFWDA is also involved in on-going rulemaking regarding USFS National
Trail Classification System. The project is vitally important to
protecting 4x4 access in Colorado and across the nation because the
agency has proposed to eliminate trail references, definitions, design
standards, trail classes, and trail operation and maintenance
considerations for 4x4 motor vehicles. It is crucial that UFWDA
prevents the agency from finalizing the proposed regulations because
the USFS is also undergoing OHV route designation through travel
management planning where many 4x4 high-clearance roads are being
converted to trails. Once the trail conversions are completed,
without 4x4 trails in the classification system those access routes
will likely be closed to 4x4 use. UFWDA most recently communicated
with the USFS regarding this trails issue on August 29, 2007.
Forest Service Road 300, and Forest Service Trail 626 in the Pikes
Peak Ranger District, Colorado Springs area. This legal work has
involved many hours of work in research on agency procedure, telephone
calls to the Forest Service and drafting Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) requests and appeal in preparation for litigation.
Just last week, on September 7, 2007, we were notified by the US
Forest Service solicitor that we had won our FOIA appeal. This
monumentous decision is critical, not only to the people of Colorado
but throughout the country, because the agency refused to provide
documents based on their misinterpretation of the law. Forest Service
acknowledgment through its solicitor's office that the district office
and state FOIA officer had erred is a significant victory, paving the
way for future users to successfully utilize the FOIA to obtain
important records on agency decision making.
UFWDA provided policy changing recommendations aiding Colorado
Governor Owens' Roadless Area Review Task Force in development of its
petition for Roadless Area conservation. Attached for your review is
a copy of UFWDA comments.
UFWDA recently provided legal advise in Colorado regarding a road
easement in Boulder County, Colorado, pertaining to 4x4 access in the
Boulder District of the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests. The
goal of this project and UFWDA legal advise was to persuade the Forest
Service on the legality of access in order to retain more than 7 miles
of 4x4 roads during travel management planning.
UFWDA has been involved in the design and implementation of OHV Route
Designation Workshops, a collective effort with the National
Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC), Americans for
Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA), the Motorcycle Industry
Council (MIC), the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA),
American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC),
along with input from US Forest Service trail managers. These
workshops have been held in various locations across the country,
including Colorado Springs in April, 2007. Another Colorado workshop
is planned for the fall of 2007.
UFWDA is working on behalf of 4x4 enthusiasts across the country,
including Colorado on the following national initiatives – U.S. Forest
Service (USFS) Travel Management Planning, USFS Planning Regulation
rulemaking, and USFS National Environmental Policy Act regulations
UFWDA is also involved in on-going rulemaking regarding USFS National
Trail Classification System. The project is vitally important to
protecting 4x4 access in Colorado and across the nation because the
agency has proposed to eliminate trail references, definitions, design
standards, trail classes, and trail operation and maintenance
considerations for 4x4 motor vehicles. It is crucial that UFWDA
prevents the agency from finalizing the proposed regulations because
the USFS is also undergoing OHV route designation through travel
management planning where many 4x4 high-clearance roads are being
converted to trails. Once the trail conversions are completed,
without 4x4 trails in the classification system those access routes
will likely be closed to 4x4 use. UFWDA most recently communicated
with the USFS regarding this trails issue on August 29, 2007.
