Invest 3 Hours to Save Access to Your Public Lands

UPLA, BlueRibbon Coalition, SLOREX, and At Your Leisure are cosponsoring a Workshop to be more effective in preserving access to our Public Lands. We need you to invest 3 hours to learn how you can make a difference.

Even though motorized OHV has always had a strong relationship with BLM and Forest Service staff, and been quick to volunteer to complete projects on public lands, we have been at a disadvantage in Travel Management Planning because we have not been as effectively engaged as our opponents. If we fail to improve our strategies,  these closures will expand to affect every outdoor recreationist. Equestrians, campers, rock climbers, base jumpers, snowmobilers, hunters, fishermen, boaters, and mountain bikers will all be affected as more public lands are designated as wilderness, areas with wilderness character, or Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) The elimination of roads and dispersed camping areas will limit access to staging and parking areas, making your favorite areas further and further from accessible roads. Even those clamoring for more wilderness experiences will have much longer treks to get to their favorite areas, a weekend trip now will become a week long trip in the future. Cyclists, rock climbers and canyoneers are currently facing rulings that propose elimination of e-bikes and fixed anchors in National Parks. As remote areas are more limited with accessibility, injuries and rescue attempts will increase and be even more expensive, resulting in further restrictions or closure.

In Utah, there are 25 Travel Management Areas on BLM’s calendar for development or reevaluation of current plans. More are in store for Forest Service and National Monuments.

The importance of understanding the NEPA process, and being able to proactively and effectively participate in the process has never been greater, and we must become smarter and more effective at working together to influence the NEPA process.

Utah Public Lands Alliance, BlueRibbon Coalition, Salt Lake Off Road Expo, and At Your Leisure are cosponsoring a workshop on February 29 to help us all understand how we can make a difference. Our workshop presenter will be Tammy Pike, a retired BLM Travel Management Planner, who is a renowned expert in the NEPA process. Her experience spans 30 years, the last 25 focused on trails, off highway vehicles and travel management planning while both conserving our natural resources AND providing the best recreational opportunities for the public to enjoy now and in the future. She has won countless awards from not only BLM, but the Forest Service, Arizona State Land Department, and many OHV and other recreational groups.  She earned a National Customer Service Award from BLM, one of the highest possible commendations.

Tammy will help us develop a strategy to communicate clearly in the NEPA process at all levels to get our views considered in the process. We believe she is the best person to teach us how to restore balance to a system that has been heavily weighted against us. Making comments is a critical step in influencing final outcomes, and she will teach us how to make comments that are both substantive and effective. Questions and answers are an invaluable part of any discussion, because it allows you to ask your questions  and get answers from an expert. We have a full hour at the end of the program allocated just to your questions and answers where she will be joined by panelists Ben Burr and Simone Griffen from BlueRibbon Coalition, as well as Rose Winn, our new UPLA Public Policy Consultant.

For us to change the tide, we must all come together, and we must start acting as Big As We Are. If you really care about making a difference in keeping our lands accessible, make plans to attend this workshop the day prior to SLOREX opening.

What:            NEPA Comments Training Workshop

Where:          Mountain America Expo Center, 9575 State Street, Sandy UT

When:           February 29 1:30 -4:30

Space is limited, RSVP and submit questions and topics you would like included in the presentation.

#default-btn-0ba25f9254324fbab1bc6d4d029ab966.ico-right-side > i { margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 8px; } #default-btn-0ba25f9254324fbab1bc6d4d029ab966 > i { margin-right: 8px; } RSVP To Attend Here



UPLA Donates $103,317 to BlueRibbon Coalition’s Legal Defense Fund

Through the generosity of UPLA’s supporters, cooperating clubs, and a match of $50,000, Loren Campbell presented BlueRibbon Coalition with $103,317 to fight against the constant onslaught of route closures in Utah in the closing ceremonies of Winter 4×4 Jamboree.

The final check was presented to BlueRibbon Coalition’s Public Policy Director, Simone Griffin. Board President Ranch Pratt and Board Members Matt “Sarge” Westrich and Phil Rawlings also expressed their appreciation for the Community’s support.

Here is a partial list of Donors that supported this effort

  • Winter 4×4 Jamboree
  • Moab Friends for Wheelin
  • Pacific Northwest 4 Wheel Drive Association
  • UTV Takeover
  • Contra Costa Jeepers
  • Ride Utah
  • Esprit de Four
  • KMAC Corporation
  • FMCA 4 Wheelers
  • San Diego 4 Wheelers
  • and over 150 Individual Donor

Thank you so much for fighting!



Federal Lawsuit and Injunctive Release Complaint Filed Today

Today, a coalition of off-road groups took their challenge to the federal government’s arbitrary and illegal closure of over 300 miles of trails near Moab, UT, to federal district court for the District of Utah. The federal court filing follows a ruling by the Interior Board of Land Appeals to deny a stay of the closures earlier this month. Now it will be up to a Utah federal judge to decide whether the trails will remain closed while the litigation is pending, or whether they will be open and available to the hundreds of thousands of Jeepers, mountain bikers, dirt bike riders, and others who have enjoyed them for decades.

The coalition, which consists of the BlueRibbon Coalition, Colorado Off-Road Trail Defenders, and an individual named Patrick McKay, is asking the federal court to issue a preliminary injunction that will allow the trails to remain open while the litigation is ongoing.

“The government has already announced that they would begin re-vegetating, bulldozing, and otherwise erasing these trails the moment they were closed,” said Matt Miller, a Senior Attorney at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and lead attorney on the case. “That is why an immediate injunction is necessary. If these closures are not immediately reversed, there could be no trails left after this litigation concludes, even after the plaintiffs win.”

“The federal government’s closing of these world-class routes ignores the evidence on the ground, the needs of the community, and the rich history of off-road recreation in the area,” added TPPF Attorney Nate Curtisi. “Worse yet, this government overreach was done in violation of a myriad of constitutional and statutory protections that were made specifically to avoid these kind of arbitrary and capricious actions.”

“After reviewing the legal deficiencies with this decision, we committed to our members that we would do everything we can to keep these popular trails open,” said Ben Burr, BlueRibbon Coalition Executive Director. “Now that they are closed and the Bureau of Land Management will get to work erasing these trails from the landscape, the irreparable harm to our members will be difficult to quantify. It’s impossible to place a value on generations worth of traditions, experiences, and meaningful connections to these spectacular lands. The BLM didn’t just close 317 miles of trails, they closed 317 miles of some of the best trails, and we are prepared to do what it takes to keep them open.”

Please show your support to the sponsors of these actions!

Following are copies of both the Lawsuit Complaint and the Injunctive Relief Request

Federal Lawsuit ComplaintMoab-District-Court-Original-Complaint

Moab-Motion-for-injunction



Help Us Save 199 Miles of Moab Trails

The BLM is expected to release their Moab Labyrinth Canyon Travel Management Plan by September 30, and we are extremely concerned their plan is going to mirror other recent Federal government actions. We’re working closely with BlueRibbon Coalition to help prepare for legal appeals, but We Can’t Do It Without You.

The most common reasons for closure are that a trail is a duplicate, not being used, or is actively being reclaimed. It’s vital to prepare a good legal strategy to know details about every trail, including Trail Conditions, GPX tracks, Photos, and Why the Trail is Important, and we must gather this information BEFORE the closure takes effect.

Thanks to Patrick McKay with Colorado Offroad Trail Defenders, we’ve identified 199 miles of that need a status update.

What we need your help with is Running These Trails. Download the free tracks from UtahPLA.com  (We have both GPX and KML versions), load them into your navigation system, and go run the trails. We need you to record your track on the trail and report the Trail Using the UPLA form. Photos tell the story of a thousand words, so if you can submit a few pics that will really help.

Time is limited, so we hope that everyone going to Moab in the next month will help us collect data. Don’t worry about duplicates either, the more reports on the same trail add to our story.

Thank You, and Please Share This Message With All Your Friends

Click Here to Access the Tracks from our CalTopo Site where you can download them in any format you need

Click on From to Open Reporting Form



How to Write Effective Comments

Tips for Submitting Effective Comments in Land Manager Actions
Overview
A comment can express simple support or dissent for a regulatory action. However, a constructive, information-rich comment that clearly communicates and supports its claims is more likely to have an impact on regulatory decision making.
These tips are meant to help the public submit comments that have an impact and help agency policy makers improve federal regulations.
Summary
  • Read and understand the regulatory document you are commenting on
  • Feel free to reach out to the agency with questions
  • Be concise but support your claims
  • Base your justification on sound reasoning, scientific evidence, and/or how you will be impacted
  • Address trade-offs and opposing views in your comment
  • There is no minimum or maximum length for an effective comment
  • The comment process is not a vote – one well supported comment is often more influential than a thousand form letters
  • You may submit many separate comments, they do not have to be posted all at once. As you think of something, post it.
Detailed Recommendations
Comment periods close at 11:59 eastern time on the date comments are due – begin work well before the deadline.
Attempt to fully understand each issue; if you have questions or do not understand a part of the regulatory document, you may ask for help from the agency contact listed in the document.
Note: Although the agency contact can answer your questions about the document’s meaning, official comments must be submitted through the comment form.
Clearly identify the issues within the regulatory action on which you are commenting. If you are commenting on a particular word, phrase or sentence, provide the page number, column, and paragraph citation from the federal register document.
If a rule raises many issues, do not feel obligated to comment on every one – select those issues that concern and affect you the most and/or you understand the best.
Agencies often ask specific questions or raise issues in rulemaking proposals on subjects where they are actively looking for more information. While the agency will still accept comments on any part of the proposed regulation, please keep these questions and issues in mind while formulating your comment.
Although agencies receive and appreciate all comments, constructive comments (either positive or negative) are the most likely to have an influence.
If you disagree with a proposed action, suggest an alternative (including not regulating at all) and include an explanation and/or analysis of how the alternative might meet the same objective or be more effective.
The comment process is not a vote. The government is attempting to formulate the best policy, so when crafting a comment it is important that you adequately explain the reasoning behind your position.
Identify credentials and experience that may distinguish your comments from others. If you are commenting in an area in which you have relevant personal or professional experience (i.e., scientist, attorney, fisherman, businessman, etc.) say so.
Agency reviewers look for sound science and reasoning in the comments they receive. When possible, support your comment with substantive data, facts, and/or expert opinions. You may also provide personal experience in your comment, as may be appropriate. By supporting your arguments well you are more likely to influence the agency decision making.
Consider including examples of how the proposed rule would impact you negatively or positively.
Comments on the economic effects of rules that include quantitative and qualitative data are especially helpful.
Include the pros and cons and trade-offs of your position and explain them. Your position could consider other points of view, and respond to them with facts and sound reasoning.
If you are uploading more than one attachment to the comment web form, it is recommend that you use the following file titles:
Attachment1_<insert title of document>
Attachment2_<insert title of document>
Attachment3_<insert title of document>
This standardized file naming convention will help agency reviewers distinguish your submitted attachments and aid in the comment review process.
Keep a copy of your comment in a separate file – this practice helps ensure that you will not lose your comment if you have a problem submitting it using the Regulations.gov web form.
Specific Requests
The BLM has specifically requested public comment on the following aspects of the conservation lease proposal in the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule.
• Is the term “conservation lease” the best term for this tool?
• What is the appropriate default duration for conservation leases?
• Should the rule constrain which lands are available for conservation leasing? For example, should conservation leases be issued only in areas identified as eligible for conservation leasing in an RMP or areas the BLM has identified (either in an RMP or otherwise) as priority areas for ecosystem restoration or wildlife habitat?
• Should the rule clarify what actions conservation leases may allow?
• Should the rule expressly authorize the use of conservation leases to generate carbon offset credits?
• Should conservation leases be limited to protecting or restoring specific resources, such as wildlife habitat, public water supply watersheds, or cultural resources?
Posted Comments
After submission, your comment will be processed by the agency and posted to Regulations.gov. At times, an agency may choose not to post a submitted comment. Reasons for not posting the comment can include:
  • The comment is part of a mass submission campaign or is a duplicate.
  • The comment is incomplete.
  • The comment is not related to the regulation.
  • The comment has been identified as spam.
  • The comment contains Personally Identifiable Information (PII) data.
  • The comment contains profanity or other inappropriate language.
  • The submitter requested the comment not be posted.
Form Letters
Organizations often encourage their members to submit form letters designed to address issues common to their membership. Organizations including industry associations, labor unions, and conservation groups sometimes use form letters to voice their opposition or support of a proposed rulemaking. Many in the public mistakenly believe that their submitted form letter constitutes a “vote” regarding the issues concerning them. Although public support or opposition may help guide important public policies, agencies make determinations for a proposed action based on sound reasoning and scientific evidence rather than a majority of votes. A single, well-supported comment may carry more weight than a thousand form letters.


Help your Legacy of Support for Utah Public Lands Live On

Utah Public Lands Alliance (UPLA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Utah’s public lands. Our mission is to ensure that these lands remain accessible, healthy, and productive for generations to come. To achieve this goal, UPLA relies on the support of its members and donors. One way you can make a lasting impact on the future of Utah’s public lands is by making a legacy gift to UPLA.

A legacy gift is a donation made through your will or estate plan. It is a powerful way to ensure that your values and priorities are carried on beyond your lifetime. By making a legacy gift to UPLA, you can leave a lasting impact on the preservation and protection of Utah’s public lands. This is an opportunity to make a significant contribution to a cause you care about deeply and to leave a legacy that will benefit future generations. UPLA will be grateful for our support for any bequest of vehicles, stocks, life insurance, or cash.

Contact us for further information