Artec Industries is donating $10,000 in Gift Cards for entries in our Sweepstakes During Winter 4×4 Jamboree. You’ll be entered to win up to $10,000 in Artec Gift Cards as Flash Prizes during Winter 4×4 Jamboree, plus chances to win a $30,000 Dream Build on your Rig in the Grand Sweepstakes.
All Donations Will Benefit BlueRibbon Coalition

www.ArtecIndustries.com
www.BlueRibbonCoalition.org

Save Access to Kanab Area Trails like Hog Canyon, Peekaboo Canyon and Johnson Valley Petroglyphs

The Bureau of Land Management has opened scoping of the Travel Management Plan (TPM) for OHV trails in the Paunsaugunt Travel Management Area, which includes many popular trails in the Kanab area such as Hog Canyon and Peekaboo Canyon, as well as the petroglyphs in Johnson Canyon. The area is huge, encompassing everything East of Hwy 89A, South of Hwy 14, and to the Arizona border. It is bordered on the East by other Federal lands not a part of this study. The current TMP has 418 miles of OHV trails, and during the BLM’s internal scoping they identified 33 miles of routes that were overlooked in the 2008 inventory, and are being considered as additions to the OHV inventory, bringing the total to 451 miles of routes being reconsidered for designation. More details on the scoping project can be found here.

The current TMP was done in 2008, and must be reevaluated as a result of a 2017 settlement agreement between the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) and BLM that stipulated the review of 13 TMPs across Utah. This TMP was one of SUWA’s main focuses of their court filing, and we can expect they will become heavily involved in fighting OHV use in this area. If you have not heard how SUWA and their cooperating agencies feel about OHV use, take a heavy dose of aspirin and visit their website.

The public scoping for this project will consider comments submitted by March 25, 2022. This is our best opportunity to influence the next stage of the process, so your public comments are urgently needed. There are several ways to submit comments, you can choose any of the following methods:

• By completing the form found here and emailing it to blm_ut_kn_mail@blm.gov
• By visiting the Scoping Map found here, clicking on a route (trail) and adding comments.
• By emailing blm_ut_kn_mail@blm.gov
• By Mail sent to: BLM Paria River District, Attn: Pansaugunt TMP, 669 S Hwy 89A, Kanab, UT 84741

So you want to help, but not sure what to say? Here’s some tips about effective comments for this stage of the process.

• The BLM must look at Direct, Indirect and Cumulative Impacts of any change. Direct impacts are those that are caused by the action and occur at the same time and place. Indirect impacts are caused by the action but occur later in time. An example would be that if routes are removed from the inventory, you would have a Direct Impact by immediately losing access to visit that resource, while indirect and cumulativeimpacts could be that remaining routes and resources will be burdened from the increased traffic on them, or that businesses or localities that cater to the OHV community would suffer. All of these are important and must be addressed as valid comments. Further, it is more effective rather than stating an opinion or belief, you ask the BLM to study the impact you have concerns about. For example:

“Please study the effects that could be caused by the closure of routes in this area on remaining resources in the area due to increased traffic or visitation”

“Please study the effects caused by the closure of Johnson Valley OHV routes on people with accessibility issues on visiting and learning about the beautiful petrographs in the area.”

“Please study the effects of closing some of the routes in the area on making quick, easy exits on other trails in the event of medical or other emergencies”

“Please study the impact on emergency access to areas by first responders such as Search and Rescue or Fire crews if trails are not maintained”

• Cite your personal experience with the area. Some possible topics you might include are who you are, how long you’ve been coming to visit, whether you bring your family or other people with you, the amount of money you spend in the community each year when visiting, what types of businesses you frequent (hotels, camping, restaurants, grocery stores, etc).
• If you have done trail maintenance work in the area, please indicate your personal experiences.
• If you have any accessibility issues which would prevent you from continuing to visit if OHV use were disallowed or limited

SUWA will undoubtedly be drumming up their efforts to close as many of these routes as possible. Your action in helping us thwart their attempt is vital, Take Action Today!

New Moab Noise Ordinance can get you 6 months Free Lodging!

UPLA just learned that Moab is poised to pass a new noise ordinance tonight that can levy penalties of 6 months in jail and up to $1,000 fines. The standards that are being considered are much more restrictive than Federal or most other municipalities that have adopted ordinances. This ordinance was put together hastily, largely without public input. UPLA believes that the City of Moab should solicit participation from relevant stakeholders and hold more public hearings and comments before this ordinance is passed. This not only will affect off roaders, but also hotels, campgrounds, and restaurants-everyone in the hospitality industry.

As Grand County has already passed a similar noise ordinance that is subject to revision, once again we ask you to take action to send your comments to all 3 of the following TODAY!

Commission@GrandCountyUtah.net
City-Council@MoabCity.org
Landuse@Utahpla.com

Here are some suggestions on possible comments you may want to include:

• Please do not excessively restrict vehicle sounds on the streets and dirt roads surrounding Moab.
• 4WD and car enthusiasts appreciate the opportunity to visit Moab and its iconic landscape, and we expect everyone to visit with respect. However, limiting automobiles to 92 dB (at twenty inches) by J1492 is too strict, as the five states (CA, WA, MT, MI, ME) that limit automobiles by J1492 or older stationary-test methods set the limit at 95 dB.  A 95 dB limit sufficiently captures problem mufflers, and it would largely resolve noise concerns. A 92 dB limit unnecessarily prohibits most modified vehicles (including rock crawlers that access the famous 4WD trails) that simply are not bothering people when driven normally.
• Moab City’s proposed reduction from 92 dB to 85 dB at night would essentially ban the use of modified vehicles and even many stock vehicles from 10pm to 7am (and 9am on Sundays). They are often used for other purposes beyond recreational driving. Stationary sound limits are a type of equipment requirement, and they should not change by time of day.
• The city and county’s pass-by sound limits (at fifty feet) of 74 dB during the day and 72 dB at night are also too severe. The global standards that automobile manufacturers follow are generally 80 dB. While these standards involve hard acceleration that can usually be avoided in everyday use, non-stock tires and other common accessories add to the total sound, so the pass-by limits should be increased by 6 dB and specify a recognized test methodology or specify that pass-by limits are only for screening to identify which vehicles are stopped for a stationary test.
• The suggested limits of 95 dB by J1492 and 80 dB at fifty feet would resolve noise concerns effectively and practically for everyone involved. These limits are in line with the other jurisdictions that are actually enforcing their sound standards. They would make 4WD and car drivers fix their share of the noise problem. They are worth trying in the Moab community.

Read another Overview of the Noise Ordinance here…https://utahpla.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Moab-noise-overview.pdf

Read the proposed ordinance here…. https://utahpla.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Proposed-Ordinance-for-42721-approval.pdf