They did it! A group of dedicated people at United Four Wheel Drive Associations forced the USDA Forest Service to stop closing public land illegally.
I've been saying (harping?) all along that we CAN make a difference, either by ourselves or, more importantly, in organized groups such as United. They're to be congratulated for all their hard work.
We've won this battle, but the war still needs to be fought. The U.S. Government still wants to keep us off our public lands. The BLM especially is feeling their oats right now, with "administrative" closures popping up all over the west. "Administrative" closures aren't legal. Let's fight them, either by taking the BLM on yourself, or by joining (and helping) an organized group such as United!
Here's the release United sent out that gives more details on the settlement:
United Four Wheel Drive Associations, the nation's leading representative of four wheel drive enthusiasts, has compelled the Federal
| Government to sign a settlement agreement prohibiting the US Forest Service from categorically closing roads or using the term "unroaded" in establishing roadless areas for Wilderness designation.
"Under the terms of the settlement agreement the Forest Service is banned from using the Road Moratorium to close a single mile of road", stated Carla Boucher, author of the agreement and nationally recognized attorney for United. "United obtained evidence that many, if not all, of the national forests were using the Temporary Road Moratorium to create de facto wilderness areas as part of forest planning", stated Boucher, who predicted in early 1998 that this was the plan of the Forest Service all along. "This agreement prevents the creation of de facto wilderness, protecting nearly 347,000 miles of access for motorized recreationists", remarked Boucher.
For more information about the settlement agreement contact United by calling Carla Boucher at 757-482-4474 |
