News Release from PEER on their site

[Jerry Seaver]

For Immediate Release: December 11, 2007
Contact: Carol Goldberg (202) 265-7337

OFF-ROAD VIOLATIONS OUT OF CONTROL, SAY FEDERAL RANGERS — In First-Ever Survey Southwest Rangers Call for Tougher Penalties


Washington, DC — Reckless off-road vehicle abuse of public lands is spinning out of control, say federal law enforcement rangers in a first-ever survey released today by Rangers for Responsible Recreation. Tougher penalties and a new enforcement emphasis are critically needed, according to vast majority of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rangers polled in the five-state Southwest region.

This survey of federal rangers’ views on off-road vehicle (ORV) issues leaves little doubt that law enforcement officers on the ground perceive the situation as extremely serious and worsening:

More than nine out of ten (91%) of respondent rangers agree that “off-road vehicles present a significant law enforcement problem in my jurisdiction”;
More than half (53%) feel “off-road vehicle problems in my jurisdiction are out of control”; and
Nearly three out of four (74%) say that off-road abuses “are worse than they were five years ago” while fewer than one in six (15.2%) believe the situation is improving.
In the essay portion of the survey, a Forest Service ranger conveyed the scope of impacts by noting: “The numbers of off road vehicles on public lands, especially National Forests, are creating resource damage at an alarming rate.” One BLM ranger wrote bluntly, “User attitudes are atrocious. They are the single biggest destruction on public lands these days, far worse than grazing or energy development.”

The mailed survey sent to federal rangers in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and the southern desert area of California found widespread agreement that there isn’t a meaningful deterrent to violators on off-road vehicles. The surveyed rangers strongly support much stiffer penalties and enforcement:

Nearly two out of three (65%) think current penalties for ORV violators are not tough enough; and
A similar proportion (65%) agrees that “loss of hunting and fishing licenses” would be a effective deterrent for violators; and
More than two out of three (67%) feel they lack or are uncertain if they “have the authority to confiscate ORVs used in violations of ORV use rules.”
One BLM ranger said “90% of ORV users cause resource damage every day they ride. Most will violate a rule, regulation or law daily.” Another added “Possibly the greatest weakness in the ORV enforcement program is the lack of bite in judicial penalties. There is often little penalty in not paying tickets.”

The mailed survey sent to federal rangers in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and the southern desert area of California found that their agencies are unequal to the task of controlling ORV abuse:

Nearly two out of three (62%) believe their agency is not “prepared to deal with the ORV problems we are experiencing”; and
More than three out of four (78%) do not think their department “devotes adequate resources to cope with ORV problems.”
“This survey reflects the overwhelming nature of ORV problems on public lands – vast landscapes, a deeply entrenched pattern of abuse, far too little enforcement, and soft penalties,” stated Jim Furnish, former Deputy Chief of the Forest Service, who is appearing today at a congressional briefing to present the survey results. “Agencies like the Forest Service are making belated progress, but still lack the leadership and will to reverse the runaway crisis.”

Rangers for Responsible Recreation is a coalition of retired federal and state law enforcement and land management professionals. The coalition mailed nearly 300 BLM and Forest Service rangers and supervisors a 21-question survey plus two open-ended essays. More than one in five (23%) replied, exceeding the national standard for success among professional opinion researchers.

“The rangers are all saying the same thing – there's no meaningful response to the reckless use of off-road vehicles,” added Daniel Patterson, Southwest Director for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), who coordinated the survey. “Congress needs to get a handle on this problem before it spins further out of control.”

###

View the full survey results

Read the essays submitted by the rangers

Look at recent Forest Service ORV incident summaries

See how off-road vehicles are destroying one national monument

Chart how ORVs are becoming the biggest law enforcement problem on public lands

Find out more about Rangers for Responsible Recreation

Go to this site to see the above,
http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=958

[crash]

Another PEER/Patterson PR. I'm so shocked about what was said. Abundant cherry picking and exageration along with a new org that doesn't have the eco-freak stigma yet. The RRR. Same sheought, different package!!

[DuneRookie]

I lookead at a few of the questions. Do they not seem a little skewed to solicit the response they got. The questions are asked in a negative format. Like pollers asking questions in a way that gets the response you want to publish.

[DuneRookie]

I lookead at a few of the questions. Do they not seem a little skewed to solicit the response they got. The questions are asked in a negative format. Like pollers asking questions in a way that gets the response you want to publish.

[crash]

I lookead at a few of the questions. Do they not seem a little skewed to solicit the response they got. The questions are asked in a negative format. Like pollers asking questions in a way that gets the response you want to publish.

I would expect nothing more. This is akin to me asking my friends "hey, does it feel warm today?" and trying to use it as proof global warming is man made and upon us. Just a total stretch. As usual.

[Sloppyduner]

I see it more as "Is there a reason for you to keep your job?" Of course they're gonna answer "yes". Might as well ask a kid working at Mc Donalds if people are "going nuts" buying burgers. OR asking a carny if he ran across any kids that want to go on rides.

What I'd really like to see is a follow up survey in a couple of years. If the numbers haven't gone down Then I would ask "why aren't you doing a better job informing?"

Either way the above is correct. Ask a question in a certain way and you'll get the answer your looking for.

Now replace ORV with camp fires.
Or trash.
Or pets
Or permits
Or any other area that the rangers must enforce.

[Sandcock]

I look at the negative bias as to what they are taught, I mean they are brain washed in the higher edu system. There's no critcal thinking there just learning the far lefts point of view. Then when you couple those brain washed learnings with the bad things done by the bad element in our society (OHV) you get poop for brain outrages by the likes of that of PEER and others. Bad thing about this is is that there are a lot of those brain washed idiots out there that buy in to this load of crap

[Jerry Seaver]

Bad thing about this is is that there are a lot of those brain washed idiots out there that buy in to this load of crap

And sometimes the ones that buy into it are the ones that are getting voted into office by someone.

The ASA and others have to continue to get the full message out.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Skewed, not right, it doesn't matter. That is a damning survey and an even worse article!! The ASA needs to get in touch with Carol Goldberg and fashion an effective response and get her to write a responding article. If not then this article and survey just sits out there for everyone to see and use against OHV use.

[gelwell]

Skewed, not right, it doesn't matter. That is a damning survey and an even worse article!! The ASA needs to get in touch with Carol Goldberg and fashion an effective response and get her to write a responding article. If not then this article and survey just sits out there for everyone to see and use against OHV use.

Dusty you're not going to get anywhere with Carol Goldberg. She is part of PEER. The question is "how much of this is going to get any press?" Hopefully it will not get any. I think the press has been burned by Danny boy before. I recognize this is an optimistic view and dont rule anything out of the capabilities of these people.

“This survey reflects the overwhelming nature of ORV problems on public lands – vast landscapes, a deeply entrenched pattern of abuse, far too little enforcement, and soft penalties,” stated Jim Furnish, former Deputy Chief of the Forest Service, who is appearing today at a congressional briefing to present the survey results

This concerns me more. Who from our side is there to refute such propaganda? Dont we have a lobbyist is DC who would take this on?

[Jerry Seaver]

The ASA does have a lobbyist in DC at this time, the cost is steep and the budget tight but I'm sure he will be maintained as long as there are funds to support having someone to get our message out in DC, just one of the things that money from the fund raising the ASA does goes for.

[firestarter1]

under " read the eesays submitted by rangers " link page 6 it appears some of the rangers definitely disagree with PEER (sorry don't know how to link.)

[Sandcock]

http://www.peer.org/docs/az/07_11_12_sw ... essays.pdf

[Kronikenergy]

A similar proportion (65%) agrees that “loss of hunting and fishing licenses” would be a effective deterrent for violators

HA HA HA! Are they even referring to ORV use at ISDRA or a bunch of red necks mud bogging out in the wilderness while poaching big game?

Could you imagine the sign at the sand drags "any violation will result in the immediate suspension of your fishing license"

This whole thing seems a litttle "fishy" to me...