What's New in The ASA: October 2009

ASA CHAIRMAN STEPS DOWN
It is with deep regret that we announce the departure of ASA Board of Directors Chairman Bill Jones. Jones has served on the ASA Board since mid-2006 and was instrumental in the formation of the American Desert Foundation (ADF). As Chairman of the ADF, Jones was involved in establishing the ATV rider certification classes in Glamis this season. He has also been responsible for several major projects above and beyond his leadership of ASA day to day activities. Jones will continue to serve as ADF Chairman. The ASA board would like to thank Bill for his generous contribution towards furthering the mission of the ASA. He will be greatly missed.

Effective February 2nd President Bob Mason has temporarily assumed the Chairman duties until the ASA board elects a replacement. Chuck Hattaway will take on the responsibility of chairing the Raffle Car Committee.

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!
The ASA dual sport raffle car has been on display at several locations. ASA Business Sponsors Broken Bikes in the south dunes and Freedom Rentals at Glamis have displayed the Banning Motorsports car at their vending operation in the dunes over President’s Day. The car also was displayed at the AZ Sand and Dirt, at the Phoenix NASCAR fall race and at the Parker 425 off-road race. Future opportunities include the spring NASCAR race in Phoenix, the Mint 400 off-road race in Las Vegas, the Terrible’s 250 in Prim, NV and others.

The raffle car represents the ASA’s primary source of revenue to carry out its mission. The cost and benefit of each of these display opportunities must be carefully evaluated. Banning Motorsports has transported the car to and from all of the events so far this season saving the ASA the transportation expense. Ticket sales have been reasonable.

“How Can You Help?”
Volunteers are needed to sell tickets and to sign up members. Contact Raffle Chairman Chuck Hattaway at chuck15@cox.net or 619 890 9093.

SUPPORTING MEMBERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DISCOUNT
The ASA is proud to announce a partnership agreement with Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. All new and renewing supporting members will automatically receive a $25.00 gift card to Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. Basically, your membership pays for itself. Support the ASA’s mission to Unite, Inform and Mobilize while shopping for your favorite gear. All you have to do is become a supporting ASA member or renew your current membership and we’ll mail you your free gift card so you can start shopping right away.

NOW SEEKING OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS
Nomination forms for the Jerry R. Seaver award are now available. If you know of someone who is an ASA member and has demonstrated exemplary service to help further the mission of the ASA, please nominate them for this coveted award.
Past award recipients are:

ASA TRAILER FOR SALE
The ASA had to purchase a new enclosed trailer to accommodate the height of the 2009-10 dual sport Banning Motorsports raffle car so we are selling a like new PACE Enclosed trailer with less than 1000 miles driven. 7000 GVW, INSIDE DIMENSIONS 21'8" LONG, 96" WIDE, 74" HIGH AND 81" BETWEEN THE FENDERS

For detailed specs go to: http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/rvs/1599154957.html

ISDRA FEES – ASA WORKING FOR YOU!
During the past several months ASA Board member Dick Holliday has dedicated many hours to the evaluation of the appropriateness of the permit fee charged at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (ISDRA). Holliday has researched the details of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA).

The FLREA is the enabling legislation the gives the BLM the authority to collect the permit fee. The Act requires that the money collected be used to enhance the visitor recreation experience. The Act also requires public involvement in the process of setting the permit fee and how the fee revenue is expended.

Holliday, also a member of the BLM California Desert District Advisory Council, has reviewed the details of the BLM budget process and the budget estimates submitted by BLM to Congress. He has traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with BLM and congressional staff members. This dialog has increased the awareness of the DC BLM staff regarding the views of the ASA leadership. The ASA goal is to assure that the FLREA is administered appropriately and that the ISDRA visitors receive the intended FLREA benefits.

NEW DUNER’S ALERT
Thanks to Board Member and ASA Webmaster Scott Swenka we have a new “Duner’s Alert” that appears in the upper left side of the ASA website home page. This is a great place for you to keep informed. Please take time to check it out at http://www.americansandassociation.org/. Your suggestions will be welcome. You can reach Scott at asa.swenka@gmail.com

ASA POSITION ON S2921 THE CALIFORNIA DESERT PROTECTION ACT OF 2010
The ASA Board of Directors has reviewed the Ecologic Partners recommendation regarding S 2921. Ecologic Partners is the legal arm of the ASA. It consists of ASA, Off Road Business Association (ORBA), San Diego Off Road Coalition (SDROC) and AMA District 37 Off Road. The mission statement of Ecologic Partners is "The mission of Ecologic Partners, Inc. is to advance land use policies that conserve natural resources while providing responsible outdoor recreation for American families."

The ASA Board authorized Dick Holliday, Ecologic Board member to support the following:
On December 21, 2009 U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced S.2921 the California Desert Protection Act of 2010. After careful analysis of all aspects of this bill Ecologic Partners are going on record as supporting the bill in its current form. Any changes or amendments that will be proposed through the committee process of approving this legislation will require a through review of the ability of the Ecologic Partners to continue to support this legislation. This legislation creates two new National Monuments, new Wilderness areas, and sets siting guidelines for renewable energy projects and gives five BLM open areas in San Bernardino County, CA official Congressional designations as OHV areas.

Both ORBA and AMA D37 organizations worked closely with the Senator’s staff to ensure that within the proposed Monuments OHV use on designated trails will continue. They also secured language that would protect organized OHV events that currently occur there. In the proposed Wilderness areas the Senator’s staff worked with many individuals and OHV organizations to exclude from the wilderness areas some of the high value trails therefore keeping them open in perpetuity.

Rasor OHV Area, Stoddard Wells OHV Area, El Mirage OHV Area, Spangler Hills OHV Area and a portion of the Johnson Valley OHV Area are all slated to receive a congressional designation as OHV areas. These proposed designations signify that the senator respects the rights of California families to recreate responsibly on public lands and that she is aware of the significant impact that OHV recreation has on the California economy.

The monuments proposed in this bill are the Sand to Snow Monument, which is located in northern Riverside County and the Mojave Trails National Monument, which follows segments of Historic Route 66 and also covers portions of the Central and Eastern Mojave Desert, will remain under the management of the BLM.

We appreciate Senator Feinstein and her staff for taking a collaborative approach on this legislation. A variety of stakeholders including off-roaders, environmentalists and local residents were consulted early on in the process. This bill protects long standing recreation areas, sensitive desert lands and allows for responsible renewable energy development.

OGILBY CAMP NORTH ACCESS LOOP UPDATE
The Bureau of Land Management recently completed work on the soft area of the Ogilby Camp North Access Loop. The area they worked on in February is just east of the tower. A single lane dirt road has been constructed which is approximately 1000’ long. Many people who access this area have complained about getting stuck due to the soft road and this work has significantly improved access to this area.
We would like to thank the following people for making this happen in record time:
BLM Archeologist – Jenny Blanchard
BLM Maintenance Supervisor – Steve Geyman
BLM Equipment Operators – Nathan Yearsley and Martin Gibson
Please visit the following website for regularly updated information: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/recreation/ohvs/isdra/sandnews.html

A New Way To Support The ASA
Recently, the American Sand Association partnered with GBG, a Health and Wellness company, for a special fundraising program that has the possibility to significantly benefit the ASA. GBG has been in business for the past 14 years, it is also owned by a fellow off-roader and sand duning enthusiast named Stuart Finger who lives in Northern California.

Here's some information about GBG as well as how the fundraising program works. If you are currently using vitamins or know that you should, we would like to encourage you to check out GBG's great tasting liquid 10-in-One Super Formula.

Not only is this vitamin scientifically engineered under strict health standards, it is competitively priced compared to supplements in retail stores. The primary difference is that when you purchase the items through ASA's GBG web-site, proceeds from your 10-in-One purchases will be sent directly to the ASA.
This is your chance to both improve your health and support the ASA. To learn more, simply visit the ASA's exclusive GBG web-site by clicking on this link: < http://shopgbg.com/ASAfundraiser >.

Proceeds from your purchases will benefit the ASA by helping pay for legal fees, biological studies, and other expenses that are incurred in the battle to keep public lands open for off-road vehicle use.

ASA Operational Policies Being Reviewed
A committee has been formed to review the operational policies of the ASA. The committee consists of ASA Co-founder Jerry Seaver and board members Scott Swenka and Chuck Hattaway. The goal of the committee is to standardize all ASA policies while reviewing and updating policy content. The committee will take all revisions to the ASA board for approval.

BLM ESTABLISHES AVENUE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK
Recently the ASA met with BLM El Centro Field Office officials to discuss issues pertaining to the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. Acting Assistant Field Manager and Chief Ranger Kynan Barrios shared a letter currently being used by BLM rangers to provide public land visitors guidance for submitting comments regarding encounters with BLM Rangers. The purpose of the letter is to provide users with an avenue to provide feedback, whether it is positive or negative, to the BLM about the quality of their service.

If you feel a BLM Law Enforcement Ranger acted in a commendable manner or has acted improperly, please send a written letter providing details of your commendation or concern to the BLM El Centro Field Office. 1661 South Fourth Street, El Centro, CA 92243. If you do not wish to write a letter you may contact the commendation/complaint hotline at 760-337-4471 or visit the BLM El Centro Field Office web site at http://www.ca.blm.gov/elcentro and click contact us to send an e-mail commendation/concern. Or you can go the the ASA website and fill in an online form.

INFORMING OUR MEMBERS
The ASA received the BLM’s regular courtesy call to give us statistics for the President’s Day Weekend Holiday 2010. The numbers were as follows:

91,266 Visitors (5,390 increase from last year)
55 Medical Calls (8 more than last year)
0 fatalities (no change)
441 Citations (521 less than last year)
19 arrests (4 less than last year)
5 of the 19 arrests were for DUI (10 less than last year)
2 Camp evictions (no change)

PUBLIC INPUT WANTED FOR OCOTILLO WELLS SVRA GENERAL PLAN
California State Parks wants to hear from you! Complete our short online questionnaire by March 15.
Help us identify key planning issues for the General Plan Update by completing the online questionnaire. Your input will help guide early project research! Already completed the questionnaire? Forward this message to a friend! Join our mailing list by clicking here

More Information about the Ocotillo Wells General Plan Update
California State Parks recently kicked off a comprehensive update of the General Plan for Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA). The current version of the General Plan was adopted in 1982.
Public input is needed to help guide development of the General Plan Update for Ocotillo Wells SVRA. Ideas and issues raised during this initial public outreach effort will help guide early project research. Stay involved in the General Plan Update process – check the project website (www.planocotillowells.org) for updates!
Contact Information
Norb Ruhmke
State Parks Superintendent II
(760)767-0156
nruhmke@parks.ca.gov

Tina Robinson
General Plan Project Manager
(760) 767-1302 or (760) 315-2845
trobinson@parks.ca.gov

AIR POLLUTION AND THE DUNES MEETING REGARDING SERIOUS THREAT TO PISMO DUNES
The following meeting notice may only be the tip of the iceberg.
Wednesday March 3rd, 6pm, South County Regional Center & Library, 800 W. Branch Rd (near Wal-Mart), Arroyo Grande, CA (10 miles south of San Luis Obispo)
Hold your speed down around camp.
It’s the Right Thing to do.
It’s the Safe Thing to do.
It’s Environmentally Responsible.

San Luis Obispo County's Air Pollution Control District will be presenting the findings of their study which says that sand particulates from the Pismo/Oceano Dunes SVRA is a major source of why air pollution in the south county is exceeding federal mandates. While they acknowledge that the heavy, never-ceasing Pacific Ocean winds coming ashore are a major contributor to this, they say off-road vehicle use on the dunes only aggravate this.

While San Luis Obispo CountyAir Pollution Control District ManagerLarry Allen(805)781-5912 was, for an OHV issue, unusually objective and professional in his lengthy public radio interview some factors were not addressed:

The air monitoring stations are located on Nipomo Mesa overlooking the dunes. In the last 10 years development has exploded on the once rural Nipomo Mesa. The soil there has always been very sandy.

Since the State Vehicular Recreation Area was cut in half and drastically reduced the amount of dune area open to the public 25-30 years ago, the current amount of Pismo/Oceano Dunes OHV users is a drop in the bucket compared to the 50,000+ users who once invaded on holiday weekends.

While Mr. Allen cited Federal standard clean air mandates, California's Air Resources Board and the Federal government have been involved for a number of years in a vicious series of court battles back and forth over who sets the air standards for California. Implementing new or additional requirements will likely bring more lawsuits which are ultimately paid for by taxpayers. In a financially bankrupt state these costs are probably greater than people realize when you consider the multitude of related suits that have been going on for many years now.

Whenever SVRA/land use battles erupt no one ever points out that as long as special tax monies, in this case the OHV portion of the gas tax and "green sticker", are being collected for a specific use, that use is mandated by law and can't be stopped.

What's New in the aSa March, 2010

What's New in the aSa
March, 2010