Hidden Gems legislation puts Colorado OHV in crosshairs

On September 29, 2010, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) introduced H.R. 6280, the Eagle and Summit County Wilderness Preservation Act or commonly known as the Hidden Gems Wilderness proposal.  The bill would designate nearly 166,000 acres of public land in Summit and Eagle Counties as Wilderness and special protection areas.  The new Wilderness areas include the following:  1) Acorn Creek; 2) Adam Mountain; 3) Bull Gulch; 4) Castle Peak; 5) Freeman Creek; 6) Hoosier Ridge; 7) Ptarmigan A;  8) Spraddle Creek; 9) Tenmile; 10) Ute Pass; 11) West Lake Creek; 12) Woods Lake; and 13) Williams Fork.  If passed, responsible motorized access will not be permitted in some of these areas.  To view Polis’ press release on H.R. 6280 and a map of the affected areas, click here.

If this bill is passed, it will also create three Special Management Areas for the following locations: 1) Castle Peak; 2) Pisgah Mountain; and 3) Red Table.  

In Sec. 5 and 6 of H.R. 6280, Polis ensures that his legislation will not affect mountain bike trails and “the boundaries contained on the associated maps have accommodated legal motorized usage areas.”  The areas this applies to are the following: 1) Special Management Areas; 2) Porcupine Gulch; 3) Tenmile; and 4) Hoosier Ridge.

In addition to H.R. 6280, Colorado is facing an onslaught of another Wilderness bill. There was a hearing on H.R. 4289, the Colorado Wilderness Act of 2009, introduced by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.). The bill will designate 34 areas totaling 850,000 acres as Wilderness, including 72,397 in Handies Peak, 20,025 in Browns Canyon and 38,594 at Redcloud Peak. This Wilderness designation, if passed into law, will make the land off limits to OHV enthusiasts.
 
Now is the time to stop H.R. 6280 and all other inappropriate Wilderness bills affecting Colorado before they are passed individually or as part of another Omnibus Public Lands Management bill. The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is concerned that another Public Lands Management bill will be offered in a lame duck Congress.

3.5 million acres are already designated as Wilderness in Colorado and by a stroke of a pen these pieces of legislation propose to increase Wilderness by a little more than a million acres without local input of those who recreate responsibly on that land.
 
The AMA needs your help to stop H.R. 6280 in its tracks. The fastest way to reach your Representative is to call them. You can find contact information for your elected officials at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Rights > Issues & Legislation, then enter your zip code in the “Find your Officials” box. A prewritten e-mail is available for you to send to your federal elected official immediately by following the “Take Action” option and entering your information.
 
The AMA encourages its members to utilize the media as a communication tool. The media can be helpful in getting our message out to the public or drawing attention to our concerns regarding H.R. 6280. To find and contact local or national media outlets, click here. For tips on drafting a letter to your local newspaper editor, click here.

Since many riding areas are being closed or are at risk of closing, the AMA needs you to get involved and make a difference in the political process.  The easiest way is to vote. To protect the motorcycle lifestyle, we need informed voters like you to support the candidates who pledge their support for motorcycling.

If you are not already registered to vote, please click here and follow the four simple steps to register today.

To access election information and a list of candidates running for statewide or federal office, click here. To view a previous alert that outlines the 2010 AMA Voter Guide and tips and tools for the upcoming election, click here.
 
For more information about how to protect your right to ride, please visit the “Get Involved” section of the AMA web site. For direct access, click here.
 
Again, the AMA urges you to write or call your Representative today and ask them to oppose H.R. 6280. Also, please forward this alert to friends and family to help spread the message as rapidly as possible.