United Four Wheel Drive Associations, One Voice, California-Nevada Snowmobile Association United Snowmobile Alliance and the Off-Road Business Association recently submitted comments regarding the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Southern Sierra Fisher, HR4878 the American Discovery Trail Act and S.3266 the Outdoor Recreation Act.  The extensive comments and background information regarding the proposal and legislation in both the House of Representatives and Senate were made by Scott Jones, Esq. lawyer for ORBA.  United Four Wheel Drive Associations would like to thank Scott and ORBA for the work on this issue that is important to recreation. United Four Wheel Drive Associations is partnered with the Off-road Business Association to connect industry and the grass roots and we thank ORBA and Scott Jones for the help on these issues.

ORBA also continues work on the litigation regarding Oceano Dunes SVRA.  ORBA is a part of Ecologic Partners and United will contribute to this effort as the litigation moves forward.

Steve Egbert,
President, UFWDA
BOD Member, ORBA

US Representatives Peter Welch (D-Vt.-At Large) and John Curtis (R-Utah-3) today reintroduced legislation that will more than double funding for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). Since 1991, the RTP has provided funding to states to develop and maintain outdoor recreational trails, allowing millions of Americans and their families to enjoy activities such as hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and 4-wheel driving.

“Our nation has unparalleled natural beauty that provides year-round opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors,” said Rep. Welch. “The coronavirus pandemic has only increased Americans’ interest in getting outside to appreciate the recreational opportunities throughout the country. Boosting funding for this important program will ensure that future generations will experience the joy of hiking, riding, and exploring our scenic trails for many years to come.”

“The Recreational Trails Program has created countless opportunities for motorized recreation and human-powered experiences,” said Rep. Curtis. “This bill will ensure that future generations get to visit the great outdoors, while supporting local economies and jobs, especially throughout rural areas.”

“America’s large recreational trails community is grateful for the national leadership of U.S. Representatives Welch, Curtis and others to continue a great success story over the last 30 years – the Recreational Trails Program (RTP),” said Marianne Fowler and Derrick Crandall, Co-Chairs of the Coalition for Recreational Trails. “Every major trail organization supports expansion of RTP using federal fuel taxes generated through nonhighway recreational activities to deliver healthy, safe, diverse, and exciting trail opportunities and to empower a partnership of federal land managers, state and local park and recreation agencies and trail enthusiasts. The serendipity is that the RTP is also proving to be a potent economic stimulus, supplying a vital base for the nation’s nearly-$800 billion annual outdoor recreation industry.”

The bill will more than double RTP funding to at least $250 million. The program is modeled after the Highway Trust Fund and is funded through taxes paid on gasoline used to fuel snowmobiles, ATVs, and other recreational vehicles that do not use highways. The program is currently funded at $84 million annually, which is substantially less than is collected in taxes on fuel used by these vehicles.

The Recreational Trails Full Funding Act of 2021:

• requires the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to estimate the amount of gas taxes paid by non-highway recreational users. Estimates suggest that those users pay more than $270 million each year.
• increases RTP funding to $250 million or the mandated new FHWA estimate, whichever is higher.
• Increases the transparency of the projects funded.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Reps. Michael F.Q. San Nicolas (D-Guam-At Large), Michael Simpson (R-Idaho-2), Chris Stewart (R-Utah-2), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-2), Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.-6), Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.-1), Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.-10), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.-2), Richard Neal (D-Mass.-1), Steve Stivers (R-Ohio-15), and Grace F. Napolitano (D-Calif.-32).

NOHVCC’s webinar series continues– join us on September 30!

USFS Risk Assessment Guidance

Anyone who organizes or participates in events or performs volunteer efforts on National Forests should join us for our September 30 webinar. Sandy Bearden, Safety Manager, United States Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region will describe the new Forest Service guidance that will impact the way volunteers and others assess risk in projects. This webinar will allow you to hear directly from the Forest Service about any new expectations, as well as provide an opportunity to have questions answered.

The Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT) calls on all trail organizations and trail enthusiasts to take action immediately to continue and to expand the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), the national trails assistance program that aids all trail activities nationwide through use of federal non-highway recreational fuel taxes. A huge step occurred late last year when the Congress instructed the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop a timely estimate of the fuel tax generated through non-highway recreational activities in its FY2020 budget and included RTP reauthorization in key Senate legislation creating the next-gen surface transportation program. Now, action in the House of Representatives is underway and underscores the bipartisan and coast-to-coast support RTP enjoys in the Congress.

Washington, D.C. (January 26, 2020) –The Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT) expressed appreciation for bipartisan Congressional efforts which moved the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) forward recently and offer real hope that additional federal non-highway recreational fuel taxes will soon provide better and safer trails. Led by U.S. Senators Shaheen, Risch, Klobuchar, Burr, Daines and Van Hollen, Hill champions of RTP succeeded in including preparation of an estimate of non-highway recreational fuel usage to facilitate Congressional determination of future RTP funding levels in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s FY2020 budget.