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SACRAMENTO (Dec. 15,
2005) - On December 14, a coalition of 14 national,
state, and local OHV recreation groups called for the disbandment of
the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR)
Commission. California regulations mandate that funds collected from
OHV registrations go for environmental education, law enforcement,
public safety, trail conservation and land acquisition programs.
Spokesmen for the coalition said the decision to call for the
disbandment came after the Commission voted to defund several important
enforcement and safety programs, operated by the U.S. Forest Service,
Bureau of Land Management, and local sheriff departments.
John Stewart,
Director of Environmental Affairs for the United Four
Wheel Drive Associations said actions taken at a December 8 Commission
meeting were identical to problems identified in an audit conducted by
the California Bureau of State Audits earlier this year. "The OHMVR
Commission is blatantly continuing irregularities identified in the
audit. There is no longer any accountability. The only option left is
to call for its disbandment."
Don Amador, western
representative for the BlueRibbon Coalition noted
that calling for disbandment of the OHV Commission was the last resort.
"The refusal to fund important safety and education program shows the
Commission no longer functions in accordance to the California law
which established the committee. We call, once again, for oversight
from the legislature. The decision to de-fund the off-highway vehicle
(OHV) oriented law enforcement responsibilities of many county
sheriffs' departments and federal agencies is shameful," Amador added.
Earlier this year,
the same coalition sent a letter to Senator Bill
Morrow (R-Oceanside) asking for legislative hearings by the Joint
Legislative Audit Committee based on a recent report by the Bureau of
State Audits critical of the OHMVR Program. That audit cited
irregularities within the grants program that were again evident during
the recent commission hearing.
"The Commission
should consider this a vote of no confidence by the OHV
community," Amador concludes. "We pay taxes and registration fees and
those funds should be used for trail maintenance, law enforcement, and
safety education, not purchasing greenbelts or other real-estate
schemes."
The groups signing
the September 8 letter to Senator Morrow include:
American Sand Association, Off-Road Business Association, San Diego
Off-Road Coalition, American Motorcyclist Association, American
Motorcyclist Association - District 36, American Motorcyclist
Association - District 37, BlueRibbon Coalition, California Association
of Four-Wheel Drive Clubs, California/Nevada Snowmobile Association,
California Off-Road Vehicle Association, Desert Vipers Motorcycle Club,
Duners, American Motorcyclist Association District 37 Dual Sport, and
United Four Wheel Drive Associations.
The audit can be viewed here. |
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