[morc] Fw: Nationwide Alert: Senate Bill Threatens California Trails

[Don Youngdahl]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "IMBA" <enews at imba.com>
To: "DON YOUNGDAHL" <dmy at visi.com>
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 12:21 AM
Subject: Nationwide Alert: Senate Bill Threatens California Trails


> Nationwide Alert: Senate Bill Threatens California Trails
>
> -- Phone calls urged by Wednesday Feb. 16.
>
> A Senate committee will vote this Wednesday, Feb. 16, on a reintroduced
> Wilderness bill that would ban mountain biking from 170 miles of
singletrack
> trails in Northern California. Mountain bikers nationwide are urged to ask
> their senators to delay action on the bill until suitable compromises are
> reached and bicycling is accommodated. Your call is especially important
if
> your senator is a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resource
Committee
> listed below.
>
> Senate Bill 128 (S. 128), the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage
> Wilderness Act, sponsored by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), would
> designate more than 300,000 acres as federal Wilderness. Popular trails
> would be closed such as King's Crest and Lost Coast-Chemise Mountain in
the
> King Range National Conservation Area and the Red Bud and Judge Davis
trails
> near Cache Creek in Lake County. View a complete list of threatened
trails:
>
http://www.imba.com/news/action_alerts/ca_wilderness/hr1501_mtb_miles_lost.h
> tml
>
> IMBA remains firmly dedicated to land conservation and believes that
> Wilderness designation is just one of many tools that may be employed to
> protect wild places. When proposed Wilderness Areas include significant
> mountain biking opportunities, IMBA proposes alternative land designations
> that protect natural areas while preserving bicycle access.
>
> IMBA supports protecting all lands in the bill, but for one-quarter of the
> areas under consideration, Congress should use protection measures other
> than Wilderness or adjust boundaries to accommodate bicycling.
>
> IMBA believes mountain biking, low-impact, muscle-powered recreation, is
> an appropriate use of trails on public lands and is consistent with the
> values of Wilderness land protection which includes recreation in natural
> landscapes.
>
> Talking Points:
>
> * Senate Bill 128 needs to better accommodate bicycling and is not ready
for
> passage.  Please delay action in the Senate and House until suitable
> compromises are reached.
>
> * This bill would close more than 170 miles of singletrack trails to
> bicycling.
>
> * IMBA supports protecting all the lands in S. 128, but for one-quarter of
> the areas under consideration, Congress should use methods other than
> Wilderness to preserve the land while keeping trails open to mountain
> biking.
>
> * Wilderness is not the only way to protect public lands. Why must land
> protection often mean eliminating bicycling opportunities?
>
> * Mountain biking started in California and is a popular sport - 5.2
million
> Californians participated last year (Outdoor Industry Association).
>
> * Mountain biking brings significant revenue to the state's economy
through
> bicycle related industry, tourism, bike shops, touring companies and more.
>
> * Mountain biking is low-impact, muscle-powered recreation and is an
> appropriate use of trails on public lands. IMBA members highly value land
> conservation, clean water and clean air.
>
> * IMBA supports new Wilderness designations where they don't close
> singletrack bicycling opportunities.
>
> * Bicyclists simply want to continue to ride on trails that have been open
> to them for years.
>
> * Recreation science indicates that bikes affect natural resources no more
> than hikers or horses - two user groups allowed on Wilderness trails.
>
> Action Steps:
>
> 1. Call your two U.S. senators using the Capitol switchboard (202)
224-3121.
> (To learn the name of your state's senators go to http://www.congress.org
> and type in your zip code.) Members of the Senate Energy and Natural
> Resources Committee are listed below.
>
> 2. Politely tell them you are calling in regards to S. 128 (Northern
> California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act) and use the talking
points
> above. If the senator is not a member of the committee, your comments are
> still important because the entire U.S. Senate will be asked to vote on
the
> bill before it goes to the U.S. House of Representatives.
>
> 3. Please provide your name and address so that they know you are a
> constituent. Senators respond best to callers from their home state - if
you
> don't give them contact information, your call probably won't count.
>
> 4. If you would rather fax a letter, call your senator's office to get the
> proper fax number and staff member assigned to the bill. Make sure to fax
> your comments by Wednesday. Email comments are not recommended.
>
> --
> Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
>
> Chairman Pete Domenici, New Mexico (202) 224 - 6621
> Larry Craig, Idaho (202) 224 - 2752
> Craig Thomas, Wyoming (202) 224 - 6441
> Lamar Alexander, Tennessee (202) 224 - 4944
> Lisa Murkowski, Alaska (202) 224 - 6665
> Richard Burr, North Carolina (202) 224 - 3154
> Mel Martinez, Florida (202) 224 - 3041
> James Talent, Missouri (202) 224 - 6154
> Conrad Burns, Montana (202) 224 - 2644
> George Allen, Virginia (202) 224 - 4024
> Gordon Smith, Oregon (202) 224 - 3753
> Jim Bunning, Kentucky (202) 224 - 4343
> Jeff Bingaman (Ranking Member), New Mexico (202) 224 - 5521
> Daniel Akaka, Hawaii (202) 224 - 6361
> Byron Dorgan, North Dakota (202) 224 - 2551
> Ron Wyden, Oregon (202) 224 - 5244
> Tim Johnson, South Dakota (202) 224 - 5842
> Mary Landrieu, Louisiana (202) 224 - 5824
> Dianne Feinstein, California (202) 224 - 3841
> Maria Cantwell, Washington (202) 224 - 3441
> Jon Corzine, New Jersey (202) 224 - 4744
> Ken Salazar, Colorado (202) 224 - 5852
>
> --
>
> Read IMBA's Strategy for Wilderness and Mountain Biking:
> http://www.imba.com/news/news_releases/02_05/02_10_wilderness.html
>
> Attend IMBA's 24 Hours of D.C. - April 6-7
> http://www.imba.com/news/news_releases/01_05/01_06_dc.html
> --
>
> About IMBA
>
> Founded in 1988, the International Mountain Bicycling Association is a
> nonprofit educational association whose mission is to create, enhance and
> preserve trail opportunities for mountain bikers worldwide by encouraging
> low-impact riding, volunteer trailwork, cooperation among different trail
> user groups and innovative trail management solutions. IMBA's worldwide
> network is comprised of individual members, bicycle clubs, corporate
> partners and bicycle retailers.
>
> --
> To be removed from IMBA's list email membership at imba.com with the subject
> REMOVE.
>
>