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Parks Board Email Re SRCA 11-4-09
Parks Board Email Re SRCA 11-4-09
Parks Board Email Re SRCA 11-4-09
Dean Winstanley, Director
and the Colorado Parks Board
Colorado State Parks
1313 Sherman Street, Suite 618
Denver, CO 80203
Dear Mr. Winstanley and Board:
I am writing concerning a recent resolution submitted by the Southern Rockies Conservation Alliance for consideration
at your November 20, 2009 Parks Board meeting, in regards to the use of Colorado OHV Registration Funds and the
attempt to focus the use of those funds on trail closures and law enforcement, as opposed to maintenance of OHV trails.
As a native Coloradoan, I have been enjoying our public lands for all of my life. I am an avid hiker, mountain biker, fly
fisherman, camper, and Jeeper, and I therefore understand SRCA's stated goals of protecting our public lands for the
enjoyment of the public. However, SRCA's resolution concerning the use of OHV Registration Funds is contrary to the
purpose of those funds, and will do little or nothing to further public enjoyment, but rather will deny the public access to
lands for which those funds were collected to maintain. As you are likely aware, over 20 years ago the Colorado OHV
community voluntarily submitted to "tax themselves" through implementation of OHV Registration Fees, a voluntary
registration of OHV's. in order to provide federal land managers with the resources necessary for trail maintenance
related to the use of such OHV's. SRCA's resolution now seeks to re‐direct these trail‐maintenance funds instead
towards trail closures and law enforcement. I, along with the greater OHV community, strongly object to such a
proposition. No doubt, there is a small minority in the OHV community who act irresponsibly, and often give the greater
OHV community a proverbial "black eye". In recognition of this fact, the OHV community strongly supported the
passage of HB1069 in 2008, which provides every law enforcement officer in the State w3ith the authority to enforce
restrictions on OHV travel. Additional law enforcement will do little to discourage those irresponsible few, while
diversion of funds from the maintenance of trail will have broad affects upon the recreational opportunities available to
the OHV community, the very source of that funding. The OHV Program is currently properly administered, and there is
no justification for out‐of‐state interests to attempt to hijack the pay‐your‐own‐way funds collected from the OHV
community in order to further their own agenda. The net effect were the SRCA's proposed resolution to be adopted,
and perhaps this is the SRCA's ultimate goal, would likely be a drastic reduction in the number of voluntary registrations,
with a corresponding decrease in funds available to the OHV Program for trail maintenance, and therefore likely
additional trail closures, not to mention detrimental effects to public lands due to lack of maintenance. The OHV
community, in agreeing to "pay their own way", has taken responsibility for necessary trail maintenance, and the Board
should therefore reject the SRCA resolution and its attempt to hijack these funds for improper purposes.
Thank you for your consideration, and for your continuing efforts to protect public lands, and the public's access to
them.
Chris Cummins
Colorado Springs, Colorado