State and Local Update

California

The AMA is proud to be a part of the newly formed California Outdoor Recreation Foundation, which will serve as a central clearing house for individuals and organizations seeking to collaborate with California State Parks to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program throughout 2021.

AMA Western States Representative Nick Haris is a board member.

Other members of the CORF Board of Directors are: Don Amador, past member and chairman of the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission and Government Affairs Director of AMA District 36; Robert Ettleman, recreation planner with the County of Los Angeles, Department Parks & Recreation; Amy Granat, executive director of the CORVA Foundation; and Paul Slavik, past member and chairman of the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission.

More information is available at outdoorrecreationfoundation.org.

Also in California, the Johnson Valley Shared Use Area, which permits OHVs when open, is scheduled for temporary closure from April 30 to May 10 and from Oct. 15 to Nov. 1.

The fall 2021 training dates reflect a slight adjustment from previous notices and will occur two weeks earlier than originally planned.

The adjacent Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area, managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, is unaffected by closures of the Johnson Valley Shared Use Area.

Off-road enthusiasts may also use the nearby Stoddard Valley OHV Area.

For additional information, including a map of the area, visit 29palms.marines.mil/johnsonvalley. Questions may be directed to the Resource Management Group by emailing the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at [email protected].

Georgia

The state Department of Driver Services’ Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program received a grant of $114,902 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, which will be used to help reduce motorcycle fatalities, increase driver awareness of motorcycles and help train motorcycle riders on how to ride safely.

The grant allows the Motorcycle Safety Program to continue its efforts promoting state and national safety initiatives. GMSP promotes driver awareness of motorcycles on the highways, rider education at 14 locations across the state and motorcycle safety initiatives.

“Because a formally trained rider is a safer rider, we want to ensure everyone has access to proper rider education,” said Holly Hegyesi, GSMP program manager. “Motorcycle safety classes are essential for new and experienced riders alike. Almost one-third of motorcycle fatalities involves a rider without a valid training or license.”

More information is available at dds.georgia.gov/motorcycle-safety-program.

Ohio

Mike Sayre, AMA government relations director, has been named to the newly created 30-member Ohio Traffic Safety Council, led by the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

The council includes representatives of several state agencies and other groups.

The role of the council is to coordinate and monitor all statewide traffic safety initiatives, analyze trends and advise the governor on creating safer roads through education, enforcement, engineering and emergency response.

“Members of this council all share the same goal—to drive down the number of people killed in traffic crashes,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “Their combined expertise, resources and efforts will be a force multiplier in saving lives.”

Complete information about the council, including the full list of members, can be found at publicsafety.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odps/news-and-events/all-news/odps_11032020.

Florida

The National Park Service is seeking ways to allow more OHV access in the Big Cypress National Preserve by means of its Backcountry Access Plan, released in October.

The stated purpose of the plan is to “provide off-road vehicle secondary trails, non-ORV trails and a camping management approach that protects the preserve’s natural and cultural resources while providing for public enjoyment.” The plan would also establish a permanent route for the Florida National Scenic Trail and other hiking opportunities.

In 2000, the park superintendent wrote an ORV Management Plan that eliminated nearly 19,000 miles of OHV trails, leaving just 400 miles available.

In 2014, the Park Service reached a settlement with environmental groups that closed all secondary ORV trails in Big Cypress until a formal Backcountry Access Management Plan could be adopted.

The Backcountry Access Management Plan includes 220 more miles for off-road vehicles and 51 miles of hiking trails. The plan also would open 203 backcountry destinations. Dispersed camping would be allowed in all of the preserve’s management zones.

More information is available at parkplanning.nps.gov/projecthome.cfm?parkID=352&projectID=49334.