Arizona

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is warning off-road vehicle riders to avoid mudding, because it may be causing damage to the state’s natural landscape. The state typically experiences a rainy season in the fall, and state officials claim off-roaders on the trails can cause damage.

California

Gov. Jerry Brown is considering banning the sale of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines a decade from now, according to a report from Bloomberg News. Mary Nichols, chairman of the California Air Resources Board, told the news agency the measure may be necessary to achieve long-term targets for cleaner air. Car and motorcycle manufacturers would be under heightened pressure to move toward vehicles powered by electricity, hydrogen or other fuel sources.

In other California news, the Ridgecrest City Council accepted a $17,887 grant from the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division of the California Department of Parks and Recreation to partially fund the maintenance of existing OHV equipment as well as training and overtime for law enforcement officers monitoring OHV riders. The city is providing $6,879 in in-kind contributions that include providing reserve officers, volunteers and use of the city’s ATVs. Funding also will be used to educate local youth in safe and responsible OHV operation.

New Hampshire

Police in Portsmouth, N.H., say they are planning to crack down on loud motorcycles by setting up checkpoints and testing the decibel levels of the motorcycles they stop. New Hampshire is the only state to adopt the AMA-recommended SAE J2825 testing procedure to measure engine exhaust sound levels. The AMA has contacted motorcyclists in the area to alert them to this situation and enlist their support in ensuring that proper testing procedures are followed and that motorcycle-only checkpoints are not employed.

Oregon

H.B. 2597, Oregon’s distracted-driving law, was signed by the governor and became effective Oct. 1. The new law defines the offense of driving a motor vehicle while using a mobile electronic device. Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, first offenders can be fined $130 to $1,000. Second offenses and first offenses that contributed to a crash are subject to a fine of $220 to $2,500. A third offense within 10 years carries a minimum fine of $2,000 and the possibility of six months in jail. First offenders can have their fines suspended if they complete a distracted-driving avoidance course.