AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST November 2019
State and Local Update
Arizona
Off-road signs went up in Rim Country around Payson this past summer, compliments of the Tonto Recreation Alliance.
The group installed six maps that show visitors the routes of OHV trails. Maps for other areas will come in 2020.
The proposed Tonto National Forest travel management plan calls for a network of about 6,000 miles of roads and trails for OHV use in the 2.8 million-acre forest.
California
Senate Resolution 63, introduced by state Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Salinas), promotes increased public awareness on the issue of motorcyclist profiling.
The resolution also encourages collaboration and communication between the motorcycle community and local and state law enforcement agencies to engage in efforts to end motorcyclist profiling. It also urges state law enforcement officials to include statements condemning motorcyclist profiling in policies and training materials.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire plans to suspend the licenses of nearly 4,000 drivers in the latest fallout following a June crash that killed seven motorcyclists, Gov. Chris Sununu said.
A pickup truck collided with members of the Jarhead Motorcycle Club on June 21. The truck driver, 23-year-old Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, of West Springfield, Mass., pleaded not guilty to negligent homicide. Officials say Zhukovskyy’s license in Massachusetts should have been suspended because of a drunken driving arrest.
The incident prompted a review of the state Division of Motor Vehicles, which had a backlog dating to July 2016. The department caught up on more than 37,000 infractions received by New Hampshire from other states.
As a result, nearly 4,000 drivers will have their licenses suspended.
New Mexico
Three national forests—Cibola, Santa Fe and Carson—have released final draft plans and environmental impact statements. Public hearings were held in August and September.
The deadline for comments on the plans is Nov. 7.
The final draft of the Carson National Forest documents is available at https://tinyurl.com/y52qortk.
For information about the Cibola National Forest, visit https://tinyurl.com/y5g52zwn.
The Santa Fe National Forest documents are available at https://tinyurl.com/yyfjm7x5.
Wisconsin
ABATE of Wisconsin reports that two state senators are circulating a draft bill that would allow retailers to dispense all blends of fuel through one pump nozzle.
The bill (LRB 2170/P1) would apply to fuel blends up to 15 percent ethanol (E15).
The AMA joins ABATE of Wisconsin in opposing this bill, which would dramatically increase the likelihood of inadvertent misfueling by motorcyclists.
No motorcycles or ATVs sold in the United States are certified by the EPA to operate on fuel containing more than 10 percent ethanol (E10).