A Bipartisan group of congressional representatives are working with the House Natural Resources Committee to save the iconic Giant Sequoias in California.

https://republicans-naturalresources.house.gov/newsroom/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=411361

Off-roaders take the condition of roads and trails in public land so seriously, that we have the highest percentage of volunteerism with the Forest Service as a recreation group!

The following link: https://nifc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/1c4565c092da44478befc12722cf0486 tgoes to a link with a map to check on fire conditions for all public land in California, both Forest Service and BLM. 

The Managing Director of CORVA, Amy Granat, reminds all off-roaders to "know before you go"! This is a theme of this year's OHV Safety Week sponsored by the OHMVR Division of State Parks in SVRA's throughout California on October 15 through October 23rd. Free classes will be offered for UTV, ATV and Dirt Bike Training. Call your favorite SVRA force more information, or check their website. 

It is fire season in California, and more than most visitors, off-roaders are more intimately aware of on-the-ground conditions on public land. Many of us volunteer with the Forest Service throughout the state to maintain our trails, and understand the danger fire causes to our recreation opportunities. The Forest Service is on a mission to protect the icnoic Giant Sequoias, but the Managing Director of CORVA, Amy Granat, wants to remind the agency that OHV roads and trails also deserve protection. She states, "recreation enthusiasts who visit public land place a very high value on their opportunities, and urge the agency to protect high value off-road trails in the forests throughout California.

https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2022/07/22/forest-service-taking-emergency-action-protect-giant-sequoias

During this fire season, the Managing Director of CORVA, Amy Granat, wants to remind all off-roaders visiting public land of the importance of obtaining a California Campfire Permit. The restrictions below from the Mendocino National Forest are similar to fire restrictions throughout public lands in California. According to Amy, "California Campfire Permits are easy to obtain online through the CalFire website: "Campfire Permit - Ready for Wildfire" https://www.readyforwildfire.org/permits/campfire-permit/. During the summer months when many of us are traveling and having fun off-roading, make sure to carry your Campfire Permit. In addition, visitors should go to the website to plan your visit and check for designated fire safe campgrounds".

Persons with a valid California Campfire Permit are not exempt from the prohibitions listed in this order. However, persons with a valid California Campfire Permit may use portable stoves or lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel and may also build, maintain, attend or use a fire, campfire, or stove fire. 

California Legislative Alert

AB 1512 (Bauer-Kahan) Off-highway vehicular recreation: Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area:  Alameda-Tesla Expansion Area

AB 1512 is in the Senate Appropriations Committee Suspense File to be heard on Thursday, August 26th, Upon Adjournment of Session

The Off Road Vehicle Legislative Coalition is comprised of several statewide or regional organizations of OHV enthusiasts.  Our coalition has reviewed AB 1512 and strongly opposes this bill.   AB 1512 would deny opportunities for local Bay Area residents, including the elderly and disabled and motorized recreation enthusiasts.

• It will set a precedent, allowing for the sale of any State Park where neighboring property owners seek relief from a perceived “wrong” in that Park.

• There are legislative and institutional processes in place to dispose of State Parks properties. These processes were deliberate in their development to ensure careful consideration of all factors before these assets would be sold or redesignated.  AB 1512 seeks to do an end run around these institutional processes. 

• Opposition to the Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA), whether the expansion property or the current park, is a local issue. Statewide legislation is an abuse of legislative resources. Consider that this is the fifth year in a row such legislation has been introduced, and it still is directed at a single State Park.

• SB 249 (Chapter 459, Statutes of 2017) outlines specific processes and standards for State Vehicle Recreation Areas such as Carnegie, that exceed the standards for other State Parks. The proposed conservatorships would not be required to meet these high standards nor be required to be accessible to the California public.
•  Carnegie SVRA meets the standards established for an urban park. Elimination of this resource is in direct conflict with this standard.

Contact your Senator and Governor Newsom NOW to oppose AB 1512

Senate Appropriations Committee List:

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS Committee
Member	District	Party	Room	Phone
Portantino, Anthony (Chair)	25	D	5050	916 651 4025
Bates, Patricia (Vice-Chair)	36	R	3063	916 651 4036
Bradford, Steven	35	D	2059	916 651 4035
Jones, Brian	38	R	4088	916 651 4038
Kamlager, Sydney	30	D	4062	916 651 4030
Laird, John	17	D	4040	916 651 4017
Wieckowski, Bob	10	D	4085	916 651 4010

Senate Appropriations Committee Social Media

Senate Appropriations Committee Social Media
Legislator	Dist	Party	Facebook	Twitter
Portantino, Anthony (Chair)	25	D	https://www.facebook.com/portantino/	https://twitter.com/Portantino
Bates, Patricia (Vice-Chair)	35	R	https://www.facebook.com/patbatesca/	https://twitter.com/senatorpatbates
Bradford, Steven	35	D	https://www.facebook.com/BradfordforSenate	https://twitter.com/SteveBradford
Jones, Brian	38	R	https://www.facebook.com/senbrianjones/	https://twitter.com/senbrianjones
Kamlager, Sydney	30	D	https://m.facebook.com/SenSydneyKamlager/	https://twitter.com/sydneykamlager
Laird, John	17	D	https://www.facebook.com/SenatorJohnLaird/	https://twitter.com/SenJohnLaird
Wieckowski, Bob	10	D	https://www.facebook.com/bobwieckowski	https://twitter.com/BobWieckowskiCA

Don’t know who your senator is?  http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

If your Senator is not on the committee list above, please contact Senator Toni Atkins, Senate President Pro Tempore, and Governor Newsom; tell them of your OPPOSITION to AB 1512.

Contact Senator Atkins and the Governor NOW to oppose AB 1512.

Senator Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) – President Pro Tempore

Capitol Telephone: (916) 651-4039; E-Mail: senator.atkins@senate.ca.gov

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/SDToni/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/SenToniAtkins

 

Governor Gavin Newsom

Telephone: (916) 445-2841; E-mail:  https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GavinNewsom/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom\

I Just sent this to my State Senator, Dave Cortese:

SB799 and AB1512 seem to be a hot item right now.

Dave has supported OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) recreation. Specifically he helped with Santa Clara Motorcycle County Park (ie, MCP or Metcalf)

These bills are another in a long and expensive list of attempts of wealthy landowners to close or compromise an important State Park; Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area.

Previous bills were to sell off a piece of property, the ‘expansion area’ that was acquired decades ago to meet the needs of the local OHV community.

As the area has grown, the needs of our communities have changed. Years of study and public outreach has lead to the plan for the expansion area to be largely open space and an interactive experience accessed by OHV.

There is no opportunity at the current park for the largest growing segment of OHV’s, the family oriented UTV or ‘Side x Sides” The expansion are will also allow for remote camping access for the disabled, something that doesn’t exist elsewhere in the bay area.

Despite the fact that as a state park, Carnegie SVRA must meet the highest standards for environmental management, the supporters of the bill have misrepresented this as an area destroyed by OHV and had called for elimination of any OHV activity.

The approved General Plan, when implemented, will continue to conserve this area to this same standard of the existing 1500 acre park. 

Additionally, this latest version leaves the cost of administration the expansion area undefined. Dare I call it an “unfunded mandate”? The legislation seems irresponsible, fiscally and environmentally.

More so, this a veiled give away to Garamendi/ Connolly disguised as a conservation area. Remember, the land is already funded as a state park. In reality the bill would just help their elk hunting business, their grazing opportunities, and their egos.

Please stop these elitist rich folks from trampling on the access of the general public. 

Bud, the owner, is on on the "CA Mission 12 moto safety committee" as is Tim, one of our critical admins, and a moto instructor. Some of their activities are here https://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=145

Bud was largely behind AB-51, the lane splitting bill. They have a big concern, as should we all, about folks driving cars with "autopilot". 

Anhow, I try to keep hot button issues in front of our membership. Some real questions are about Carnegie, Pismo, and the Green/ Red Sticker program.

I try to stay current and will post what I can here somewhere here https://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=63

or in "Riders Rights"...

The main BARF site addy is https://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/index.php

Call-in information: (712) 775-8968 | Access Code: #104206

ANNOUNCING THE 2021 CORVA ANNUAL MEETING MAY 24th!

All CORVA members are invited to join us for our Annual Meeting to be held by Conference Call on May 24th at 7:00pm. We will be electing members of the Board of Directors in the following positions: President, Secretary, Vice President of Land Use and Public Policy, and Vice President of Sales and Marketing. All members in good standing are encouraged to vote, and may run for office. Nominations may be submitted before or during the Annual Meeting. ALSO - please nominate the individuals and clubs most worthy of our annual CORVA awards! Forward your nominations to 

info@corva.org. Awards will also be decided during the Annual Meeting.

Download Annual Awards Criteria

CORVA will be holding a preliminary meeting to talk about the most important issues facing off-road recreation on April 26th. More info please contact Amy Granat: info@corva.org

We Need Your Help AGAIN to Save Carnegie SVRA!

Follow the instructions below

Alert_ORVLC SB 799-AB 1512_Sen NRW-Asm WPW_4-8-21

Access for All, Oceano Dunes SVRA Peaceful Demonstration

The Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce has joined with outdoor enthusiasts to support Oceano Dunes SVRA! Please join everyone on March 14th, from 2:00 to 4:00pm at Oceano Dunes. See all event information here: https://www.pismochamber.com/events/details/access-4-all-oceano-dunes-peaceful-demonstration-194

Join CORVA in supporting AB 232/ sponsored by Assemblymember Gallagher and help bring back equity for off-road recreationists who visit other states.

Contact the legislators listed to express your support.

Here is a list of the Transportation Committee members along with their city of residence and state capitol phone number. If you live or work near one of these committee members, that would be a good place to start. The bill is AB 232 by Assemblyman Gallagher. This bill will simply adjust California's long-held policy of reciprocity for OHV registrations vis a vis other states. Until last year every state that had an OHV registration system would honor the registration from residents of other states when they visited to recreate in another state. Last year Arizona, Utah and Idaho began changing their policy and began to require any non-resident of their state to first obtain an out-of-state OHV visitor permit for their vehicle before they could operate an OHV in the state. In other words, they are dropping the reciprocity that has ALWAYS existed for motor vehicle registrations between states. A California OHV registration (green sticker) will no longer be accepted as legal in those 3 states. This bill will simply change California's OHV statute to continue to allow reciprocity ONLY for residents of those states that recognize CA OHV registration as legal in their state. Visitors from states that do not recognize the CA green sticker will be required to purchase a CA OHV Visitor Permit in order to operate their OHV in CA. Visitors from states that continue to recognize the CA OHV registration will continue to be able to operate in CA with only their home state OHV permit.

Here is the list of Transportation Committee members we need to contact, and contact your own Assemblymember as well.

Laura Friedman  (Chair)	Glendale	916 319 2043
Vince Fong	Bakersfield	916 319 2034
Marc Berman	Palo Alto	916 319 2024
Jordan Cunningham	San Luis Obisbo	916 319 2035
Tom Daly	Anaheim	916 319 2069
Laura Davies	Laguna Niguel	916 319 2073
Mike Gipson	Carson	916 319 2064
Ash Kalra	San Jose	916 319 2027
Alex Lee	San Jose	916 319 2025
Jose Medina	Riverside	916 319  2061
Adrin Nazarian	San Fernando Valley	916 319 2046
Janet Nguyen	Huntington Beach	916 319 2072
Patrick O’Donnell	Long Beach	916 319 2070
Chris Ward	San Diego	916 319 2078
Buffy Wicks	Oakland	916 31915
Transportation	Committee	916 319 2093

  

Time to comment on the proposed Public Works Plan for Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.

Find the report here

Comments need to be sent by March 18th to: OceanoDunes.PWP.EIR@parks.ca.gov

Important Coastal Commission Meeting on March 18th to consider phasing out off-road recreation from our beloved state park!

Please review all information for the meeting on the follow site: 

http://www.coastal.ca.gov/meetings/agenda/#/2021/3

Click on the "Special Meeting March 18th" Agenda Item to sign up to speak during the meeting. Also,written  comments may be submitted to the Coastal Commissioners by 5:00pm March 12th sent to the following email address: OceanoDunesReview@coastal.ca.gov

Contact your legislators and ask them to support Oceano Dunes SVRA!

Especially if you live in the LA Area and Central Valley, your legislators need to hear from you now! Find the contact info for your legislator here: http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

A special Oceano Dunes OHMVR Commission meeting has been called for February 18th, 2021.

Please click on the orange box below to learn how to join the meeting.

A special OHMVR Commission meeting has been called for February 18th, 2021. Please see the information linked on how to join the meeting. View Information

This special commission meeting reviews the Oceano Dunes District Public Works Plan and recommends a course of action that will be taken on behalf of the OHMVR Commission. This is an opportunity to hear a full report from State Parks on the Public Works Plan, and will help the public write their comments on the plan. Access the documents here: https://www.oceanodunespwp.com/en/documents/draft-eir It's important for all off-roaders that care about the future of Oceano Dunes to call into this meeting.

CORVA fights for the rights of off-roaders and all the SVRA's! 

Please read the letter sent to Governor Newsom about Carnegie SVRA, and how CORVA is fighting to get the truth out about the Carnegie SVRA expansion area.