BlueRibbon Coalition Weekly Newsletter – Issue 62

Weekly Newsletter Issue 62 | Mar 16, 2024​ ​ ​ Grandview Travel Management Plan: Input needed on proposal to close 65% of routes in Idaho area​ ​ The Owyhee region of southwestern Idaho is accepting public comment for their final travel management plan of the area. The Grandview travel area hosts 1,365 miles of open OHV routes year round along with one backcountry airstrip. These routes give way to numerous permitted motorcycle races throughout the year. The planning area encompasses 251,000 acres, and because it’s only a 90 minute drive from Boise, it is a popular area for all kinds of OHV interests including river access to the Snake River. Of all the areas we've reviewed in the Owyhee region in the recent months, this is the area with the most proposed closures. The proposals don't seem to reflect the way that users are recreating on the landscape. If this is an area you visit, we need you to add your feedback. Please submit a comment below to the BLM in order to make your voice heard. The link includes more briefing materials and links to the BLM's interactive map. If you have additional insight to this area, include that at the beginning of the comment. Comments will be accepted until April 1, 2024. ​ TAKE ACTION​ ​ ​ Action Alerts​ ​ 2. 55 Million Acres Up for Grabs for Solar Projects​ ​ There is a shift happening on public lands with two main drivers: recreation and renewable energy, solar and wind power. The climate agenda is shifting the priorities of our public lands. There has been a significant increase of solar farms on public land in recent years. Currently, a Western Solar Plan created in 2012 that identifies public lands eligible for fast-track solar farm development in 6 of the western states; Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. With this current plan there is a variance process that potential solar projects have to go through in order to be approved for the solar project. BRC has been engaged in a number of these proposals throughout these southern states, and we often find that these developments conflict with recreation use. The Bureau of Land Management is updating the Western Solar Plan in order to expand areas of public land suitable for solar energy development in order to meet a net carbon electricity goal by 2035. Currently the BLM is accepting public comments on the Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. Since they are prioritizing solar farm development on land that are already impacted near transmission lines, we need you to tell BLM to exclude your favorite OHV riding areas from the plan. ​ TAKE ACTION​ ​ ​ 2. Oppose the Dolores National Monument​ ​ ​ Along the Dolores River in Southern Colorado families camp, raft and recreate. We have recently seen a surge in social media posts promoting the creation of a national monument out of the Dolores River Canyon. Surprisingly, these posts suggest that the motivation for the advocates supporting the monument is because they used to camp along the river when younger with their families. National monument designations usually lead to the kinds of restrictions on recreation use that we see in wilderness areas or national parks. As such, it is highly unlikely that there will be any primitive dispersed camping allowed in a Dolores River Canyon National Monument. To the extent that any camping will be allowed at all, it will be in restrictive developed campgrounds that require a reservation, and they won't be anywhere near the riparian corridor of the river itself. It is because of restrictions like this that we are opposing the creation of giant national monuments through the abuse of the Antiquities Act in court. We also encourage you to send feedback to your members of Congress that you oppose this national monument. ​ TAKE ACTION​ ​ ​ Come See us at Matt's Off-Road Games and Get BRC Swag​ ​ ​ This weekend you can find our team at the Utah Public Lands Alliance booth at Matt's Off-Road Games in Sand Hollow. We will have Defend Your Ground t-shirts, Lost Trails Guidebooks, and more. ​ We are still offering a free Defend Your Ground t-shirt to everyone who enters the Build Your Dream Rig Sweepstakes using Promo code: OFFROADGAMES. We have unisex shirts available in S, M, L, XL, XXL, and 3XL We have ladies fit shirts available in S, M, L, XL and XXL. To receive your shirt, enter the sweepstakes by making a donation of $25 or more. When you receive the receipt for your entry, come find us at the UPLA booth and we will have a shirt for you. If we are unable to catch up at the Off-Road Games, you can forward the receipt to BRC@sharetrails.org, with your fit and size preferences. We will then ship the shirt to the address used to enter the sweepstakes. ​ ENTER TODAY!​ ​ ​ ​ Lost Trails Guidebook Sponsor Highlight​ ​ Owl's purpose is to support connection to nature and family by providing access to adventure, the outdoors, and economic opportunity for our employees, partners, and customers. We are committed to building and sustaining the adventure community through education, events, and functional products. ​ ​ ORDER YOUR COPY HERE​ ​ ​ NEWSLETTER CLUB AND ORGANIZATION SPOTLIGHT​ ​ The BlueRibbon Coalition is excited to announce that the following organizations have recently either donated to our Moab Fight or joined as organization members: King Crawlers Stuck Nutz Threadlocker STL Offroad AZ Desert Riders We love to see all these businesses and organizations joining the fight! We know that we couldn't do what we do without the support of these organizations. If your business or club isn't on this list: Business/Organization Members, contact us today. As passionate recreation enthusiasts, these clubs and businesses understand the importance of fighting for and protecting our public lands and trails for future generations to enjoy. By renewing their support, they are helping to ensure that the BlueRibbon Coalition can advocate for responsible access to our public lands. We are grateful for their ongoing commitment to our mission and look forward to working together to keep the trails open and accessible for all. ​ ​ BlueRibbon | ShareTrails PO Box 5449 Pocatello, ID 83202 United States​ BlueRibbon Coalition is a 501c3 non-profit organization. We are able to protect your adventures because of charitable contributions from our members and supporters. Please consider making a sustaining contribution to BRC today! ​ ​

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