FIGHT AHEAD - Newsom EO Vehicle Ban is Counterproductive

Long Distance Remote Backcountry Exploration at Risk from EO

OPINION

By Don Amador

September 28, 2020

 

FIGHT AHEAD -  NEWSOM ORDER BANNING GAS POWERED VEHICLES IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE

 Fighting for our rights is nothing new for many of us that work in the field of recreation advocacy and/or resource management.  Over the last 7 months, we have experienced a plethora of executive orders issued by local and state government officials in response to both the COVID and wildfire crisis. Some of these emergency directives have made sense to either streamline the regulatory process to expedite fuel reduction projects, meet critical electrical power demand, or protect public safety.

Electric OHV Trail Sign

 Unfortunately, it appears that some of these executive order-prohibitions have infringed on our Constitutional rights of freedom of assembly or freedom of speech.   And, have created a culture of management by executive orders often with little or no debate in the public arena.

 By now, many of you have expressed legitimate concerns about the recent climate crisis inspired Executive Order (EO) issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom that proposes to ban the sale and use of gasoline-powered OHVs and passenger cars/trucks. The main tenets of that EO are listed below:

 1 - It shall be a goal of the State that 100 percent of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks will be zero-emission by 2035. It shall be a further goal of the State that 100 percent of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the State be zero-emission by 2045 for all operations where feasible and by 2035 for drayage trucks. It shall be further a goal of the State to transition to 100 percent zero-emission off-road vehicles and equipment by 2035 where feasible.

 2 -  The State Air Resources Board, to the extent consistent with State and federal law, shall develop and propose:

 a) Passenger vehicle and truck regulations requiring increasing volumes of new zero-emission vehicles sold in the State towards the target of 100 percent of in-state sales by 2035.

 b) Medium- and heavy-duty vehicle regulations requiring increasing volumes of new zero-emission trucks and buses sold and operated in the State towards the target of 100 percent of the fleet transitioning to zero-emission vehicles by 2045 everywhere feasible and for all drayage trucks to be zero emission by 2035.

 c) Strategies, in coordination with other State agencies, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local air districts, to achieve 100 percent zero-emission from off-road vehicles and equipment operations in the State by 2035. In implementing this Paragraph, the State Air Resources Board shall act consistently with technological feasibility and cost-effectiveness.

 However well-intentioned this EO is – I believe it ignores, disrespects, and damages the ongoing and robust collaborative process that has been occurring between diverse interest groups from motorized/non-motorized recreation, land agencies, industry, business, and other stakeholders to address and solve many of our public land management and resource issues.

Don on e-MTB on OHV Trail

The shift to electric passenger cars and OHVs is already taking place.  Many state parks and other land management agencies have added electric vehicles to their fleet in appropriate areas.  OHV manufacturers are making electric dirt-bikes, mountain bikes, youth OHVs, SxSs, and dual-sport motorcycles and a growing number of customers are buying them.

 Forest health collaboratives and their members are working to address fuel loading on our forest and grasslands.   Often these projects are funded by the state Climate Change Investment grant program.  Good things are happening!

 Executive Orders have a role to address an immediate and specific emergency when there is not enough time to address said issue through the legislative process.  

 It’s my concern that a significant number of users and other constituents who vehemently oppose this EO will now be forced to abandon the aforementioned collaborative efforts to band together to fight a plan that is an affront our culture and highly treasured way of life.

 LINK TO NEWSOM EO

https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9.23.20-EO-N-79-20-text.pdf

 LINK TO WHAT CARB CONSIDERS OFF-ROAD VEHICLES

https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/msprog/offroad/offroad.htm

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Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for almost 30 years. Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing, a recreation consulting company. Don is President/CEO of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance, a non-profit post fire recovery organization. Don is Core-Team Lead for FireScape Mendocino, a forest health collaborative. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don currently serves as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California and also serves as the OHV representative on the BLM’s Central California Resource Advisory Committee.  Don is a contributor to Dealernews Magazine.  Don may be reached via email at: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

  

 

 

 

 

COMMON SENSE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS FOREST FUELS

Ridgetop/Roadside Fuel Break along M5 

Mendocino National Forest

(Photo taken one year after the 2018 Ranch Fire)

*This is article #1 in a series of pro-active common sense wildfire-related forest health management prescriptions ranging from shaded fuel breaks to biomass power plants sited in close proximity to fuel reduction or post-fire salvage projects.

OPINION

By Don Amador

September 15, 2020

COMMON SENSE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS FOREST FUELS

  The numerous mega wildfires that continue their devastating march across the landscape in California, Oregon, and Washington highlight the need for enhanced collaborative efforts between  land agencies, recreationists,  property owners, and elected officials to plan for and implement common sense cost-effective “low-hanging fruit” forest health, fuel reduction, and post fire recovery projects.

Shaded Fuelbreak Info Sign along Highway 88 Corridor

Eldorado National Forest

I believe the wildfires currently burning this season have not been caused by any one person, specific agency, or group.   Rather, they are the collective result of a decades-in-the-making firestorm of a well-intentioned but misguided fire suppression policy, analysis paralysis, lack of capacity, and litigation.

 

Based on my experience in resource and recreation management, I believe we should focus on common sense and effective forest health projects starting with roadside or ridgetop shaded fuel breaks where a crown fire will drop down – given the right conditions - to the ground and pass through with less severity.

 

Shaded Fuelbreak Along Highway 88 Corridor 

Eldorado National Forest

The objective of a shaded fuel break is to reduce, modify, and manage fuels within designated areas in order to enhance mitigation efforts in the event of a wildland fire situation. A shaded fuel break does not remove all vegetation in a given area.

These shaded fuel breaks can provide wildlife with important post-fire food and shelter.   These projects can also protect system trails, developed facilities, cultural sites, and dispersed camping or day-use opportunities.  Armoring recreation assets makes good sense and is a wise investment for current and future generations.

Also, local agencies such as the Fire Safe of San Mateo County supports creation of shaded fuel breaks that are placed in strategic locations along a ridge, access road, or other location such as around a subdivision.

Fire Safe San Mateo County Shaded Fuel Break Program

http://www.firesafesanmateo.org/resources/shaded-fuel-breaks

It’s hard to focus on future solutions while deadly megafires continue to torch millions of acres of public and private lands in the West, but working with our partners in a proactive manner and making a commitment to be part of the solution at this time is smart and the right thing to do.

 

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WILDFIRES CATALYST FOR CHANGE?

Mechanical Fuel Project

OPINION

By Don Amador

Date: Sept. 12, 2020

WILDFIRES CATALYST FOR CHANGE

It seems right now that everything is upside down.   Growing up in Northern California in the 60s/70s, there were busy timber towns that employed a lot of people with well-paying jobs - I know because I worked in one of them.  Now many of those communities are ghost towns that are surrounded by federal timber land where the trees, wildlife, and property owners have been – or are waiting - for one of the current wildfires to burn them out.

 Outdoor enthusiasts who have had their homes destroyed or a forest closed to all public access by the ongoing firestorm now have a better understanding of just how important forest health fuel projects - such as logging, mastication, prescribed fire, or fuel breaks - are as active management tools to help protect recreation facilities and other structures from intense uncontrolled wildfires that burn mostly in the summer and early fall.

Many of the same regulatory agencies such as EPA and CA Air Resources Board that govern vehicle engine emissions also have regulations that, for the most part,  functionally eliminate  the meaningful use of prescribed fire  to address excessive fuel loading on Forest Service, BLM, state, and private lands.

 While there has been some movement by state and federal government officials to support and fund mechanical forest health fuel projects in the West, many of those efforts are often blocked due to political opposition or litigation.

  As some of you know, I serve as a volunteer on a Forest Health Collaborative in Northern California in an effort to try and find common ground with other stakeholders on fuel projects that could help reduce the threat of uncontrolled intense wildfires.

 It’s my hope that I live long enough to see some common sense brought back into the environmental equation.  Maybe the deadly 2020 Wildfire Season will be that catalyst to help increase the pace and scale of important resource management and fuel reduction projects. 

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Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for almost 30 years. Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing, a recreation consulting company. Don is President/CEO of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance, a non-profit post fire recovery organization. Don is Core-Team Lead for FireScape Mendocino, a forest health collaborative.  Don is also a member of the CA Northern Regional Prioritization Group that is made up of state, local, tribal and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations and is tasked with strategically prioritizing prescribed fire, forest health, and fuel reduction projects for funding consideration by the Forest Management Task Force. Don served on the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission from 1994-2000. He has won numerous awards including being a 2016 Inductee into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame and the 2018 Friend of the AMA Award. Don currently serves as the government affairs lead for AMA District 36 in Northern California and also serves as the OHV representative on the BLM’s Central California Resource Advisory Committee.  Don is a contributor to Dealernews Magazine.  Don may be reached via email at: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

 

 

WILDFIRES HAMMER MENDOCINO BACKCOUNTRY

M9 Road Heading to Doe Peak - Circa 2017

Mendocino National Forest

*All of these pictures are near or in the August Complex Fire burn footprint

AUGUST COMPLEX FIRE HAMMERS MENDO BACKCOUNTRY

The one-two punch of COVID-19 and the 2020 wildfire season continues to devastate families, private homes, and public lands in the Golden State.  One wildfire of keen interest to many backcountry trail enthusiasts is the August Complex Fire that is advancing across the northern part of the Mendocino National Forest.

M3 Road North of SheetIron Mountain - Circa 2014

Mendocino National Forest

Historically, this region of the Forest provides access to a lot of mid to high-elevation “deep woods” type dispersed/remote backcountry recreation for both motorized and non-motorized outdoor enthusiasts vs. the southern end of the Forest that is home to more developed OHV use, boating, camping, and fishing. 

OHV Route at Doe Peak Area - Circa 2017

Mendocino National Forest

The August Complex’s destructive path continues north from where the 2018 Ranch Fire was stopped near SheetIron Mountain.   Much of this area is a heavily wooded conifer forest that has not seen a significant fire event in some time.  This area is (or was) also prime habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl.

M9 Ridgeline Route - Circa 2017

Most of the OHV recreation on this part of the Forest occurs on designated roads with some trail networks in the Doe Peak area that are enjoyed by dirt-bikes, ATVs, SxSs, and 4WDs.  However, the vast majority of motorized recreation opportunity is for street legal dual-sport/ADV motorcycles and 4WDs.  

4WD Route in Hull Fire Footprint - Circa 2016

Mendocino National Forest

According to a Forest Service update today on the August Complex – comprised of the Hull, Doe, Tatham, and Glade fires- it sits at 221,284 acres and has 18 percent containment.

LINK TO AUGUST 30 AUGUST FIRE UPDATE

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/photos/CAMNF/2020-08-16-1732-Doe-Fire/picts/2020_08_30-08.23.30.739-CDT.pdf

Based on what I know of the fire and the area, the fire appears to have impacted a lot of the heavily wooded areas north of SheetIron Mountain along the M3 corridor, the Doe Peak trail system on the north side of FH7, and many dispersed camping and backcountry touring opportunities along the M2/M4/M9 route network.

Sugar Springs Campground along M4 - Circa 2017

Mendocino National Forest

Let’s hope that as other fires are contained that firefighting resources can be redeployed from those battles to help with the August Complex.

Stay tuned for future updates.

  

2020 WILDFIRES MAX CAPACITY

View of August Complex Fire near Doe Peak

Picture taken from Stonyford, CA

COVID AND WILDFIRES MAX CAPACITY

Not sure where to start or what to say as I watch over 300 wildfires cut a swath of destruction across public and private lands in California.  Just as many of us in recreation stewardship or management are recovering from the 2018 Wildfire Season in Northern California, we are now facing another round of challenges that stem from the devastating wildfires that were ignited by thousands of recent lightning strikes.

For those of us who recreate on the Mendocino National Forest (home of the largest wildfire in CA history) that have been working on post 2018 Ranch Fire efforts to recover and reopen that area to multiple-use recreation, it’s hard to fathom the still growing 116K acre August Complex Fire that is now torching additional important recreation opportunities and cultural/natural resources. 

Cabins, ranches, homes, and private timber lands are also being destroyed or threatened by the August Complex Fire.

As somebody who spends a lot of time on the Mendocino NF in either a professional or personal basis, I want to share a couple of stories with pictures of resources that are in the path of the wildfire.

For ADV or Backcountry enthusiasts, the article below highlights important roads, scenic views, and cultural resources that are at risk.  

ADV OVERVIEW OF NORTH MENDO

 http://quietwarriorracing.blogspot.com/2017/05/adventure-to-backcountry-treasure-kicks.html

Also, I want to share an article about an historic wildfire that took the lives of firefighters back in 1953. There is a memorial to them along FH7 and is a popular site to visit to remember and better understand their sacrifice and what wildfires can do.  The article below contains a number of pictures of that memorial including the crosses that were placed on a hillside where the fire overran the firefighters.

One small story of hope in this current firestorm is the fire may have spared the crosses on land that is considered sacred ground by many.

RATTLESNAKE FIRE MEMORIAL ALONG FH7

http://quietwarriorracing.blogspot.com/2018/05/opinion-adv-to-our-forest-past-to-guide.html

Given COVID-19 restrictions and lack of fire-fighting capacity, we have a long tough road ahead as the 2020 wildfire season continues to explode.

NEWS RELEASE - JOIN CELEBRATION OF NEW PROPERTY ACQUISITION AT COW MOUNTAIN

Blue Oak Ranch 

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Don Amador

Email: damador@quietwarriorracing.com

Date: August 7, 2020

OHV CELEBRATES NEW PROPERTY ACQUISITION AT COW MOUNTAIN

OAKLEY, CA  –  QWR would like to join the BLM Ukiah Field Office and other OHV partners in celebrating the recent acquisition of the 1,391 acre Blue Oak Ranch near Lakeport, California into America’s public lands.  This new addition is located along the Highway 175 corridor and will provide much needed high quality public access to the South Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area.

LINK TO OFFICIAL BLM NEWS RELEASE ON BLUE OAK RANCH PURCHASE

https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-lwcf-land-acquisition-increase-public-access-south-cow-mountain-ohv-management

Don Amador, QWR president and government affairs lead for AMA District 36, states, “Acquisition of the Blue Oak Ranch is an historic moment for the OHV community and an important addition to the BLM’s South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area.  It will greatly improve access to the unit for cars, trucks, and RVs.”

Craig Blencowe, Ranch Owner, Giving Property Overview at 

2019 OHV Commission Field Trip to South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area

“The Ranch will also provide a significant number of new camping opportunities and other facilities that will serve a wide range of OHV activities.  It will also provide a much need staging area for permitted OHV competition events,” Amador concludes.

Map of Blue Oak Ranch and Potential Facilities

The acquisition was made possible via partnership funding from the California State Park Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division Grants Program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund .

The property is adjacent to the South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area, which is managed for OHV use and congressionally designated as a recreation area in 2006 through the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Act, U.S. Public Law 109-362.

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF CA OHV PROGRAM ON COMMISSION AGENDA

ATTEND VIRTUAL OHV COMMISSION MEETING ON AUGUST 6

QWR would like to post an alert on the upcoming CA OHV Commission meeting that is being held on August 6, 2020 - via the internet.   If you are able to attend, the meeting starts at 8:30am on Thursday and you are encouraged to observe and/or share comments on the following agenda topics related to Oceano Dunes, OHV Safety Week, and a proposal for the commission to adopt a resolution in support of the OHMVR Program’s 50^th Anniversary in 2021.

 PROPOSED DRAFT COMMISSION RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE 50^TH ANNIVERSARY OF OHV PROGRAM

https://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/04-C-Resolution-OHMVR_50_Anniversary-080620.pdf

 There will be reports from the Forest Service and BLM on federal recreation issues.  Also, OHMVR staff will make presentations on law enforcement, Mammoth Bar OHV Area Project Update, status of OHV Trust Fund, and Oceano Dunes.

 The Agenda and meeting login info can be found on the OHMVR website at the link below.

 LINK TO AUGUST 6, 2020 OHMVR COMMISSION MEETING INFO

https://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=27160

 I hope that you are able to attend some of the commission meeting which I expect to last all day.  Thanks for your interest in managed OHV recreation.