Contacts:
* Don Amador, BRC Western Representative
Phone: (925) 625-6287
Fax: (925) 625-5309
Email: brdon@sharetrails.org
Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/staff/#DonA
* Paul Turcke, Esq.
Phone: (208) 331-1807
Fax: (208) 331-1200
Email: pat@msbtlaw.com
OAKLEY, CA (March 3) - A national trail-based recreation group is reviewing the recent "roadless" lawsuit filed by the State of California against the USDA Forest Service. Recreation interests are concerned about the litigation's potential impact to the designation of historic public travelways and trails under the Forest Service's Travel Management Rule.
Paul Turcke, chief counsel for the BlueRibbon Coalition Legal Defense Team, said, "In the ongoing litigation over Forest Service 'roadless' area management, the State of California and its anti-access partners have stridently argued that neither the 2001 Roadless Rule nor sound policy prevent the continuation of historical mechanized access in 'roadless' areas via properly designated roads or trails."
"Recreationists intend to make sure they hold to this position. The access community will not support an effort by the State of California to play politics on the Roadless issue," Turcke concludes.
Don Amador, Western Representative for the BlueRibbon Coalition, states, "It has been my impression that off-highway vehicle recreationists and the Schwarzenegger administration shared an equal commitment to preserving the rugged backcountry nature of our roadless areas while still allowing historic public access to important motorized roads and trails. This lawsuit does not appear to reflect that understanding or shared commitment."
BlueRibbon's legal staff is reviewing the complaint, coordinating with recreational access partners and evaluating appropriate actions to preserve and protect historic public access to federal forest lands.
The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of public and private lands, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742. www.sharetrails.org