THE LATEST NEWS

May 15th 2013 Is An Historic Day For OHV Users

May 15^th 2013 is an historic day for OHV users. While it may not have shook the earth like a SCORE Trophy Truck racing across the desert, it is a very important landmark in the race to save the Johnson valley OHV area. The “Johnson Valley National Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Area Establishment Act,” (HR 1676) sponsored by Rep. Paul Cook (R-CA) was approved by the House Natural Resources Committee, with minor changes from its original form. The only Amendment was a change in the days the United States Marine Corps would be able to use the area under a permit from 42 days per year to 60 days per year. Rep. Bishop (R-UT) commended Rep. Paul Cook for introducing the legislation.  He noted that the issue was not easy to deal with and that the bill does a good job in balancing needs.  He observed that the bill is as close to ideal as possible in the face of challenging issues such as addressing the needs of OHV users. On its path to becoming a law, the bill has been sent to the House Armed Services Committee, Chaired by Rep. Buck McKeon, who is a bill co-sponsor.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS SIGN? POST YOUR PICS OF IT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND SHOW PEOPLE HOW WE USE THIS LAND!

H.R. 1676: Johnson Valley National Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area Establishment Act

For the Full text of HR 1676, click here.

HR 1676 Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area Establishment Act

On April 26, 2013 Jeff Knoll spoke in Washington DC at the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation on behalf of land use organizations working to keep Johnson Valley land open to public use. Here is a copy of his testimony:

Jeff Knoll

Chairman, “Save the Hammers” Subcommittee

California Motorized Recreation Council

April 26, 2013

Testimony on HR 1676:

The “Johnson Valley National Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area Establishment Act’’

House Committee on Natural Resources

Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation

Chairman Bishop, Ranking Member Grijalva, and Members of the Subcommittee:

My name is Jeff Knoll and I am the Chairman of the “Save the Hammers” Subcommittee of the California Motorized Recreation Council (CMRC), a nonprofit association comprised of leaders from the largest off-highway vehicle (OHV) organizations in California. I am the Co-Founder of the annual “King of the Hammers” off-road desert-racing event held at the Johnson Valley OHV Recreation Area. I serve on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Desert Advisory Sub-Committee regarding Special Recreation Permits in the California Desert District.