Udall, Salazar seek harsher penalties for public-land damage

Written by Denver Post

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Howard Pankratz

The destruction of public lands by off-road vehicles and fires caused by carelessness has prompted legislation that could result in stronger penalties for those responsible.

U.S. Sen. Mark Udall and U.S. Rep. John Salazar, both Colorado Democrats, have introduced legislation designed to deter damage to public lands caused by illegal or reckless activities.

The legislation would amend the 1976 Federal Lands Policy and Management Act to allow the secretary of the interior and the secretary of agriculture to impose fines up to $100,000 and up to 12 months in jail or both.

The legislation would establish that any reckless use of fire on public lands would be punishable by fines of no less than $500.

Udall and Salazar said numerous destructive incidents in Colorado coupled with the weak punishment imposed by the 1976 act prompted their legislation.

Federal law now prevents the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from assessing a fine greater than $1,000.

"While most visitors to our public lands are responsible and law-abiding, some either knowingly or carelessly cause serious harm to areas that were set aside for everyone to enjoy," Udall said. "In some cases — as in the careless use of fire — they're putting people's lives and homes at risk."

The lawmakers cited instances where off-road vehicles caused substantial destruction to public lands.

In some incidents, Udall and Salazar said, violators have been fined about $600 each.

Source: http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_14369719

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Community Voices

“We’ve had success bringing illegal riders to justice by snapping photos of their ID stickers. The problem in California is that they’re too darn small to see from far away or at high speeds. While I’m normally not in favor of the government getting involved in things, requiring all ORVs to have a visible ID with a minimum size and standard location would make them an even better tool for property owners to identify trespassing riders. We should also look to Wyoming’s lead and make trespassing penalties clear so riders think twice before they head off designated trails and onto my land.”

- Mesonika Piecuch, private property owner, Kern County, CA