Nevada

Recent Legislative Action

2009

SB394: Requires registration, license plates and dedicates money to enforcement, restoration and education. (6/2/09: Enacted) 

2007

SJR10: Resolution calling on federal agencies to designate ORV routes and support local law enforcement (2007: Passed by State Senate and General Assembly)

Community Voices Demand Action in Nevada

• "One morning when he backed out of his driveway to take his wife to work, [Louis] DeCanio alleges a group of his neighbors on ATVs surrounded his van, yelling, swearing and acting in a threatening manner.'My wife was cowering in the passenger seat,' he said. 'She is a quiet, shy person. She's afraid for me every time I go out to fix the signs they knock down every week.' He said he reported the incident to the Nye County Sheriff's Office, but nothing came of it. "Owning this home in this location was my dream," said DeCanio.” -- Gina B. Good, Pahrump Valley Times reporter, "ATV'ers terrorize my wife", Pahrump Valley Times (1/16/09)

• "Unmanaged OHV use has resulted in unplanned roads and trails, erosion, watershed and habitat degradation, and impacts to cultural resource sites...The Bridgeport Ranger District recently completed an inventory of unauthorized routes on NFS lands and identified approximately 800 miles of unauthorized routes." -- "Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest; California and Nevada; Bridgeport Ranger District Travel Managemen", USFS EIS Announcement (11/26/08)

• "I'm an off-road vehicle user myself, but I'm a responsible off-road vehicle user, and not everyone is that way. It's not unreasonable to have a license and registration for those and have a fee for the use of them because people do a lot of work to clean up after them." --Daela Gibson, district 26 assembly candidate, "Eco-politics; Local candidates sound off on the environment", News Review (10/20/08)

• "Land is being decimated. That land is why so many people moved to this country, to have that out their back door. Now, it's getting ruined because so many people are going out their back doors." Genny Wilson, chief of the Carson Ranger District, "Rules about to change on backcountry roads", Reno Gazette-Journal (9/29/08)

• "Before we even got to unload the quads, as they are known, we spotted a large herd of antelope in the Bilk Creek Mountains to the west of the valley. To get a better look at the animals, we decided to start a hike towards them. They were at least a mile or more away. However, we were out flanked by a group of hunters led by three quads moving towards the animals. The very same thing happened on Darrin's second antelope hunt on the opening day 10 years ago. Off-highway vehicles can be very helpful when used correctly, but destructive to the habitat and a pain in the butt to responsible hunters when not." -- Dave Rice, Fishing and Hunting Columnist, "Outdoors: ATVs can be a hunter's friend, if used responsibly", Reno Gazette-Journal (8/29/08)

• "Citizens are tired of the noise, dust and possible hazard," -- Abel Ortiz, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Acting-Lieutenant, "LCSO team to monitor roads in wake of ATV complaints", Reno Gazette-Journal, (5/12/10)

• “We never touched him. We are not violent people, we are professional people. We're just sick and tired of these ATV-ers coming up to our area.” -- Leroy Rupert, land owner, "Couple sentenced in ATV ambush", The Record-Courier (4/9/10)

• "With such great land masses and so few enforcement officers, it does not take a large group of individuals disobeying federal land and local laws to cause a problem. We have seen pristine areas disturbed by (off-highway vehicle) riders for the thrill of an exciting ride. It's a growing burden with a growing number of reckless drivers." -- Frank Adams, Executive Director of Nevada Sheriffs' and Chiefs' Association, Testifying before United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (6/5/08)

• "Enforcement is a major issue. If there's no enforcement, those maps really aren't worth the paper they are printed on. The Forest Service doesn't have anywhere near the staffing they need. They're going to need to increase their staffing and put money into enforcement as well as outreach and education. It will require substantial funding increases. -- Stan Vanvelsor, ORV Coordinator for the Wilderness Society, Reno Gazette-Journal (11/5/07)

• "With the population increasing and the level of maturity dropping, I feel it is time for the community to do something about these riders. There’s no excuse to use the roadways as raceways.” -- Roberta Rothwell, property owner, "Community member asks for action on ATV regulations", Silver Pinyon Journal (6/16/10)

• "The explosion of reckless riding in our area over the past decade is damaging our way of life and creating a backlash against responsible motorized users." -- Brent Eldridge, Chairman of the White Pine County Commission, Las Vegas Review-Journal (3/17/08)

Examples of Recent ORV-Related Law Enforcement Activity

Source: United States Forest Service

2008

• Southwest Las Vegas Metro area, NV - On 5/26, a Las Vegas Ranger attempted to make contact with two ATV riders regarding the operation of motor vehicles within the off-road vehicle closure area. The ATV's were located on public lands near the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center. The ATV riders were uncooperative and proceeded to travel across previously undisturbed desert. The ATV riders returned to the shoulder of the road and the Ranger made a vehicle stop on the two ATV's. One rider became immediately verbally confrontational and non-compliant with the Ranger's commands. The man became increasingly agitated during the contact, escalating and de-escalating his behavior by refusing to follow orders, not providing identification and then yelling at the officer. When the Ranger attempted to deploy his OC spray, the man sprinted toward a residential area. A BLM Ranger and an SA responded to assist. The man became compliant and returned to his ATV. The man had an extensive and violent criminal record to include officer safety flags. Back-up officers arrived, and the man again became non-compliant and attempted to walk away from the officers. As a Ranger began to handcuff the man he struck the Ranger in the mouth and attempted to flee on foot. The man was taken into custody and transported to jail on charges of assault on an officer and resisting arrest/citation.

• Logandale Trails, NV - On 5/26, a BLM Ranger and Las Vegas Metropolitan PD officers responded to an emergency call reporting domestic violence in progress at the BLM Logandale Trails OHV area. A man was reported to be beating his wife and two children, ages four and six, at a campsite. When officers arrived on scene, bystanders had the man restrained. The man had an extensive history of domestic violence and battery charges as well as a kidnapping charge. He was arrested and transported to jail. The man requested medical treatment for injuries received during the incident and prior to law enforcement's arrival on scene. At the request of Las Vegas Metro PD, the Ranger transported the man to a hospital where he was examined and medically cleared. He was transported to jail and booked on State charges.

• Humboldt-Toiyabe NF - On 4/12, an LEO followed snowmobile tracks through a closed area in Sonora Pass on the Bridgeport RD. As he followed the tracks into the boundary of the Carson Iceberg Wilderness, the LEO heard snowmobiles inside the Wilderness area. The officer dropped over a saddle and located six snowmobiles parked and the riders having lunch. The LEO issued a violation notice for operating a motorized vehicle inside the Carson Iceberg Wilderness and warning notice for crossing the Pacific Crest Trail with a motorized vehicle to each rider.

• Humboldt-Toiyabe NF - On 1/12, officers conducted a snowmobile patrol in the Sonora Pass area and along designated wilderness boundaries on the Bridgeport RD. The officers encountered over 60 riders in the area and issued numerous citations for expired off-road registration.

• Humboldt-Toiyabe NF - On 1/13, officers patrolled the Hope Valley snow park area of the Carson RD and wrote numerous citations for expired registration. Two riders were observed within the boundary of the Mokelumne Wilderness. The officers made contact with the riders and escorted them out of the Wilderness. Each was issued a violation notice for the intrusion.

Recent ORV-Related Media Coverage