Steve Virkler

LOWVILLE — While Lewis County has a separate checking account for all-terrain vehicle permit revenues, expenditures are subject to the same oversight and regulations as other county spending.

"The county dollars are very well protected," County Treasurer Vicki A. Roy said.

This is an open letter to Millville city commissioners.

Our position is that you should not make another concession to the New Jersey Motorsports Park by amending the agreement. However, if you decide you are going to amend the MDA to allow an ATV course in the existing park, you owe the residents an explanation and more.

Steve Miller

People on both sides of a failed legislative proposal to change rules for all-terrain vehicles hope to join forces next year on a modified plan that could help fund more off-road trails in South Dakota.

The Senate Transportation Committee last month killed SB175 after some ATV users complained it would take away their licenses and, more importantly, ban them from riding on paved roads and streets.

Off-road vehicles could be gone from parts of Pike National Forest under a plan by forest managers.

Forest managers say off-road vehicles such as dirt bikes and ATVs are damaging the forest in parts of Douglas County. Especially at risk is owl research in the area.

Officials with the Cibola National Forest have come up with some alternatives for managing motor vehicle travel throughout the Mountainair ranger district.

The district is hosting three open houses next week for the public to review and comment on the proposals. All of the action alternatives would change the existing system and prohibit cross-country travel.

SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Anyone expecting a fracas between off-roaders and Oceano Dunes purists at the meeting last week about how the Dunes pollute the Nipomo Mesa left disappointed.

What the 100 or so people at the South County Regional Center witnessed instead was a highly technical explanation of a study supporting the thesis, laced with phrases like "micrograms per cubic meter" and "aerosol episodes."

SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Anyone expecting a fracas between off-roaders and Oceano Dunes purists at the meeting last week about how the Dunes pollute the Nipomo Mesa left disappointed.

What the 100 or so people at the South County Regional Center witnessed instead was a highly technical explanation of a study supporting the thesis, laced with phrases like "micrograms per cubic meter" and "aerosol episodes."

Two South Lake Tahoe men have been placed on one year of probation and ordered to each pay $500 fines for damaging public land at Lake Tahoe.

U.S. Forest Service officials say a Sacramento federal judge has found 24-year-old Jack Burns III and 47 year-old Kent Johnson guilty of damaging national forest system lands.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Two South Lake Tahoe men received $500 fines and one year of probation for illegally off-roading at the Twin Peaks Off Highway Vehicle area this summer.

The United States Eastern District Court in Sacramento found Jack G. Burns III, 24 and Kent Johnson, 47, guilty on Feb. 24 of damaging National Forest System lands, said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Cheva Heck in a statement.

BUXTON, N.C. — A proposal from the National Park Service would allow vehicles year-round access to 40 percent of a popular Outer Banks beach.

A plan released on Friday said drivers would be able to use 29 miles of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, with some limits during the breeding periods of sea birds. Off-road vehicles would be able to access another 23 miles of the 68-mile seashore during some parts of the year.

About 16 miles would be permanently closed to vehicles.

The new rules are an attempt to settle a dispute between environmental activists who want to protect seashore animals and outdoors groups who want access to the beach for recreational activities.

The government will have public hearings on the matter and has proposed several other alternatives to its preferred plan.

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Source:  http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/32db3f4c-www.wlos.com.shtml