ATV Rule To Be Subject Of Statehouse Hearing

Written by Associated Press

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Vermont environmental officials are getting tough questions from lawmakers about rules allowing limited use of all-terrain vehicles on state land.

The Legislature's Administrative Rules Committee on Tuesday grilled Natural Resources Secretary Jonathan Wood about rules that critics say were rushed through without adequate review by legislative committees.

The committee is expected to vote later this month on rules that allow the agency to permit ATVs to use sections of state property.

Environmentalists say the machines do extensive damage to wetlands and other areas. Defenders of ATV riding call those fears exaggerated and that abusive use of ATVs will be reduced if riders have more legal places to go.

Source: http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/86326/

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Community Voices

“As a rancher who leases public lands for cattle, I’ve seen my share of cut fences and rangeland damaged by ORV use. I’ve also experienced ORV trespass onto my private lands. But I’ve had no way to identify the culprits when reporting trespass or illegal ORV use to local law enforcement. Congress should require that ORVs used on public lands have visible identification plates or decals. Doing so would remove the anonymity enjoyed by ORV riders who are bent on breaking the rules.”

- Ambers Thornburgh, second-generation rancher from Oregon who grazes cattle on his private land and adjacent lands leased from the Bureau of Land Management