No ATV plan

Written by Times Argus

Friday, July 03, 2009

Tim Hogeboom

Allowing even a few ATV's on state lands ruins the experience for a much larger segment of Vermont's population. Most of us want peace and quiet while on state lands. The use of noisy ATVs is not compatible with many other activities. Carving out new rights for a few takes away rights of many.

People living next to state lands will be impacted if this rule change goes forward. We already put up with the noise and smell of snowmobiles in the wintertime. This proposal takes away our right to peace and quiet year round.

It is inappropriate to allow ATV use in a wildlife management area. Many species are sensitive to the noise and exhaust and will move away from ATV corridors. You would essentially shrink the size of Vermont's wildlife areas and degrade wildlife habitat by allowing ATV use.

Encouraging ATV use at a time when child obesity rates are soaring is counterproductive. Kids need to get more exercise and need to be encouraged to walk, bike, hike, and be physically active. So do adults. This proposal makes Vermont less healthy. Encouraging ATV use at a time when the state is promoting energy conservation is contradictory. State government should not be sending a message saying that the State of Vermont favors unnecessary fuel consumption.

The state should be encouraging a move away from gas powered machines, including lawn mowers and ATVs, not only to conserve gasoline, but also to curb air pollution and help prevent global warming. Allowing ATV use on state lands sends the message that Vermont doesn't care about any of those things.

The idea that ATV organizations can police themselves is naive. Regulations on ATV's are not enforceable, because there simply isn't the manpower or money to do so. What about liability and the inevitable accidents on state land? What will be the impact here? ANR does not know the full impacts of this rule change. At a minimum, more study is needed before ANR can make an informed decision. For this reason alone, a responsible decision requires that this proposal not go forward at this time.

Source: http://www.timesargus.com/article/20090703/OPINION02/907030327

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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