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We believe reckless ORV riding is causing a growing problem of lawlessness across America, including ruining public lands, trespassing on private property, and vandalism. People are getting fed up. Read what government officials and professional land managers across America are saying. "It's an abomination, it's an embarrassment." -- Governor Jon Huntsman Jr., reacting to ORV trail damage, "Guv: ORV off-trail damage an 'abomination,' crackdown is coming," The Salt Lake Tribune (10/2/08) "We need to do a better job." -- BLM Director Bob Abbey, when asked about damage to BLM lands from off-highway vehicles, "BLM seeks to raise profile of 'under-recognized' conservation lands", Land Letter (4/15/10) "The public shouldn't have to pay for damage caused by a few careless visitors. Increasing the penalties for people who knowingly or recklessly damage public lands would help restore damage - and just as importantly, prevent harm in the first place." -- Senator Mark Udall, Press release, "Udall, Salazar Introduce Bill to Deter Harm to Public Lands" (2/9/10) “I have complaints from my constituents that a lot of people on ATVs are on the county roads causing disturbances and they have no way of identifying them.” -- Mississippi State Rep. Willie Perkins Sr., "State lawmakers will consider ATV legislation", Vicksburg Post (1/20/10) "The abuse of private property is unacceptable." -- Rob Bishop, United States House of Representatives, "House panel told public lands overrun by ORVs," Deseret Morning News (3/16/08) “The real tragedy is if you look at the history of development of recreation trails, both motorized and non-motorized, you’ll see the majority of investment was done in the ’60s, ’70s and early ’80s. Since then — whether you’re talking about state parks, the Department of Natural Resources, the Forest Service or whoever — we as a society really haven’t invested at the same level, and yet our population has doubled. We haven’t been able to adapt to that change or even have the staff to manage this influx of people so that we don’t have these impacts that we’re seeing across the state." -- Mark Mauren, Washington Department of Natural Resources, "Three-day weekend brings out 'idiots'", Yakima Herald (6/7/10) “If the trend of vandalism continues to increase — as we are seeing — we may be forced to close areas and the public may lose their ability to recreate and continue to use their public lands. We can’t afford, nor should we continue to tolerate this abuse. Access is a limited commodity,” he said. “If you don’t respect it, you’re bound to lose it.” -- Debbie Johnson, Bureau of Land Management Field Office manager, "Crimes siphon money from outdoor programs — and could affect access, managers say", Billings Gazette (5/27/10) “One year later, ORVs and ATVs are still uncontrolled on our national forest public lands, destroying fragile soils and riparian ecosystems that have been entrusted to the Forest Service ." -- New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry, "New Mexico seeks feds' help on off-road vehicles", New Mexico Business Weekly (7/6/10) "The problem has been ongoing for several years now. There has been a lot of off-road vehicle abuse, a lot of fences have been cut, a lot of habitat destruction." -- Zen Mocarski, public information office for Arizona Game and Fish Department, "Abuse of public lands forces restrictions", Verde Independent (3/20/10) "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) "The biggest problem for any of these sports is, how do you manage these idiots? Because it's this 1 percent, these idiots, who are making you look bad." -- Vermont State Senator Susan Bartlett, "ATV Rule Splits Solons", Rutland Herald (1/10/10) "You've got some bad actors out there. And they are the minority, we recognize that. But when these bad actors do what they're not supposed to be doing, it puts additional pressure from others to say, enough already." -- Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing on Off-Highway Vehicle Use on Public Lands, US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (6/5/08) "In every sport, there are people who are idiots. The biggest problem for any of these sports is, how do you manage these idiots? Because it's this 1 percent, these idiots, who are making you look bad." -- Vermont State Senator Susan Bartlett, "ATV rule plays into campaign", Times Argus (1/10/10) "However, if not managed carefully, motorized recreation can damage both the land and the resources that visitors come to enjoy. Each year millions of off-highway vehicles travel America’s national forests legally and sensibly on designated roads and trails. A small, but growing number of irresponsible OHV users are threatening the health of all national forests by driving far off-trail and damaging fragile plants, wetlands and ecosystems.” -- USFS Forest Supervisor, Linda C. Brett, "Off-highway vehicle use is restricted on National Forests and Grassland", North Texas e-News (10/8/09) “The more respect people have for public and private property, the more access is going to be open in the future.” -- Mark Jacobsen, Bureau of Land Management, "Crimes siphon money from outdoor programs — and could affect access, managers say", Billings Gazette (5/27/10) "Some riders just can't resist the temptation to test their machines by climbing hills. This activity is okay if done in a designated riding area or trail where the impacts can be monitored and managed, but it is illegal otherwise. Illegal hill climbs create ugly scars and erosion on the forest landscape and can jeopardize future legal riding opportunities on public lands." -- Steve Kubisiak, recreation and trails program coordinator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, "DNR promotes safe use of ORV trail system", The County Press (10/29/09) "It's a problem from one end of the county to the other. At Poplar Ridge Park, two winters ago, we had people doing donuts in the middle of the field. The irrigation systems were disturbed."-- Frank Marzucco, director of the Anne Arundel County's Recreation and Parks Department, "ATV riders, county at odds over where to ride", Maryland Gazette (10/21/09) “Not giving the clubs permission doesn't mean the ATVs won't be there. There's a large group that's going to be there no matter what.” -- New York Legislator Christopher Palermo, "ATV club seeks access to county trail", The Citizen (1/21/10) "We've had over 500 incidents where our park rangers are in contact with people riding illegally in the washes. They need to be advised they cannot do that. That causes dust and it causes the town to be out of compliance, and if the town is found to be out of compliance it can be a $10,000-per-day fine." -- John Kross, Queen Creek Town Manager, "Q.C. works to curb dust pollution," East Valley Tribune (1/20/09) "Illegal riding causes $2 million in damage each year to our state parks. Farmers are finding damage to their private property. The Forest Service referred to unrestrained off-road vehicle use as the biggest
challenge to the American landscape." -- NJ State Sen. Bob Gordon, "New Jersey Bill Would Create Three Off-Road Parks", Dealer News (1/20/10) "The ATV issue in Keystone Heights continues to escalate...The issue is truly a boiling pot and Senator [Evelyn] Lynn is receiving a number of very angry calls." -- Frankie Robert, Senator Evelyn Lynn staffer, "ATV issue in DEP hands," Bradford County Telegraph (7/17/08) "These are right through people's yards. I mean here's my yard and you can see where they come right through, they have no respect for anybody's property... It's getting to the point where I'm concerned for the safety and well-being of my constituents" -- Rockford 6th Ward Alderman Lenny Jacobson, "Rockford Council Seeks Stricter ATV Regulations", WIFR-TV (10/19/09) “If people do what they’re supposed to do out there, we’re OK, but you and I know everyone does not do what they’re supposed to do. The question for everyone in our community is how do we protect our barrier beaches? Our barrier beaches do not belong to the owners of four-wheel-drive vehicles. Everybody in this town has a state in our barrier beaches.” -- Selectman Wayne Bergeron, "Barrier beach battle continues: Dennis ORV owners want access", The Register (4/23/10) “We needed to step things up so residents don’t feel threatened and our parks aren’t torn up. -- Christine Matacic, Trustee, Liberty Township, "ATVs not welcome in Liberty Township parks", Cincinnati Enquirer (4/21/10)
"In many places where restrictions on motorized travel are minimal, we are seeing damage or the potential for damage that demands action." -- Corbin Newman, USFS Southwestern regional forester, "Off-highway vehicles need rules to preserve forests," The Arizona Republic (8/25/08) "I have complaints from my constituents that a lot of people on ATVs are on the county roads causing disturbances and they have no way of identifying them." -- Rep. Willie Perkins Sr., D-Greenwood, "Bill to require registration for ATVs meets opposition", The Clarion-Ledger (1/18/10) "We don't want to outlaw the ATVs, we want to outlaw the outlaws." --Ron Kearns, Federal Ranger, "Group seeks to curb ATV rider abuses," East Valley Tribune (7/22/07)
"Although OHV use on federal lands is legal on designated roads and trails, it has increased so dramatically that federal managers seem unable to keep up." -- Congressman Raul Grijalva, reported in Las Vegas Review Journal (3/17/08) "We have fought that issue for many years because of some of the environmental restraints on the property and the closeness to such a large population. There are a thousand homes in Collings Lakes." -- Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck Chiarello, "Registration now required for off-road vehicles in N.J.", The Daily Journal (1/19/10) “I don’t know why one neighbor thinks this is OK to do to another neighbor.” -- Councilman Kirk Rothfuss, "Preserved land in Roosevelt torn up by ATVs", The Examiner (5/20/10) "There certainly are responsible OHV users out there. But the kind of impacts we saw in the Jemez were not from a hunter going from a road to a hunting camp. This was people joy-riding up and down the banks of streams. That's not responsible use." -- Marcy Leavitt, water and wastewater division director for the New Mexico Environment Department, "Environment Department urges more control of off-road vehicles", Santa Fe New Mexican (7/3/10) "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 Management," USFS EIS Announcement (11/26/08) "It's getting a lot worse and it's going to keep getting worse if we don't just take a minute or two to say 'I'll park and walk in. On each trip they just cut a bigger swath for the tires and ruin the vegetation that much more." -- Guam Agriculture Director Joseph Torre, "Off-road vehicles erode path to Tarzan Falls", Pacific Daily News (4/13/10) "The damage that has been done in (Carnage Canyon) from vehicles going off-route and being irresponsible is devastating. If people follow the rules, the trail should be sustainable." -- Brian Rasmussen, recreation planner for the Boulder Ranger District, "U.S. Forest Service, off-road vehicle clubs building course in Lefthand Canyon," Longmont Times Call (12/18/08)
"Unregulated motorized use is one of the biggest threats to public land nationwide. There has been a big increase in motorized use and there have been problems. Now, the goal is to get the use onto designated routes and keep people out of the delicate areas." -- Nancy Berry, Columbine District recreation forester, "An off-highway haven," The Durango Telegraph (9/11/08)
"They're careless and reckless and they don't pay attention to safety rules...They're not authorized to be on the streets. Folks can own these things but they need to ride them where they are allowed to be used." -- Calixto Torres, President of the Hartford City Council, "City Considers ATV Ban," Hartford Courant (6/23/08) “These types of illegal trails are not uncommon on National Forest System lands. They are usually located in the worst
possible sites causing erosion and weed infestations.” -- Ron Archuleta, Livingston District Ranger, "Man to pay $27K for building ATV trail in Gallatin National Forest", Bozeman Daily Herald (1/15/10) "We've tried to put up signs and logs, but they don't stop...You have to be careful with liability and not create a safety hazard." -- Art Baker, The Monroe Public Works Director, "Cameras gather dirt on illegal ATVs," Connecticut Post (5/21/07)
"In times of drought when the water levels are really, really low, these drivers of ATVs just jump down in the river and ride right up the river." -- State Representative Chuck Sims, R-Ambrose, "Proposal targets off-road driving," Florida Times-Union (2/4/09)
"Rehabilitating these damaged areas is not cheap. We want to emphasize to individuals who choose to ride ATVs illegally on public land, that they may have to pay for the damage that they cause." -- George Bain, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Supervisor, "Cracking down on illegal ATV use in national forests," Access North Georgia (7/29/08)
"That's what I think is really going to turn the tables on these things... Once one or two of these vehicles get impounded, the problem is going to be solved very quickly." -- Sen. Mike Gabbard, "Coastal Erosion - Bill has state seizing ATVs ridden on sand," Honolulu Star Bulletin (1/29/07)
"One of the more common problems is the use of all-terrain vehicles in the forest, and ATV use is prohibited in the Shawnee." -- Bob Monroe, USFS recreation staff officer for the Shawnee's Hidden Spring District, The Paducah Sun (11/17/08)
"We've had people who do doughnuts on ATVs out on our gravel roads, and it damages our roads...I've encountered people who seem to think that buying an ATV guarantees them a place to ride it, but besides being destructive to wildlife habitat, ATVs are very disruptive to other people who use management areas, people who are licensed hunters and fishermen and are, in effect, paying the bills for the area." -- Tim Kreher, manager of West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area, "Off-road fun, on-road danger: Misuse of ATVs can send riders to hospital or worse," The Paducah Sun (9/28/08) "As long as people stay on existing trails, then it's OK... You can drive cars and motorcycles on the roads, but you can't take vehicles into the desert -- and people ignore it pretty regularly." -- Mickey Quillman, BLM chief of resources, "Two ways of life collide in Wonder Valley", Los Angeles Times (1/5/10) "Right now there is no organization. We have four-wheelers everywhere. We have trespassing everywhere." -- Daniel Mongiardo, Lt. Gov. of Kentucky, "Pledge given to protect trails," Lexington Herald-Leader (9/5/08)
"We have a constant problem with ATVs running through and doing damage to the grasses and so on, cutting off trails and running up hills." -- Taylor Orr, Kentucky Wildlife Commission, "'Adventure tourism' push stirs concerns," Lexington Herald-Leader (8/21/08)
"The Kisatchie National Forest is a wonderful place to visit...However, I have seen tremendous soil damage, erosion of creek banks, reduction in water quality and destruction of forest vegetation. This unsightly damage was caused by misuse of off-road vehicles." -- Gretta Boley, Kisatchie National Forest Supervisor, "New rules restrict ATVs in Kisatchie," Daily Town Talk (7/16/08)
"The Legislature makes specific findings that ATVs pose a particular danger to open and public land. -- Todd Collins, an assistant district attorney in Aroostook County, "Court hears arguments on powers of wardens," Portland Press Herald (1/14/09)
"Illegal off-road OHV use and resource damage have increased on the Hiawatha. While responsible users make an effort to learn and follow the rules, some OHV users do not make the effort. Erosion, water degradation, habitat destruction, damage to cultural sites and conflicts between users are commonly the result." -- U.S. Forest Service unit - Hiawatha National Forest, "Using Your OHV on National Forest Land During Hunting Season," Press Release (10/2/08)
"At Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, we got approval from the U.S. Attorney and the district court to confiscate a vehicle until disposition of the case...Once word gets around (that you can lose your ORV) it helps future cases. In Utah, they confiscated a couple of vehicles and word traveled fast. They now have fewer problems." -- Jerry Case, the chief of regulations for the National Park Service in Washington D.C, "Putting brakes on illegal ORVs," Grand Rapid Press (6/13/08)
"Since 2000, we have had almost 500 incidents of people driving off-road illegally that we have documented." -- Tom Ulrich, Assistant Superintendent, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, "Park to target illegal ORV use," Leelanau Enterprise (6/2/08)
"The park service said: 'Yeah, we need to do a better job of getting the word out to the public and park managers that this is a serious problem and needs to be addressed,' " said Larry Johnson, chief ranger for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. "We have been concerned about it here, but it hasn't been our highest priority. If we catch people doing it, we deal with them, but we don't have the resources to deal with every set of tracks that goes into the woods." -- Larry Johnson, Chief Ranger for Sleeping BearDunes National Lakeshore, "Putting brakes on illegal ORVs; National Park Service needs enforcement help," Grand Rapid Press (6/13/08)
"The ORV community must step forward and make it clear that illegal ORV use not only hurts the enviroment but harms the reputation of legal users and threatens the future of legal ORV use in Michigan," said a recent open letter to ORVers from the state Natural Resources Commission and Department of Natural Resources.-- State Natural Resources Commission and Department of Natural Resources, "Increasing environmental damage prompts DNR action", Flint Journal (2/21/08)
"It seems like some of them think they can ride anywhere they wish regardless of what guidelines and laws there are." -- Matt Miller, State Conservation Officer, "Part 1: Renegade riders," Minneapolis Star Tribune (9/15/08)
"It's pretty discouraging...Here we have clubs that are supposed to be promoting good things about riding ATVs responsibly, and they're actually doing different when they're out there, where nobody can see them." -- Cary Shoutz, DNR Conservation Officer investigating reported wetland damage during an ATV club-sponsored ride, "Part II: Renegade riders," Minneapolis Star Tribune (9/16/08)
"It's almost arrogance on the part of some of these people where they can drive and what they can do." --Pat Znajda, Conservation officer for the Department of Natural Resources in Stephen, Minnesota, "DNR targets baiting, ATV violations," Grand Forks Herald (11/12/06)
"They have been taking down fences and taking down signs. A lot of people don't know the rules and that is our responsibility to let them know, but a lot of people do know the rules. We have talked about it a lot — about how frustrating it is when we try to make it obvious to help people out by telling them with physical barriers and then have people destroy it the next weekend. Then the people who want to follow the rules don't know the rules." -- Tina Lanier, Belt District Ranger, "ATVs Scarring the Forest," Great Falls Tribune (10/2/08)
"There are the people who seem to want to use the ATVs and do it right and then there is the other percentage, maybe 30 to 40 percent, who don't care about rules or regulations and seem to think they have a right to do what they want. They ride on routes they are not supposed to be on or routes with seasonal restrictions or they just go across country, which has not been legal since about 2000." -- Ron Wiseman, Judith District Ranger, "ATVs Scarring the Forest," Great Falls Tribune (10/2/08)
"You have to be responsible. If ATVs are misused you can cause a lot of damage. It takes a long time for the ground to recover if you get people in there when it is muddy. Like anything you have to be responsible and do what's right." -- Stan Paulson, ATV rider of Great Falls, "ATVs Scarring the Forest," Great Falls Tribune (10/2/08)
"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 Management," 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)
"I know that in Colorado they're having the same kind of issues, and in Arizona they're having the same kind of issues. If you talk to any government official who deals with parks or mountains or wilderness areas, they're going to tell you these off-roaders are destroying the trails, they're destroying the forests, they're disrespecting the people who make a living off the land." -- Sen. Phil Griego, New Mexico state senator, "Off-roading recommendations presented to state lawmakers," Associated Press (1/8/09)
"As use has increased, users have pioneered new routes and ventured into areas where vehicles seldom traveled in the past. Conflicts between ATV's and non-motorized users are increasing. The time has come to address this increasing use and develop a plan that will provide for the future enjoyment of the forest by motorized users and non-motorized users alike." -- Dick Markley, Gila National Forest Supervisor, Silver City Sun-News Op-ed, Silver City Sun-News (10/13/08)
"We have a lot of problems with people cutting our fences. ATVs on the levees destroy our levee embankments. It causes significant erosion." -- Jeff Keller, a federal park ranger and manager of the Williston office of the Army Corps of Engineers, "Northwestern North Dakota parks hit by vandalism," Associated Press (5/12/07)
"We've had steadily increasing numbers of [court cases involving ORV misuse]. It's a real problem." -- Judge Mark Repp, Tiffin Municipal Court Judge, "ATV misues rising," The Adviser-Tribune (5/5/08)
"It was determined that there are some real problems throughout Boone County as it relates to ATV usage." -- Tim Williams, Assistant County Administrator, "ATV noise fines proposed," The Cincinnati Enquirer (8/22/07)
"They get down there with a pretty good group of them, and they take turns going up and down these rocky hills, and they strip away all the top soil, and then it rains and washes all the dirt out around the rocks and you end up with a big giant pile of rocks." -- Mike Ward, chairman of the Gruber Recreational Trust Authority Board, "Officials: ATVs strain Gruber park," Muskogee Phoenix (12/29/08)
"Thanks to the efforts of 11, 15- and 16-year-old Oxford High School students and their director, OHS biology teacher Joe Lanier, the town's system of hiking trails was significantly improved this summer...To improve the local trail, the students cut about 35 water bars into an existing pathway made by all terrain vehicles illegally using the property...The hope is that the public, particularly ATV drivers, will respect what the students have accomplished and refrain from driving on the property." -- Tom Coburn, U.S. Senator of Oklahoma, "Students Spend Their Summer Improving Town’s Trail System," Press Release (8/20/08)
"Last year, in one case, people set fires in the sand and were riding their ATVs through the fires. They poured fuel in the sand and set it on fire. A lot of the problems are associated with alcohol, but a lot of accidents have occurred and a lot of citations have been issued, and even arrests made, by the county late at night." -- George Buckingham, supervisor of the Hebo Ranger District, "Sand Lake to ban overnight riding by ATVs," Statesman Journal (8/26/08)
"Erosion caused by the illegal operation of ATVs and four-wheel drive vehicles in this area has exposed high-pressure gas and fuel lines on utility right of ways along with on Federal Park property and in the basin of a public water source...The amount of illegal trails made apprehension a problem with many vehicles fleeing the area when officers made stops...The fact that we were able to capture anyone was a credit to the Officers involved and the cooperation of the many agencies for this task." -- A.G. Zellner, Blair County WCO, "Crackdown on illegal use of Blair County State Game Lands," Pennsylvania Game Commission Press Release (11/18/08)
"We've got to come up with a plan to deal with this, or somebody's going to get seriously injured or killed." -- John Topka, Shade Township Supervisor Chairman, "ATV riders stir up complaints to Shade Township authorities," The Tribune-Democrat (9/5/08)
"Five years ago we basically didn't have anything close to the numbers of ATVs and dirt bikes and off road machines that we do today." -- Tom Willems, a spokesman for the Forest Service, "Off-road vehicle regulations coming in Black Hills," Associated Press (8/24/07)
"OHV riders are coming out of the forest dripping with mud...There's other people out enjoying the forest and they see some kind of inappropriate behavior and I have had a couple of people who have given me license plate numbers to follow up on." -- Bonnie Jones, Travel Coordinator with the Northern Hills Ranger District, "OHV travel tearing up saturated trails," Black Hills Pioneer (6/14/08)
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