You can save Johnson Valley.

[Stone Crawler]

National OHV Lobby Days - March 14th-15th

The most powerful voice comes from you. Join your fellow OHV enthusiasts from across the country, and call for a meeting with your local congressmen to educate him or her on the 29 Palms Marine Base expansions and why we need to save this unique OHV area. Congress will decide the fate of the Hammers. Make sure your voice is heard and help stop the base expansion!

We Need Your Help!

On April 27th, 2012, the United States Marine Corps will submit their Final Environmental Impact Study and light the fuse that starts a chain of events to close 160,000 acres of the Johnson Valley OHV area. If this happens, less than 2% of the Southern California desert would be open to OHV use! Without your help the future of the Johnson Valley is unclear!

How Can I Help?

1. Spread the word and convince your friends and associates to do the same.

2. Visit Congress.org and search your local legislators in the upper right hand corner by using your zip code.

3. Call and set an appointment for March 14th or 15th 2012 with your local Federal Legislator.

4. Tell them you live in their district, and wish to discuss a pending Marine Base expansion that will affect your lifestyle.

5. Visit your legislators on March 14th and 15th, and use your phone’s social media applications to check in at the office.

6. Use the talking points to convince your local legislator to vote NO on the 29 Palms Marine base expansion, and Save Johnson Valley!

Talking points

29 Palms Base Expansion Talking points:

The Off Highway Vehicle market is a $1.5 Billion a year industry. (Source California OHMVR Commission meeting testimony from Fred Wiley President of the Off Road Business Association May 25th 2011.) Closing this important area will result in additional job losses.

The base expansion would remove approximately 160,000 acres from the 185,000 acre OHV area, cutting combined open motorized recreation opportunities in the California desert in half. This may result in an increase in illegal OHV use, and potential resource damage.

Base expansion poses an eminent danger to the general public as the live fire base currently has no perimeter fences, and no fences are proposed for the expansion into an OHV area that has long been enjoyed as a family recreation destination.

The base expansion proposal does not allow for a buffer zone between existing private property owners and the live fire Marine Base.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marines were being used as a “2nd Army”, not as a spearhead “middle weight” force like they have been traditionally. Fighting this way had lead to a change in their training, which is why they needed to expand into Johnson Valley: to fight like the Army in massive land battles. The Marine’s Task Force Review is bringing them back to their amphibious roots, and therefore they no longer need to have a training area, which would be bigger than what the Army has.

In January, the Department of Defense outlined a new budget, which would severely cut the military back. This budget will also lead to military base closures. By NOT expanding into Johnson Valley, the DOD could save money and possibly other bases and jobs.

Johnson Valley has become an iconic area for OHV enthusiasts. People from all over the world make the pilgrimage to Johnson Valley to enjoy it with their families. For OHV enthusiasts, losing Johnson Valley would be comparable to golf losing Augusta or baseball losing Wrigley Field.

Johnson Valley is not just an OHV area. Many different types of people travel there for many different types of recreation.


This is not a California issue, this is a Federal issue. The expansion will likely get attached to an existing bill. Perhaps an appropriations bill. Your legislators need to keep a watchful eye out for this and you may have to be diligent. Don't let the Marines fool your Legislator into thinking shared use will work. It will not. OHV users are being set up for failure. Look at the map below. This affects racing off Bessemer Road.

Please post your appointments when you make them.

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[Stone Crawler]

For those in Congressman Issa's district He has a very busy schedule. March 27th was the earliest date I could get, I urge you to call and make an appointment as well, to show this is an important issue.

[mrmatt]

Thank you for posting this info. If this land is lost there is a good chance that off-road racing in so-cal will be gone sooner rather than later.

[kim]

Jeff -

I don't mean to hi-jack your post but I am.

Mr. Matt, you are right in your statement above. Desert racing in So Cal is at risk as well as other recreational activities, hunting, rock hounding, climbing, camping etc. Another way you can enusre you have a voice is write a letter on my behalf. You don't have to know me, just know of me.

See this thread - http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/sho...e-have-a-voice!!!

I have submitted my name for a seat to represent the "Public at Large" on the BLM's Desert Advisory Council (DAC). My package is complete but I can continue to send in letters of support through the review process. My package included 40 letters. Those letters came from elected officials, organizations, OHV clubs, business owners and individuals who are concerned about the future of our BLM land.

Frankly, I was seriously saddened by the seemingly lack of support from the off-road community. I said I submitted 40 letters, I was hoping to submit 140. Everyone is concerned about our future yet only 2 people from RDC took 3-5 minutes to write a simple letter stating - I support Kim Capenter for the open Public at Large seat on the DAC.

Write letters, make phone calls, contact your legislators. You do have a voice. The question is, will you choose to use it?

[AZBadseed]

Everyone on our team have sent letters, and let their concerns be known to all of their respective reps.
I told our guys that if they want to keep being involved in this awesome sport that they NEED to get this done, and put in the effort.
I think other "teams" need to press all their people to do the same.

[Wayne_Nosala]

Jeff -

See this thread - http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/sho...e-have-a-voice!!!

I have submitted my name for a seat to represent the "Public at Large" on the BLM's Desert Advisory Council (DAC). My package is complete but I can continue to send in letters of support through the review process. My package included 40 letters. Those letters came from elected officials, organizations, OHV clubs, business owners and individuals who are concerned about the future of our BLM land.

Frankly, I was seriously saddened by the seemingly lack of support from the off-road community. I said I submitted 40 letters, I was hoping to submit 140. Everyone is concerned about our future yet only 2 people from RDC took 3-5 minutes to write a simple letter stating - I support Kim Capenter for the open Public at Large seat on the DAC.

Write letters, make phone calls, contact your legislators. You do have a voice. The question is, will you choose to use it?

Kim, I hope you counted my letter

BTW bump for the cause

Wayne

[arqangel67]

Thanks for keeping us updated and good luck Kim. Bump for an important cause.

[TM1 USA]

The off road community as a whole is basically not organized like the Sierra Club and many other extremely conservitive groups. While we are all out enjoying off roading...they are organizing ways to shut us down. Since most of us (myself included) are not able to get to the hearings or write all the good letters that we should.... I joined CORVA as a life member sevaral years ago so that my vote and voice could be counted thru them. I need to get off of my rearend and join Blue Ribbon Coallision as a life member also. I suggest that all of you do the same and ralley all of your friends to step-up also ASAP or we will soon not have the lands to use anymore. Pick your off road supporting group and put your money where your mouth is and join one. Most of the groups send out monthly news letters ( I don't mean Dusty Times) so you then have a good idea what a BAD position that all of us in the Off Road arena are in. Don't kid yourself, our usable lands are shrinking every month !!
TM