SB1552 is BAD, BAD, BAD! PLEASE READ!

[KingGlamis]

I can't believe this is the first I have heard of this bill. A rep from our local Congressional district came by the shop today and told us about it. Anyway, here is the portion we should all care about (and CA take note because you could be next!)

In area A, as defined in section 49-541, a person shall not operate an off-highway vehicle, an all-terrain vehicle or an off-road recreational motor vehicle on an unpaved surface during any high pollution ADVISORY day forecast by the department for particulate matter.49-457.03

I will do some more research but everyone in AZ needs to write their representatives TODAY and oppose this!!!

It's SB1552 and it is BAD for all off-roaders!!!!!!!

[1BLKJP]

Our Lobyist with the AZOHVC has fought for us on this bill to get it to the point it's at right now. It first started that they wanted no recreation on public lands in the entire state. He was able to put together a package that showed the lawmakers how financially irresponsible that really would be. So currently as this bill stands there would be no recreational travel on private lands (read State Trust Lands) on any non-attainment day Monday thru Friday ONLY. Weekends would not count. This will not affect BLM or Forest Lands, just State Trust.

This really is the best we could hope for. I believe that last year we had something like 35 non-attainment days. Maricopa County is under the gun fiercely from the EPA. They are on a 3 year plan to come into complete compliance with PM-10 dust laws. The coalition has been constantly working with state and local officials to help them get better readings and to also help determine what is doing on when "Fugitive Dust" sets off the meters. They have taken huge steps in the past year on tracking down these issues.

At this moment we are leaning neutral to supporting this bill. Because without the work we have done it would've been much much worse for everyone.

[Sandee McCullen]

I can't believe this is the first I have heard of this bill. A rep from our local Congressional district came by the shop today and told us about it. Anyway, here is the portion we should all care about (and CA take note because you could be next!)



I will do some more research but everyone in AZ needs to write their representatives TODAY and oppose this!!!

It's SB1552 and it is BAD for all off-roaders!!!!!!!

HOLD OFF FOR A BIT ON RESPONDING PLEASE........

SB1552 is not as BAD, BAD, BAD as it started out as.
We know of this bill and the Coalition lobbyist has been working diligently on it for more than a month. The original bill was NO OHV ON ANY STATE TRUST LANDS (9.5 MILLION ACRES) ANY TIME.

The OHV Coalition, with our lobbyists help, suggested what you're hearing about. Believe me, we can live with that. It's only for Pollution Alert Days that fall on Monday - Friday and it's only on non-attainment areas, not all 9.5 million acres of State Trust Lands or public lands. Again, please hang in there for a few as there's another amendment trying to change to "OHV dust cannot rise above our axles" at anytime anywhere within a non-attainment area on ALL lands in Arizona." This is something we cannot live with. If it comes to where we need to push to kill the entire bill our lobbyist will let us know.

Sometimes we need to compromise and this was one of those situations. Supposedly the sponsor of this bill was going to help us with the OHV bill............ guess not but turn around is fair play so we'll have to wait a bit to see what happens.

[danno]

Sometimes we need to compromise and this was one of those situations.

I would agree... Arizona is not going to get around the PM-10 compliance which this bill is meant to support.

What I am curious about is how they intend to declare a Polution day. In other words... How will I know when there is a Pollution day.

And for what geographic area is the Pollution advisory made. Is it by county? If so, assuming that there is a Polution day in Maricopa county, does that mean that restrictions do not apply for other counties?

[1BLKJP]

Danno, there are pollution days right now. They always seem to announce them on the news and also on the freeway signs noting that so and so will be a high pollution alert day please carpool or ride the buss.

Now I have no idea if that's planning on changing with 1552, however I wouldn't imagine it being any worse of a notification system than it is now.

[danno]

SO... Realistically, if I drive my Jeep with No Radio out to the trail, and I take say... Carefree Hwy to get to Table Mesa... How would I ever know that I would't be able to wheel on that particular day?

I think that will be the real challenge for all of the restrictions. How to communicate to the public that there are restrictions in affect for a particular day.

[1BLKJP]

I agree with you, however when's the last time someone got out of a speeding ticket because they told the officer they didn't know what the speed limit was since they hadn't seen a sign lately? It is going to be tough on all of us. But as you know PM-10 is not going away. The EPA is jumping down Maricopa counties throat on it. If we can get HB2443 to pass then at least we will have more law enforcement at the major OHV area's to help educate the public on things of this nature.

Also for places like Table Mesa and Florence this will not be a major problem since we are in the process of working out thru travel guildelines from the affected State Trust Lands to BLM or Forest lands.

[Sandee McCullen]

I would agree... Arizona is not going to get around the PM-10 compliance which this bill is meant to support.

What I am curious about is how they intend to declare a Polution day. In other words... How will I know when there is a Pollution day.

And for what geographic area is the Pollution advisory made. Is it by county? If so, assuming that there is a Polution day in Maricopa county, does that mean that restrictions do not apply for other counties?


As noted from other posts, Pollution Alert Days are on the news, Highway Notice Boards, and most often we can SEE there's an issue. As most laws stand............ ignorance is no excuse. Right now the "HOW do we know" is the least of our concerns. All of Maricopa County is involved, about two miles north of Carefree Hwy across Maricopa/Yavapai County, most of Pinal through Gold Canyon and into FJ area. Pima County is included and what I'm hearing is all of AZ will be within the next few years. STUPID........ yes. Arizona standards are exactly the same as Portland OR where it rains every day. DUH. I've seen maps but not sure where to find them................. I'll check and let you know.

[1BLKJP]

Danno,

Got this today from Valleymetro.org. They put out all of the travel advisory notices whether it be for pollution or construction across the city. Very handy tool when planning routes across town on the weekends.

-----------------

A HIGH POLLUTION ADVISORY
FOR PM-10 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has ISSUED a HIGH POLLUTION ADVISORY (HPA) for PM-10 (coarse Particulate Matter) effective Friday, May 4, 2007. This HPA is being issued due to high winds forecast for the Phoenix area.

Children, active adults and those with respiratory illness should restrict their outdoor activities.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO:

RIDE THE BUS, Carpool, or Work at Home
ELIMINATE all unnecessary driving and/or combine trips
TO FIND A CARPOOL- visit: www.sharetheride.com or call 602.262.RIDE (7433)
DON’T Mow Lawns or Blow Leaves
REDUCE Fireplace and Woodstove use

LINKS & CONTACTS:

Carpool/Vanpool Online Matching
602-262-RIDE (7433)

Bus Route Information
602-253-5000

Rideshare/Trip Reduction Program
602-262-7433

Air Quality Update
602-771-2367 (ADEQ)

Air Quality Status
602-420-9458 (Maricopa County)

PM-10 HPA’s in 2006-07:
November 17, 2006
December 7, 2006
December 12, 2006
December 13, 2006
December 14, 2006
December 15, 2006
April 12, 2007
May 4, 2007

[Sandee McCullen]

Danno,

Got this today from Valleymetro.org. They put out all of the travel advisory notices whether it be for pollution or construction across the city. Very handy tool when planning routes across town on the weekends.

-----------------

A HIGH POLLUTION ADVISORY
FOR PM-10 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has ISSUED a HIGH POLLUTION ADVISORY (HPA) for PM-10 (coarse Particulate Matter) effective Friday, May 4, 2007. This HPA is being issued due to high winds forecast for the Phoenix area.

Children, active adults and those with respiratory illness should restrict their outdoor activities.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO:

RIDE THE BUS, Carpool, or Work at Home
ELIMINATE all unnecessary driving and/or combine trips
TO FIND A CARPOOL- visit: www.sharetheride.com or call 602.262.RIDE (7433)
DON’T Mow Lawns or Blow Leaves
REDUCE Fireplace and Woodstove use

LINKS & CONTACTS:

Carpool/Vanpool Online Matching
602-262-RIDE (7433)

Bus Route Information
602-253-5000

Rideshare/Trip Reduction Program
602-262-7433

Air Quality Update
602-771-2367 (ADEQ)

Air Quality Status
602-420-9458 (Maricopa County)

PM-10 HPA’s in 2006-07:
November 17, 2006
December 7, 2006
December 12, 2006
December 13, 2006
December 14, 2006
December 15, 2006
April 12, 2007
May 4, 2007

THANKS Jack................. will someone post this for future contact information please.

[RokNRich]

So if the bill passes, it would be unlawful to wheel tomorrow ? What are the boundaries again ? Maricopa county only, or ??????

[danno]

Thanks Jack and Sandee...

I understand that ignorance is not an excuse...

I am glad to know that there are resources out there that I can proactively check to determine if there are restrictions. I would like to try to do the best that I can to make sure that I comply with the restrictions, I just wasn't sure how I would actually determine if restrictions were in effect in a case where I decided to do some spur of the moment wheeling.

Sometimes listening to the Radio just waiting for such things as traffic and weather is a bit of a challenge even though I know stations like KTAR do traffic and weather "on the 9's" Or driving around until I find a ADOT sign which tells me whether there are restrictions or not.

Its not that hard to use the web resources when I am planning a wheeling trip. But there are sometimes when I am cruzing in the Jeep not intending to go off road per say, but then I will just turn down a dirt road to do a bit of exploring just for fun....

I intend to make sure I can comply, so I will try to identify resources that I can check from the road via the cell phone.

[Sandee McCullen]

So if the bill passes, it would be unlawful to wheel tomorrow ? What are the boundaries again ? Maricopa county only, or ??????

Until something actually passes legislation it's status quo. BUT........... if we do not use common sense regarding making dust, or doing donuts across dirt trails or cross country, if we do not start ALL being respectful users of the lands of OUR STATE we will end up with nothing.

Any changes or updates will be posted as we know them.

We can and should be very thankful to the OHV Coalition as they are the group that raised $20,000.00 to pay for a lobbyist. Had we not had him on our side this dust issue would have gone through and we wouldn't have known anything about it until it was done. "WE", the public were not notified and wouldn't have known about it at all if not for our lobbyist. The OHV Coalition does now have someone on this committee to try and make some common sense decisions or compromises re this bill.

[Sandee McCullen]

So if the bill passes, it would be unlawful to wheel tomorrow ? What are the boundaries again ? Maricopa county only, or ??????

We don't know what is going to happen...............

IF the bill passes as now stated we would not be able to wheel in any NON-attainment area Monday - Friday if it is a POSTED POLLUTION ALERT DAY. Maps will be available to reflect non-attainment areas but for the most part ALL of Maricopa County is in it........... this includes the river bottoms so many ATV's head to; the vacant lots in or near developments; most of the way up Castle Hot Springs Rd to Crown King; the Boulders at M.P. 11.5 west of Lake Pleasant and all across Carefree Hwy. The Cave Creek Ranger District including FR42, the Cottonwood Canyon entrance to FJ trails etc.................... there are still alot of trails available to us on these very FEW days. I believe last year there was a maximum of 36 days and these were not all dust........... most were ozone related.

Yes, some will be unhappy but the only alternative is CLOSURES because Arizona is NOT ANYWHERE CLOSE TO MEETING THE EPA STANDARDS. This being said simply means the land managers will CLOSE everything they cannot manage or eliminate dust on or they will be fined millions of dollars. They cannot even pay for maintenance, signing or mapping of trails.............. how do they pay fines on top of it all?

We will keep updates posted as we know them. It's "government" guys/gals................... they do things on their time, not ours. The last two days planned meetings were cancelled at the last minute. Don't know when they go back to the table but I'm assuming it will be early next week.

[RokNRich]

Thanks for clearing that up some, and I'll agree for the most part that we are still lucky to have great areas to wheel and that wouldn't be possible without the hard work that you guys put in, believe me, it's appreciated.

Those idiots stirring up dust by the highway need to be schooled, of course they won't be the ones that try to obey the law if/when it gets passed either. :rolleyes:

[Sandee McCullen]

Thanks for clearing that up some, and I'll agree for the most part that we are still lucky to have great areas to wheel and that wouldn't be possible without the hard work that you guys put in, believe me, it's appreciated.

Those idiots stirring up dust by the highway need to be schooled, of course they won't be the ones that try to obey the law if/when it gets passed either. :rolleyes:

You're right BUT......... if we can get this HB2443 through that has some laws that can be enforced these idiots can and will be cited !!! It won't take many to realize their stupidity is not only costing them alot of money, it will close THEIR access also.

I wish we could make the legislators understand this bill is not a tax......... it's OHV "PAYING" to manage/control/educate themselves. Here's to all my fingers crossed that we can make this work.

[rockwerks]

Yunderstand this bill is not a tax......... it's OHV "PAYING" to manage/control/educate themselves.


maybe we should rewrite a letter using these terms........

[Sandee McCullen]

maybe we should rewrite a letter using these terms........

We've been trying................ for now just hold tight with all letters and calls for both bills. It seems we've OVER KILLED with mass letters and we don't want to tick them off......... just want them to know we support the bill. More next week.