Air Quality Compromise for AZ

[My1stJeep]

Here is a link to the article:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0613az-dirtyair13-ON.html

Here are a couple bullets specifically about OHV:
OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES

- requires cities and towns to prohibit use of off-highway vehicles on unpaved vacant lots.

- provide educational material on minimizing dust generation to people who purchase or rent off-highway vehicles in Maricopa County and Apache Junction.

[Fire Ball]

I fly into town in the mornings when the wind is blowing a little and there is a ton of dust in the air. No quads out, no jeeps out, just traffic and blowing dust.

[My1stJeep]

What everyone is seeming to forget, I think it is key, but I guess I am just not smart enough and don't get it, but one questions sums it up:

Don't we live in a desert?

Just to let everyone know, we are being held to the same PM10 standards as other states like Portland Oregon, which with all the desert, cactus and such seem to be just about equal doesn't it? :rolleyes:

Just to add to it, this might be a little scary as what is considered an aera?
VACANT AREAS AND UNPAVED ROADS

- requires cities and towns in the Phoenix area to pave roads and alleys. Municipalities estimate 100 miles of unpaved shoulders and 80 miles of unpaved roads and alleys will be paved and stabilized.

- require cities and towns to adopt laws prohibiting parking or driving of cars on unpaved vacant lots.

- allows a county to stabilized an unpaved lot whose owner has failed to do so after reasonable notice. The county then could impose a fine to cover the cost of the work.

[Triple-XJ]

will we all just need to chip in for a water pull :rolleyes:

[ORIGoodyear]

Amen We Do Live In A Desert Lets Just Hope We Can Keep Playing In It . Teading Lightly Is More Important Than Ever

[amber.hodge]

Hmmmmmmm.....lets see....until jeeps create this natural phenomenom - they need to shut the F.U.!!
http://www.weather.com/blog/weather/8_9626.html

Driving behind 10 jeeps while ON the trail even looks like nothing compared to this - I was stuck on the 101 in 1999/98 when that huge one came through - scariest thing on earth -

Control the dust storms, then complain about my 4 wheeling. darned greenies.

[Sandee McCullen]

We can tell all and anyone we wish to "shut the FU" but all that is going to do for us is "F" us by eliminating all our access...................... we can truly do "VIRTUAL 4-wheeling" then.

You all don't seem to want to believe "WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY". Do you truly think the enviros, the ranchers, the agri and/or the developers don't know "OHV" is NOT the major problem but if they join to the table and if they can put the blame on us knowing we don't seem to believe anything will come of it.......... they WIN. If we continue to sit back on our butts and do nothing but TALK............. that's all we'll end up doing forever.

The EPA is a NATIONAL RULE........... if you feel so strongly about it I suggest you get busy and join forces and write thousands of letters to your congressmen; spend hundreds of dollars traveling to D.C. to attend sessions involving the laws/rules that are made at the top. If we don't show...................... we LOSE. The enviros PAY, the enviros SHOW, the enviros VOICE. WE DO NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry for the rant but I'm very very tired of hearing...... "F" them; "dam**d enviros; "they can't do this" yada yada..................... they can and they are. Bottom line is we are losing and once gone it won't be back.

[TrailJockey]

We can tell all and anyone we wish to "shut the FU" but all that is going to do for us is "F" us by eliminating all our access...................... we can truly do "VIRTUAL 4-wheeling" then.

You all don't seem to want to believe "WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY". Do you truly think the enviros, the ranchers, the agri and/or the developers don't know "OHV" is NOT the major problem but if they join to the table and if they can put the blame on us knowing we don't seem to believe anything will come of it.......... they WIN. If we continue to sit back on our butts and do nothing but TALK............. that's all we'll end up doing forever.

The EPA is a NATIONAL RULE........... if you feel so strongly about it I suggest you get busy and join forces and write thousands of letters to your congressmen; spend hundreds of dollars traveling to D.C. to attend sessions involving the laws/rules that are made at the top. If we don't show...................... we LOSE. The enviros PAY, the enviros SHOW, the enviros VOICE. WE DO NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry for the rant but I'm very very tired of hearing...... "F" them; "dam**d enviros; "they can't do this" yada yada..................... they can and they are. Bottom line is we are losing and once gone it won't be back.

Sandee,

What do we need to do to fight this? Do you have specific information on people to contact? It's a really stupid bill!

[06GrnRubi]

Sandee, I know that you do a lot for the OHV groups, and I am in no way trying to infuriate you more, but I am tired of people telling me that I am not helping our sport. So, I have addressed some of the items in your post.

You all don't seem to want to believe "WE ARE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY".
And chastising everyone on this site, out in the open, helps how?

Do you truly think the enviros, the ranchers, the agri and/or the developers don't know "OHV" is NOT the major problem but if they join to the table and if they can put the blame on us knowing we don't seem to believe anything will come of it.......... they WIN. If we continue to sit back on our butts and do nothing but TALK............. that's all we'll end up doing forever.
I am not a good speaker, and I have only been 4 wheeling since purchasing my Jeep in September of last year. Since September, I have given money to this site, and the ASA4WDC. Just as I donate to the NRA, GOA, 2nd Amendment Foundation to represent my interests in that area. If that is just sitting on my butt and doing nothing, then I guess I’m guilty. I did attend that meeting a few months back at that Mexican restaurant on the East side. I didn’t have anything to say, as I don’t know any of the trails, but I came to show my support, anyway.

The EPA is a NATIONAL RULE........... if you feel so strongly about it I suggest you get busy and join forces and write thousands of letters to your congressmen; spend hundreds of dollars traveling to D.C. to attend sessions involving the laws/rules that are made at the top. If we don't show...................... we LOSE. The enviros PAY, the enviros SHOW, the enviros VOICE. WE DO NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This I do also, but as you well know, the elected officials in, and from, Arizona don’t listen to the everyday citizen. How many times have our elected officials done what they want no matter what voters have said? I’ll still continue to write my letters and send emails, but I’m tired of being disappointed, so I don’t expect much. And we can continue along this route until the voters in Arizona vote the bums out.

I'm sorry for the rant but I'm very very tired of hearing...... "F" them; "dam**d enviros; "they can't do this" yada yada..................... they can and they are. Bottom line is we are losing and once gone it won't be back.
I agree. I’m tired of this kind of talk as well. As a matter of fact, I thought it was no longer tolerated on this board, except in the off topic area. So what do you want from us? I don’t know the issues, I don’t have the time or money to drive to other parts of the valley to attend meetings. Do you want me to continue my monetary support, or would you rather I stop?

[Sandee McCullen]

Sandee, I know that you do a lot for the OHV groups, and I am in no way trying to infuriate you more, but I am tired of people telling me that I am not helping our sport. So, I have addressed some of the items in your post.


And chastising everyone on this site, out in the open, helps how?


I am not a good speaker, and I have only been 4 wheeling since purchasing my Jeep in September of last year. Since September, I have given money to this site, and the ASA4WDC. Just as I donate to the NRA, GOA, 2nd Amendment Foundation to represent my interests in that area. If that is just sitting on my butt and doing nothing, then I guess I’m guilty. I did attend that meeting a few months back at that Mexican restaurant on the East side. I didn’t have anything to say, as I don’t know any of the trails, but I came to show my support, anyway.


This I do also, but as you well know, the elected officials in, and from, Arizona don’t listen to the everyday citizen. How many times have our elected officials done what they want no matter what voters have said? I’ll still continue to write my letters and send emails, but I’m tired of being disappointed, so I don’t expect much. And we can continue along this route until the voters in Arizona vote the bums out.


I agree. I’m tired of this kind of talk as well. As a matter of fact, I thought it was no longer tolerated on this board, except in the off topic area. So what do you want from us? I don’t know the issues, I don’t have the time or money to drive to other parts of the valley to attend meetings. Do you want me to continue my monetary support, or would you rather I stop?

I in no way "chastised" anyone in open forum on this site. I simply told the truth. I know you do as much as possible but my comments were directed to the emails and posts telling the EPA Director to "F" off. I just read an email post from someone stating the AZVJC send thousands of letters.............. NO THEY DO NOT. MOST expect someone else to send letters or attend meetings or pay up. The most letters received by any BLM office or the legislators is in the neighborhood of 50 and those are not all from AZVJC. What does this mean to you? I know what it means to me......................... MOST of our people are leaving it up to a simple handful of us. That is simply not going to do the trick but I will bet my boots they do the most yelling when we truly do LOSE! And we are losing.

Not sure why you believe our elected officials do not listen............... they DO but only when they receive enough emails or calls to get their attention. I've been trying to plan a Senate Drive By or Meeting on the Steps for several years................ guess what kind of response I get................... almost ZERO. Having a dozen vehicles or OHV representatives will not do the trick. BUT......... re HB2443 (Copper Sticker Bill) we are very close to winning this but ONLY BECAUSE MORE OF OUR ENTHUSIASTS JOINED IN THAN NORMAL. Similar letters to D.C. will do the same thing............ especially if persons in the know can walk the halls in D.C. and visit each and every legislator and talk to them. (this is where the dollars count. The ASA4WDC paid for Jim & I to go to DC. ORBA has funded alot for us........ they gave us $5,000.00 to help pay a lobbyist for the HB2443 and $2400.00 for fighting the Pygmy Owl delisting. They have sent their attorney to AZ re the dust meetings and they have sent numerous letters or Land Use Summaries on OUR behalf) All the legislators admit they don't know everything and if we approach them en mass they do pay attention. And...... MOST thank us for information. Will we always win, no.............. but will we gain their attention? YES. Jim Florence (Hackle) and I went back a bit over a year ago with ORBA; AMA & BRC. We testified at a hearing involving OHV and we (Jim & I) met with all but one Arizona Representative. Jim & I didn't make a difference as TWO "but TWO, representing NUMBERS" works. The same for help and/or representation from the major OHV organizations.......... they won't specifically stand up for TWO but they certainly will when there are NUMBERS and dollars helping.

My post was NOT directed at those that do what they can........ it was at the THOUSANDS that do NOT do what they can. They're too tired, too broke, too far, too something........................ As a result........... we ARE LOSING. So all YOUR time and energy, all my time and energy will go down the tubes. AZVJC can truly be a "virtual" club.

I've just posted the final call for the HB2443 (Copper Sticker) that was calendared late today. IF all 2000 + members of AZVJC sent their emails or called in the morning........... or LEAVE A MESSAGE TONIGHT.......... our Senators would not have a choice on vote. When they see NUMBERS it makes a point. 20 - 30 has worked so far but it has been a struggle and would not have done much for us if not for the lobbyist paid for by the AZOHVC and a couple of their member clubs (ATR and ASA4WDC AND ORBA). I hope it works for tomorrow since this is our last chance.

[Sandee McCullen]

Sandee,

What do we need to do to fight this? Do you have specific information on people to contact? It's a really stupid bill!

Hate to say it but at this time we probably don't have any chance to do anything.............. they won't change any details although if you feel up to it it cannot hurt to send a letter/email to our AZ Senators/Representatives/EPA Head to discuss the BUDGET. The problem is we have no facts to support or not support the numbers. We KNOW this BS regarding "greenhouse gases" is a bunch of bunk but with the field being Democrats we're going to see this. Our biggest hope right now is if we can get a handle on the fire issues and thinning the forests so we don't continue with the devistating fires across the lands we can then become involved in "where to spend the excess". Many of our land access lobbyist from D.C. are now keeping us informed on what's happening so that's about the best I can see at this time.......................... we just need to stay involved and ACT immediately when needed.