Take Action

Here is a form that you can use to report incidents of illegal or damaging OHV use.

Senate Joint Memorial 40 Study Questionnaire

As you may know, the New Mexico Legislature passed SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 40 in February of this year. This memorial requests a study be conducted on off-road motorized vehicle use. This study is currently in progress. See the full text of SJM40 at:

http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/08%20Regular/final/SJM040.pdf

To help us understand the current situation in New Mexico, we have designed a Recreation Survey. This survey is for both motorized and non-motorized recreationists. We sincerely request that you share your experiences and views by going to the survey website below and entering your responses.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pC6I0DjE_wCqkf7Ts1omQMw

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE -- we need your response by Monday, October 20. We will continue to accept input until early November but we cannot guarantee that responses received after October 20 will be given the attention they may deserve.

Please forward this email to friends, family members and co-workers in New Mexico who may be interested in having their views heard on this issue.

Thanks!

Sincerely,

The SJM40 Team

45-DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OVER
The Forest Service has said that comments will still be accepted and considered, however.

(SANTA FE, NM)-- The Santa Fe National Forest Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement statement to manage motorized travel was published in the Federal Register today, July 17, 2008. "This initiates the 45-day public comment period that will run July 18 through September 2, 2008," said Daniel Jiron Forest Supervisor.

The publishing of the NOI officially initiates "scoping", the first step in the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process. These 45 days are for the public to provide information, to the agency, on resource issues and to identify significant issues with the proposed action. The agency will next develop alternative proposals, based on public input received. These alternatives will undergo full analysis of the environmental effects and a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) will be prepared(usually about 8 to 12 months). At this time, the public will have another 45-day "notice and comment" period. Based on the analysis and public input, the agency will make a decision which will be published as a record of decision. The Forest plans to have the record of decision completed in 2009.

The Notice of Intent and Santa Fe National Forest's Proposed Action for Managing Motorized Travel can be found on the Forest website http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/travelmgt/index.html.

The maps are here: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/travelmgt/pa_maps.htm

We urge you to make your voice heard. Contact your government officials and local media. Write letters to the editor of your local and regional papers and magazines. Bring up the points that are important to YOU. If you want, you may refer to these points, and express them in your own words.

The Center for Biogical Diversity has published the following useful documents.

How To Write To The Forest Service ... In A Way That Makes Them Pay Attention gives some useful general guidance for writing meaningful letters to Public Lands Agencies like the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
Travel Management Planning on National Forests in the Southwest: A Citizens Guide to Key Issues gives a good description of the key issues.

D'Val Westphal of the Albuquerque Journal wrote an editorial on Dec. 2, 2007, about OHV use and the National Forest planning process. Here is a link to it. Please thank the Journal and D'Val and write to them about your concerns with the ORV damage that is being done to our public lands.

Tom Brady wrote a letter to the editor of the Albuquerque Journal on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007. The letter is on page S-1. Write a follow-up letter to the editor; continue to be a voice for non-motorized recreation.

See the News & Letters link for more news items and current news.

Here is a list of government and media contacts.

The methods for getting your voice heard by government officials are, in order of effectiveness:

in person
a personalized letter: hand-written or typed
by phone
by email