Urge Key Committee to Support Transparency in Public Land Designations

This is a follow up to this post.

This is a call to action by Americans for Responsible Recreation Access

As you may recall, ARRA recently asked you to send a letter to your Representative about a leaked Department of Interior (DOI) memo that made it clear that President Obama was considering restricting access to public lands by declaring as many as 13 million acres in western states as National Monuments.  Thank you for responding. Your voice was heard and this issue has been addressed repeatedly in Congressional hearings, on national news and in many other ways.  But there is more to do.

House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member, Doc Hastings (R-WA) and Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Ranking Member Rob Bishop (R-UT) introduced a Resolution of Inquiry (H. Res. 1254) aimed at requiring the Secretary of Interior to turn over to the House of Representatives specific information related to potential National Monument designations and other public lands initiatives on April 15.  A resolution of inquiry is a method used by the House to obtain information from an executive branch official.  The House Committee will vote on the resolution on April 28^th.

Sweeping National Monument designations like those outlined in the leaked DOI memo represent a serious threat to recreation including motorized access.  Any OHV use would almost certainly be forever banned in areas designated as National Monuments, and riders would have no opportunity to formally weigh in on the process.  Any decision that could potentially lock OHV use out of huge swaths of public lands should be made in the light of day, and that is why it is important for you to weigh in to support transparency.

Click Here to Send A Message to Congress