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This e-mail newsletter is distributed by:

New York State Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle Assn., Inc.

PO Box 338

Ravena, NY 12143-0338

Please copy and distribute to all interested parties.

Editor: Alex Ernst, aernst@albany.net

Our Official Homepage is located at

To request an addition to or removal from the list, e-mail aernst@albany.net listing name and e-mail address.

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SUBJECTS FOR THIS NEWSLETTER ARE:

1: Ride Weekend and Lobby Day

2: NYSORVA Hires a Lobbyist

3: DEC Survey

4: ATV Trail Funding Legislation Update

5: ATV Registration Exemption Bill Passes Senate

6: 1999 NYSORVA ATV Raffle Underway

7: You Help is Requested

8: Eastern ATV & Off-Road Rider Poker Run

9: New DEC UMP Draft Announced

10: Wayne County Trail Planning Update

11: New Member Clubs Welcomed

12: AMA Updates

13: NYSSA Annual Forum

14: WNYOA Hare Scramble Schedule

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1) 1^ST ANNUAL NYSORVA RIDE WEEKEND AND LEGISLATIVE DAY

Plan now to attend a lobby day at the State Capital on Monday May 17. NYSORVA will join with ABATE in a procession to Albany to meet legislators to express our political will regarding the ATV Trail Funding bills and other motorcyclists’ rights issues. We expect to be addressed on the Capitol steps by sponsors of the Trail Fund bills and by guest speakers including AMA staff.

See a document at the web site for details and directions:

http://www.nysorva.org/lobbyday.pdf

E-mail a request to aernst@albany.net if you require this by e-mail or Fax.

And if you have the previous weekend free (5/15-5/16), come ride with hosts NYTRO-ENY/NCATV in Porters Corners, or spectate or race at CATRA’s NETRA Series Hare Scramble on 5/16 hosted nearby. For information on camping and lodging for the ride weekend, send an e-mail to Fay DeTraglia at atv500e@aol.com, or call him at (518) 893-0430. He will provide a list by e-mail or fax of all local arrangements.

Those interested in Mondays event and needing lodging Sunday night are advised to find accommodations in Rensselaer, East Greenbush or Albany.

2) NYSORVA HIRES A LOBBYIST

We are pleased to announce that we have retained an Albany government relations firm, The Bennett Firm LLC, to take our legislative advocacy to the next level. The firm will draft proposed amended ATV Trail Funding legislation, coordinate meeting with bill sponsors and other officials, and attend public hearings on behalf of NYSORVA. We are hopeful that this relationship will boost our effectiveness in representing the OHV user community’s points of view.

3) DEC SURVEY - A MUST-RESPOND FOR ALL OHV ENTHUSIASTS

DEC Region 7 has initiated a research project to access the recreational desires of the user communities of the region and state. This is our opportunity to make our voice heard that we want ATV and trail motorcycle trail facilities developed on our public lands.

We encourage you to obtain this 5-page questionnaire, complete it noting you desire for trails, and return it to the regional office. The survey will be posted in a few days at the NYSORVA web site as an Adobe PDF file. You may also request a copy via fax or mail from us by e-mailing your request to aernst@albany.net or calling (518) 756-3366.

It is our hope that surveys indicating the need for OHV facilities will get the attention of land mangers in Region 7 and statewide.

4) ATV TRAIL FUNDING LEGISLATION UPDATE

During a recent meeting with the Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman, David Gantt, it became apparent that the Assembly bill would have a hard time passing through his committee without an adjustment to the fee implications of the bill, namely an increase so that the state would not "lose" any money due to the creation of a trail fund.

After surveying the NYSORVA subscriber list regarding what fee would be acceptable, the overwhelming majority voted for $20 (up from the original $10), with $10 going to the state and $10 to the trail fund. This option causes the trail fund to be built at double the rate, and the state has no complaint that "takes money away from The State."

The $20 fee will be amended into a draft of bills A1060 and S632, along with other technical changes, that our lobbyist will propose to the sponsors of the original legislation. The amendment will also be designed to "unify" the bills between Senate and Assembly, an important necessity in conditioning the bills for passage into law.

We continue as always to encourage all ATV and trail bike riders to write and call all the officials involved in this issue. Remember that individual letters from your members carry as more weight than one letter from the club president, and have more effect than names on petitions (don't hesitate to so all three!).

5) ATV REGISTRATION EXEMPTION BILL PASSES SENATE

We were surprised to learn of the passage of NYS Senate Bill 2589 affecting ATV registration, an entirely separate bill to the ATV Trail Funding legislation (A1060/S632). S2589 amends V&T Law Section 2282 and "Provides for an exemption requirement from registration for ATVs operated on lands owned by the owner or to which the owner has certain contractual rights when the ATV is not operated elsewhere in the state and no consideration is paid to the owner for operation." The bill, sponsored by Sen. Wright, passed the Senate 3/25/99 but is only as far as being referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee as AB1681.

We have heard many complaints over the years about the absurdity of requiring a registration on a machine that never leaves the owners property. If the bill clears the Assembly, such owners may be relieved of the burden of pointless registration.

6) 1999 ATV RAFFLE INUAGURATED AT WORLD LARGEST POKER RUN

4/3/99, Cockranton, PA was the site of a 5,700-rider ATV event, the scope of which this writer has never experienced before. NYSORVA and NYTRO-Western NY Chapter attended and sold the first group of tickets in NYSORVA’s ATV raffle, drawing to be held August 29 at the Broome-Tioga National MX.

Attendees were treated Friday night before the ride to a live band that rocked and a fire works display that smoked, all courtesy of the Street, Track and Trail auto/motorsports dealership of Meadville, PA. Also, representatives from NOHVCC, Kawasaki, Polaris, and Honda were there to great riders and share information.

7) HELP!

We still need anyone who can pitch in any effort in the work being done by NYSORVA. We need regional coordinators, legislative activists, and anyone with special skill, computer, graphic, writing, etc. to help increase the effectiveness sophistication of the organization.

In eastern NY, contact Alex Ernst at (518) 756-3366, aernst@albany.net or in western NY, contact Albert MacKenzie at (716) 366-6146, nytroatv@netsync.net.

8) EATV POKER RUN

On May 2, 1999, Eastern ATV and Off-Road Rider News is putting on a Poker Run at T&P Motopark in Little Genesee, New York. For more information, e-mail Dale Wagatha at eastatvrdr@aol.com.

Dale writes, "It’s an easy ride form Johnstown area, RT 219 all the way to RT 417 in New York. Turn right on to RT417 and head to Olean, New York, Little Genesee is east of Olean. The poker run will run a 8-mile loop give or take. You will ride for 1-1/2 hours, ATVs will run separately from the bikes. I think, they will run sport quads and utility quads separately to. The gate fee is $2.00 and the ride fee is $10.00. . . . This would be a good ride for the whole family. This type of a run being broken up allows the novice rider and the rider who enjoys to ride but not the speed . . ."

Last years event was great. Please help make this year’s event a success with your presence.

9) NEW STATE LAND UMP ANNOUNCED IN WESTERN NY

Per the "Region 9 Forestry Newsletter" Vol. 4 No. 4, April 1999:

"The draft Nine Mile Unit Management Plan has been completed and sent to Central Office for review. The plan covers two State Forests comprising 4,307 acres. Among the proposed actions in the plan are an ATV trail involving both State lands and adjacent private property, and preliminary research into the feasibility of a Quality Deer Management program on the property."

NYSORVA needs a representative to volunteer to coordinate with the DEC in the units review. If you are interested in learning more about this UMP, contact the DEC Region 9 office, Wayne Cooper, Regional Forester, at (716) 372-0645. (Region 9 Niagara, Erie, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties)

10) WAYNE COUNTY TRAIL PLANNING UPDATE

Submitted by JoAnn Wemes, NYTRO Central NY

A guest speaker showed slides of all the Rails to Trails that are completed throughout a several states. Mostly these trails are non-motorized. In the questions and answer session, I asked what the future plans for ATV trails were and the answer was "nothing at this time." This was answered by one of the reps from Wayne County Planning Office. Right now the Snowmobiles are working on a section of trail on the Marion-Newark old railroad. The area of Port Gibson was not even mentioned.

After the meeting I spoke with Sharon Lilla of the Wayne County Planning and ask why ATV was not being consider, and she said it took the snowmobile's 7 years to get where they are today and to be patient. She also stated that they did a study and it showed that ATV fatalities are very high. The county is self-insured, and they fear that one accident can wipe them right out. I ask her what we needed to do, and she basically said "start from ground up with facts and findings."

There is another meeting with Trail Works on March 30. Trail Works is very glad to have us aboard and they don't understand the county decision. But they keep telling us not to give up. I'm going to do some research and find out who owns Port Gibson. Also I did find out that, a few towns over, there are motorized trail owned by the county. I'm going to find out more on them. Well not to good of news right now but maybe something will happen.

(Thanks, JoAnn. We’ll look forward to your next report -Alex.)

11) MORE NEW MEMBERS

NYSORVA is pleased to announce the membership of two more clubs for 1999: Wayne County MC, Inc. (founded 1935!), and Capital Area Trail Riders Association, Inc. See our web site for updated information and links to both clubs, at http://www.eguides.com/nysorva/clublist.htm

As well as the privileges provided in the bylaws to member clubs, both clubs are eligible to participate in NYSORVA’s cooperative 1999 ATV fundraising raffle ticket sales program.

We are very pleased to have these clubs and their members added to the ranks of our friends and supporters.

12) AMA UPDATES

Contact: Sean Maher

Phone: (614) 856-1900, Fax: (614) 856-1920

March 29, 1999 http://www.ama-cycle.org

U.S. motorcyclists could be hurt by trade war

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The United States and Europe appear to be headed for a trade war over hormone-treated beef. And the war's victims could include U.S. motorcyclists, reports the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). This trade war involves U.S. beef from cattle that have been injected with hormones designed to encourage faster growth. The European Union has threatened to ban hormone-treated American beef by May 13, and in response, the U.S. has announced that it will impose massive tariffs on some European products.

The proposed tariff list involves 75 items, 70 of which are food-related. But the last item on the list is European motorcycles with engines displacing 500cc or less. The tariffs, which could go into effect by June 13, would effectively double the importation cost of such machines, resulting in steep price increases at the retail level.

Because of the displacement limit, these tariffs would mostly hit buyers of off-road motorcycles from European manufacturers such as KTM and Husqvarna. Larger road bikes from BMW, Ducati and Triumph would not be affected.

"The AMA is working with U.S. trade officials to get motorcycles removed from the proposed tariff list," said Ed Moreland, the AMA's Washington representative. "It's our feeling that motorcycles have no part in a trade war over beef, and we hope to convince federal officials that hurting American motorcycle purchasers is not an appropriate way to deal with this dispute."

Contact: Bill Kresnak Phone: (614) 856-1900 Fax: (614) 856-1920

April 1, 1999

AMA files lawsuit to reopen Boone Forest Trails

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has filed suit in federal court seeking to reverse the closure of some 700 miles of motorized trails in the Daniel Boone National Forest in eastern Kentucky.

The suit was filed March 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern

District of Kentucky. Joining the AMA in challenging the closures are the Ohio Valley Trail Riders, representing off-highway motorcyclists from three states who regularly use the Daniel Boone National Forest, and the Blue Ribbon Coalition, a nationwide group representing outdoor recreation.

The suit asks the court to reverse the Forest Service decision that closed nearly 90 percent of the Daniel Boone trails that had been open to motorcyclists and ATV riders. The suit maintains the Forest Service failed to follow proper procedures in instituting the land closure, and failed to consider alternatives that would have allowed continued use of trails by off-highway vehicles (OHV).

"The Forest Service action is a major blow for trail riders throughout the Eastern United States," said Eric Lundquist, AMA senior legislative affairs specialist. "The Daniel Boone's trail system was among the most diverse in the region, and studies by public officials had demonstrated that much of it was suitable for motorized recreation."

Lundquist noted that the Forest Service closure decision, shutting down some 700 miles of trails in the forest, closely followed threats by radical environmental groups to sue forest officials over their management of the Daniel Boone trails.

"The threat of a lawsuit apparently was all the Forest Service needed to ignore the needs of off-highway motorcyclists," said Lundquist. "Now we'll >have to see if we can recover our riding area in court."

The AMA is accepting donations for this legal fight. Send contributions to: AMA Open Trails Fund, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Or you can donate on-line using a major credit card by logging onto AMADirectlink, the AMA's home on the World Wide Web, at www.ama-cycle.org.

Just click on the button that says "AMA Government Relations" and follow the links to the Daniel Boone donation page.

13) NYSSA UPDATE

NY State Snowmobile Association's Annual Forum is April 17 and 18 at the Beeches in Rome, NY. To get a copy of the registration form and for further information, e-mail a note to NYSSA’s James Jennings at rideacat@telenet.net.

14) WNYOA ANNOUNCES 1999 SCHEDULE

The Western New York Off-Road Association would like to see you at one of their member-clubs' many off-road motorcycling events. To learn more, see http://members.xoom.com/ridered/ for a comprehensive list of events in the region.

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