NYSORVA News for
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This e-mail newsletter is distributed by:
New York State Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle Assn., Inc.
PO Box 305
Ravena, NY 12143-0305
Please copy and distribute to all interested parties.
Editor:
Our Official Homepage is located at http://www.nysorva.org
To request an addition to or removal from the list, e-mail Alex@nysorva.org listing name and e-mail address.
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SUBJECTS FOR THIS NEWSLETTER ARE:
1: OHV Lobby Day Update
2: Trail Funding Legislation Update
3: DEC Region 7 Recreational Survey Update
4: Welcome Three New Member Clubs
5: Riding in Franklin County, NY
6: AMA Logo License Plates
7: Why OHV Trails on Public Lands
8: Fed Threatens 100% Tariff on European Motorcycles
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1) OHV LOBBY DAY UPDATE
The Monday, May 17 Rally on the Capitol ("Lobby Day") is swiftly approaching. We are encouraged by the number of people who have said that they will join NYSORVA for the event. We are also pleased to note that Government Relations Director Terry Cook of the American Motorcyclist Association will be attending the rally, and will address the gathering regarding issues at hand.
With timing in mind, there are two matters we need to bring to your attention before the event:
* Please Submit Petitions Now *
If you have been collecting signatures in support of ATV Trail Funding Bills S632/A1060, we are recommending that you now forward copies to your districts’ Senator and Assemblymember if not already done. Please also make and send copies to the NYSORVA administrative office as soon as possible. We want to be able to consolidate copies of all available petition forms for repackaging to be delivered on the day of the rally to the Governor’s office, the Assembly Speaker’s office, and the Senate Majority Leader’s office.
Please send clear, valid copies of all petition forms to
NYSORVA, Inc.
PO Box 338
Ravena, NY 12143-0338
* Constituents Needed for Visits to Representatives *
If you are attending the rally and would be willing to meet on that day with
one of your elected representatives, please contact
Assemblymember Michael Bragman (A1060 Sponsor; Onondaga Co.)
Senator Michael Nozzolio (S632 Sponsor; Cayuga, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne
Cos.)
Assemblymember David Gantt (Assembly Transportation Committee Chair; Monroe Co.)
Senator Caesar Trunzo (Senate Transportation Committee Chair; Suffolk Co.)
Putting faces to the issue with these members is very important at this point.
We once again thank ABATE of
Please see http://www.nysorva.org for additional information about the May 17 rally and events on the preceding weekend.
2) ATV TRAIL FUNDING LEGISLATION UPDATE
We are please to announce that S.632 sponsor Senator Nozzolio has approved the amended draft of the trail funding legislation as rewritten by NYSORVA’s government relations attorney. The Senate bill, now numbered S.632-A, will now be resubmitted to the Senate Transportation Committee (Sen. Caesar Trunzo, Chair) for review. We hope that the bill will ride a recent wave of sentiment within the Committee such that it will be expeditiously reported for a vote (recently MC Toll Reduction and Helmet Choice bills were reported out of the Committee).
We expect that the Assembly Sponsor will in short order accept the amended draft, which is unified with the Senate version. Once reviewed by Assembly staff and accepted by the sponsor, the bill will be renumbered A.1060-A and be resubmitted to the Assembly Transportation Committee (Rep. David Gantt, Chair).
We are pleased with the interest in and movement of the bills this year. Thanks go out to all those who have helped us with suggestions to clean up the bill draft, and also to all who have contacted their legislative members in support of the bills. We ask that you keep the encouragement to these officials strong especially now at this critical point in the Legislative Session.
Once it has been published by the Legislature in the next few days, we will display on the NYSORVA web site the amended, unified bill and summary.
3) DEC REGION 7 SURVEY
In the last newsletter, I noted that you can download the DEC Region 7
Recreational Survey from our web site. The link was correct in the newsletter
but not correct if you tried to download it from the web site. To reiterate,
the address to download the survey is:
http://www.nysorva.org/decsurvey.pdf
Some have express difficulty with the PDF file because it is too large or
they can’t download the PDF Reader available from www.adobe.com. If either is
the case with you, we’d be happy to fax or mail a copy. Just e-mail me at
4) MORE NEW MEMBERS CLUBS
We are pleased to announce three more groups that have become NYSORVA member-clubs for 1999 by giving donations at the club level:
ATV Ruffriders Club, Inc., Brenda White, Main Street, Dickinson 12930, Phone: 518-856-9339, E-mail: bwhite1@slic.com, Club Type: ATV. Counties of activity: Franklin, St. Lawrence.
Adirondack ATV Riders Club, Inc., Bob Swanson, Pres., PO Box 342, Harrisville 13648-0342, Phone: 315-543-2055, E-mail: clarkmia@aol.com, Web: www.adirondackatv.org, Club Type: ATV. Counties of activity: Lewis, St. Lawrence.
Northeast ATV Association, Matthew Carner, President, 51 Green Avenue, Castleton, NY 12033, Phone: 518-732-4694, E-mail: carnerfl@nyssbdc.org, Club Type: ATV. County of activity: Rennselaer
In joining, not only does each club gain voting and other privileges, but each becomes part of an important partnership that legitimizes the work of both the clubs and of NYSORVA.
We publicly thank these clubs along with all 1999 member clubs who have expressed their confidence in NYSORVA and the OHV community it represents. We look forward to working with the clubs in the time to come.
5) FRANKLIN COUNTY RIDING OPPORTUNITY
ATV Ruffriders Club, Inc. wants riders to know that there are other places to ride in the northwest region of New York besides Aldrich Pond WF and Basher Falls/Tri-Town.
Riders interested in riding with the club in Franklin County should contact Brenda White at (518) 856-9339 or bwhite1@slic.com about membership and events. Their organized Poker Runs scheduled throughout the Summer will utilize trails in the Dickinson area of the county.
6) AMA LICENSE PLATE
From an American Motorcyclist Assn. 4/29/99 news release, Pickerington, Ohio.
Contact: Bill Kresnak, Phone: (614) 856-1900, Fax: (614) 856-1920
New York Riders Can Get Special AMA License Plates
New York motorcyclists and car drivers will be able to show their support for motorcycling and the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) with special license plates beginning this summer, the AMA reports.
The special plates, featuring the AMA's colorful red, white and blue logo, will be issued by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles at a cost of $21.25 for motorcycles and $34.50 for passenger vehicles, in addition to the regular registration fees. The characters on the plates also can be personalized for $15 more.
"This program is not a fund-raiser for the AMA,'' said Tracey Powell, AMA legislative coordinator. "The association will not receive money from the sale of these license plates. But we think it's an exciting new way for AMA members to show others they are proud to be motorcyclists and proud to support the association's efforts to protect motorcyclists' rights."
In order to get the custom plates approved, the AMA guaranteed New York officials that 250 would be sold. The association has placed a deposit with the state that will be returned as those first plates are sold. In all, the AMA has more than 13,000 members in New York.
The AMA is the second motorcycling organization to get its own custom license plates in New York. Previously, the Harley Owners Group arranged to get plates with its logo. The AMA Government Relations Department worked with AMA District 3 and District 34 members to get the new plate, which is the first AMA plate in the nation.
New York officials hope the AMA plates will be available beginning July 1. For more information, contact the New York Department of Motor Vehicles at (518) 473-3691.
NYSORVA thanks AMA for keeping us informed of such issues. Please help support AMA in fighting for your right to ride on- and off-road. 1-800-AMA-JOIN, www.ama-cycle.org.
7) WHY OHV TRAILS ON PUBLIC LANDS?
A famous objection by groups in opposition of OHV activity is that it simply has no place on "public land." We strenuously differ in opinion: the public should have a democratic say in what activities may occur on public lands, with respect to reasonable environmental concerns. And the numbers below speak for themselves.
Of note:
A prominent wilderness advocacy organization says they represent 130,000 NY hikers.
There are over 10,000 miles of hiking trail in NY with a significant portion on public lands. This is a laudable achievement and shows what can be accomplished by a user group when political conditions are right.
In contrast:
The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) estimates that the 1998 population of ATVs in NY alone is 142,000+. In 1997 they estimated that there were also 47,900 off-highway motorcycles and 26,400 Dual sport bikes operating in NY. DMV reports that in 1998 ATV registrations numbered just over 40,000. (This is a number that likely reflects most riders’ distaste for paying a fee that is not currently dedicated to the return of services in the form of trail facilities. We hope to see this situation change with the passage of the ATV Trail Funding bills.)
There are less than 100 miles of legal public land ATV/MC trail in only 2 state forests available to the general public, (Tri-Town SF/Brasher Falls & Aldrich Pond WF).
Per NOHVCC: Of all states, NY is the #2 source for requests for information on clubs and where to ride OHV’s. MIC estimates NY as having the fourth-largest OHV economy in the country.
Why OHV trails should be provided on state reforestation areas:
The state's own research reported in the 1994 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) document says that 27% of respondents surveyed felt that OHV recreational opportunities were lacking. This was the fifth highest request for all types of recreational facilities, and was the number-one request for any type of trail facility.
Furthermore, DEC’s own position statement on ATVs says that "…ATV trails can be established, maintained, and used with no irreversible environmental damage, provided that the design and use conform to stipulations [contained in the position statement]. We recommend that trails be established, where feasible, on State Reforestation Areas to provide a recreational opportunity to a sizable constituency which has expressed the need for a place to ride ATV’s."
Send a note to
8) FED STILL THREATENS 100% MC IMPORT TARRIFS
Reprinted from an AMA Government Relations E-mail Alert
May 4, 1999, Contact: Ed Moreland, (202) 682-4750, e-mail edmoreland.ama@erols.com
Subject: Bikes for Beef--U.S. Trade Representative proposes 100% import tariff on European motorcycles 500cc and less.
Action: Letters to U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky requesting removal of motorcycles from target list. Copies to U.S. Senators and Representatives.
U.S. trade officials have proposed to put a 100 percent import duty on some 75 European goods -- including two categories of motorcycles, 51cc to 250cc, and 251cc to 500cc. It is designed as a retaliation to the 15-member European Union's (EU) continuing import ban on American beef treated with growth hormones. EU officials have not lifted that 10-year-old ban, despite a World Trade Organization order to end it in May.
If U.S. officials impose the retaliatory tariff as scheduled June 13, it would double the price of a host of under-500cc off-highway machines from manufacturers such as KTM, Husqvarna, Husaberg, Beta, Bultaco, Fantic, Gas Gas, Montesa, Scorpa and TM.
A full report on this issue can be found at:
http://www.ama-cycle.org/magazine/1999/story2je.html
Letters to U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky objecting to the inclusion of motorcycles on the target list and requesting their removal are needed as soon as possible. Copies of these letters should also be mailed to your U.S. Senators and Representative.
Letters should be addressed to:
Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky
United States Trade Representative
Winder Building
600 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20508
SAMPLE TALKING POINTS:
--It is inappropriate to target motorcycles in what is essentially an agricultural trade dispute.
--Motorcycles miss the target. Imposing tariffs on motorcycles does not target the EU agricultural industries benefiting from the trade restriction. Nor does it help the U.S. agricultural industries harmed by the EU exclusion of beef.
--The motorcycle tariff would jeopardize many U.S. businesses and American jobs. There are a large number of motorcycle dealers and after-market equipment manufacturers that specialize in European motorcycles. These tariffs could collapse this specialized market.
--Imposing tariffs on these motorcycles will not assist any U.S. Motorcycle producers. Manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Polaris and Excelsior Henderson produce larger street motorcycles. Any shift of purchases caused by exorbitant prices of the European motorcycles would simply be to other imports.
--If imposed, the European motorcycle tariff would severely harm the sport of observed motorcycle trials. Many of the motorcycles used for observed trials competition fall directly in the category of European motorcycles 500cc and less.
--A substantial American community opposes the proposed tariffs on these motorcycles. It includes those who ride for pleasure, recreation, competition and transportation; motorcycle dealers and distributors who sell these products; and those who manufacture and sell after-market products that are dependent on the sale of these motorcycles.
Please write and mail your letters as soon as possible. Forward this message to your riding friends for action. If you have any questions, please call the AMA’s Washington, DC Representative, Ed Moreleand at (202) 682-4750 or e-mail edmoreland.ama@erols.com.