Northern Rockies Protection Act at it again and this time it WILL PASS

[RMKdude]

Holy crap!!!!!!!! Every place i ride would be closed.

i filled it out and sent the link to a bunch of people.

i really dont want to have to be illegal when i ride next year but i may have no option!

 

[SnowSnob]

Montana

Senators
Baucus, Max - (D - MT) Class II
511 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2651

Tester, Jon - (D - MT) Class I
724 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2644

How have these 2 douches stayed in office? They both have voted for more Wilderness. If anyone needs a talking too it's these two d-bags.
I'll call both this week but they got their hands so deep in the enviros pockets I'm not sure if it will matter.

Denny is MT's only hope for this kinda thing. I say we line Denny's pockets just so he'll punch out Tester and Baucus for us.

 

[bfchiro]

Just made the phone call to my senators here in Washington. I personally think a phone call does much better that sending a chain email, but anything is better than nothing. I guess I don't get the greenies problem with snowmobiles. Its snow.....yes there is some noise, but big deal.

 

[tkuss]

Letters sent to both senators and congressman. Also emailed a few people to have them do the same.

 

[Ollie]

I sent the letters off (again).

I have come to the conclusion that all the letters, calls and such don't do any good.
It hasn't opened up any land already stolen, it hasn't stopped any land from being stolen.
So, I am just going to ride it anyway. Take a piece of duct tape to cover the permit and ride anyway. If they can actually catch me, then I deserve a ticket and they better be good riders cause I ain't stopping.

 

[Rubi]

I agree with the people that say to make a phone call. There are so many mass emails and faxes coming in, that those are pretty much ignored. It's very simple to make the call. Some snively-nosed little liberal staffer will answer the phone, you will state the name and number of the bill, then you'll say you DON'T support its passage. Respectfully state why you feel that way if you want, and you're done ....repeat until exhaustion.

 

[SnowSnob]

I sent the letters off (again).

I have come to the conclusion that all the letters, calls and such don't do any good.
It hasn't opened up any land already stolen, it hasn't stopped any land from being stolen.
So, I am just going to ride it anyway. Take a piece of duct tape to cover the permit and ride anyway. If they can actually catch me, then I deserve a ticket and they better be good riders cause I ain't stopping.

I hear ya Ollie. It's like we're trying to kill a Bull with a stick. You might slow it down a little but your not going to stop it.
So how do we get a gun to shoot this Bull?

I think we need to fight fire with fire and start buying off politicians like the greenies have.

I currently don't donate to BRC or SAWS but after this I'll sacrifice a little mod money to keep my riding areas. I hope this is a big enough scare for everyone to feel the same.

 

[EricW]

I have been working this stuff from a different angle as well. As both my parents are members of the Colville Confederated Tribes I have been pushing the point that PWA's (proposed wilderness areas) and wilderness designation both deny traditional tribal uses on these lands such as hunting, fishing, gathering, firewood, meditation, and even cerimonial prayer. I'm not saying that these uses are not the rights of non-members, i'm just saying that the tribal component of these restricted land uses seems to pack a little more concern especially for the liberal officials who dream them up.

If you know of any family or friends with tribal ties to these areas you need to get them involved and have them push their respective tribal leaders to get involved as well. Restricting land use on traditional tribal areas or areas that benefit tribal members seems to take the game to a different level that is not so promising for these whacks so far.

I am also pushing for continued shared motorized uses in our local PWA's for the disabled public as well. For many of my disabled friends, motorized use is the only opportunity they have to access these areas that they love. Throwing the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) into the mix may well have the same impact on these decisions as the tribal component. I'm going to push that way since being a tax paying American doesn't seem to be enough any more.

Thanks to all for getting involved, and be sure to get your native and disabled friends involved too, they will loose in this as well. US Senators and Representatives need to hear from them. EW

 

[beefspots]

I have sent the letter again also and am going to call my reps! It DOES make a difference! Might not seem like it sometimes but it does.

 

[Kordero]

I received a response from my rep Jay Inslee (D WA) regarding an email I sent a month or so ago. Had to take the time to send a follow up letting him know I STILL OPPOSE HR980!!

I also ride mtn bikes and in the latest issue of BIKE magazine there is a very big article regarding the Wilderness fight. The article focuses on the Montana proposed closures. This is the first time I have seen a magazine I regularly read use major space and resources to educate it's user group/readership/constinuency on Wilderness and the effects it WILL HAVE on our recreational freedoms.

 

[Xrider]

There's no flippin way that would pass. would it?

 

[Stack]

Ttt

 

[hilinerider]

There's no flippin way that would pass. would it?

theres alot more votes with idiots back east then there is us in the west,

thats why we need help from people in other states other wise we are screwed!!

 

[rynokron]

guys/gals...

As someoen who plays with these politicians a LOT...I woudl HIGHLY recommend phone calls to your sentors and Congressmen....in the last few years, they have really turned a blind eye to email campaigns...

Couple suggestions for what to say etc.

1- This will have a dramatic affect on tourism, and will impact jobs in your state (if calling states with senate delegation that is imacted)

2- We need your help to shut this and other such bills down, as they are counter productive to leveraging a higher and greater good of our federal lands.

3- Much of the land that would be designated as wilderness does not meet the criteria in the 1964 Wilderness Act.

4- This legislation has no regard for local processes and decisions on how the land is appropriately managed.

5- As outdoorsmen, we love spending time in our forests, and our sport is needing yoru help.

Be kind, be professional , And most importantly, MAKE THE CALL!!! they track calls, they dont track emails...

Here is a list of the politicians states that will be affected...H.R. 980 would designate 23 million acres of land in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming, as Wilderness.

Idaho-

Senators

Crapo, Mike - (R - ID) Class III
239 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6142

Risch, James E. - (R - ID) Class II
483 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2752


Montana

Senators
Baucus, Max - (D - MT) Class II
511 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2651

Tester, Jon - (D - MT) Class I
724 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2644

Oregon-

Merkley, Jeff - (D - OR) Class II
107 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3753

Wyden, Ron - (D - OR) Class III
223 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5244

Washington-

Cantwell, Maria - (D - WA) Class I
511 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3441

Murray, Patty - (D - WA) Class III
173 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2621


Wyoming-

Barrasso, John - (R - WY) Class I
307 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6441

Enzi, Michael B. - (R - WY) Class II
379A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3424

If you have time, it makes a big impact to send a letter as well...this is the big one guys!!! we need to pull out all the stops here!!!!!!!!!!!

I have contacted my WA reps about this and many other issues only to politely be told to F off. They are all for it.

 

[SnowBaller]

letter sent, just sent a letter myself to my representative from ND because we are not the target area. all of those congressman vote on it, so everyone from every state needs to chime in. you can go to your congressman's web page and e-mail any of them, so just copy paste the letter into and e-mail and send it to your congressman if your not in the target area.

I did the same. I copy/pasted the letter from ARRA. Found my congressmans website and sent him the letter. Ive only been riding out west since I was 16, now almost 22, and this bill would wipe out every place I've ever rode. I have many years of riding ahead of me and I DONT want to spend them in the flatlands.

 

[mtcatgirl]

Nice to see some interest in this.

Yellowstone to Yukon or maybe it will become Montana National Park, Idaho National Park, Wyoming National Park, Oregon National Park, Washington National Park--that's where we're all going to be if the wilderness advocates have their way with us. Nice to see some are actually checking out the maps with this instead of brushing it off!
The SAWS chaiman has already mentioned looking at the February 09 SAWS alert about this for more information on what NREPA is all about.
It does seem like we are beating a dead horse; but this dead horse keeps rising from the ashes with the likes of people that don't even live in the states affected by this!
Here's the SAWS link again. Read it, you might come across something you've missed.
http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/Action_Alerts/09/SAWS_Action_Alert_-_NREPA_introduced_in_111th_Congress.htm
Don't stop at just contacting your own state representative(s) and senator(s). Contact everyone associated with even the thought of moving this resolution on. Hopefully, this will never make it to a House vote. HR980-Look at the house committe member list first, that's where this piece of work is sitting now. Contact everyone or send a message to the committe chairman requesting your message be provided to everyone sitting on the committe. Add a politically correct personal touch to your comments.

Members on the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands

Mr. Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona, Chairman
Mr. Rob Bishop, Utah, Ranking Republican Member

Democrat members:
Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii
Grace F. Napolitano, California
Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam
Dan Boren, Oklahoma
Martin Heinrich, New Mexico
Peter A. DeFazio, Oregon
Maurice D. Hinchey, New York
Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands
Diana DeGette, Colorado
Ron Kind, Wisconsin
Lois Capps, California
Jay Inslee, Washington
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota
John P. Sarbanes, Maryland
Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire
Niki Tsongas, Massachusetts
Pedro R. Pierluisi, Puerto Rico
Nick J. Rahall, II, West Virginia
and the Republicans:
Don Young, Alaska
Elton Gallegly, California
John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee
Jeff Flake, Arizona
Henry E. Brown, Jr., South Carolina
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania
Robert J. Wittman, Virginia
Paul C. Broun, Georgia
Mike Coffman, Colorado
Cynthia M. Lummis, Wyoming
Tom McClintock, California
Doc Hastings, Washington

and don't forget, if they fail getting this passed, they have another plan knocking at the door. STAY Involved!

 

[m7bandit]

have contacted my states reps would like phone numbers to other states. some reasons to oppose hr980 it interfears with our use of renewable resources, plus restricts access of the disabled and elderly which is in violation of constitual rights for the pursuit of happiness

 

[Xrider]

I guess I can't really see why it wouldn't pass given the current bunch of dopes in Congress. Hate to be so negative but this could be it folks, the END!!

 

[CleElum Sledhead]

SAWS members:

In February 2009, our members received a SAWS Action Alert regarding the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA) that had been recently reintroduced in the 111th Congress by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York. This new NREPA bill in this Congress is HR980.

Please review our previous alert from February 2009 at this link:

http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/...lert_-_NREPA_introduced_in_111th_Congress.htm

Recently, SAWS has been informed by Brian Hawthorne at the BlueRibbon Coalition, that there may be a committee hearing on NREPA the first week of May. This will not be the first time this legislation has had a committee hearing, but it is important that our elected representatives know how we feel about this lousy legislation. If you did not contact your U.S. Representative last February, or even if you did, it is important that you contact them again within the next week and tell them you do not support this legislation!

Link to look up and contact your US Representative:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Comment deadline: Sunday May 3, 2009

NREPA will affect significant acreage (23 -24 millions acres) across the Intermountain and Western states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming as shown in the maps provided at this link:
http://www.wildrockiesalliance.org/issues/nrepa/mapIndex.shtml

Here is a link to the tracking summary:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-980

You may also wish to take a few minutes to listen to SAWS chairman, Dave Hurwitz' interview with Lee Hinkelman in regards to the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act. Dave makes excellent points on the distinction of what wilderness is as opposed to publicly managed lands. There is also mention of how stimulus monies are directed at tearing up 6000 miles of roads. Lee broadcasts from New York but recognizes the values we all hold with the power of our voice to our senators and representatives nationwide. NREPA will affect the entire country in some manner not just within the states where actual closures are proposed primarily in the West. Click on segments 3 and 4 from the Weekend of February 21, 2009 once you have linked to the connection:

http://www.bigfrog104.com/TipsforBe...County/SnowmobileShow/tabid/3397/Default.aspx

Some of our newer SAWS members may also wish to review our SAWS alert from October 2007, just in case this is the first time you have heard about this outrageous legislation. SAWS has been opposing this legislation and informing our members about this proposal for many years:

http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org/...Northern_Rockies_Ecosystem_Protection_Act.htm

If not you, then who else will help stop this insanity?


Janine Stewart

Montana SAWS rep
Snowmobile Alliance of Western States

 

[MTdream]

great job EricW nice tactic, and it will work if enough use it...

I am completely blown away at the lack of engagement on a few forums...Maybe people just dont think this is real or something, but some of these communities will be devastated financially if these proposed closures happen...

this is one of those times where we have to pull out all the options!!! this is real!!!