3000 PLUS PEOPLE ATTENDED AND 300 HAND-WRITTEN SCOPING LETTERS WERE COLLECTED
THE TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA MARINE CORPS BASE IS PROPOSING AN EXPANSION THAT COULD INCLUDE THE JOHNSON VALLEY OHV AREA. JOHNSON VALLEY IS THE LARGEST OPEN AREA IN THE COUNTRY, LOCATED JUST EAST OF LOS ANGELES, AND IS A MECCA FOR OFF-ROAD RECREATION INCLUDING MANY EVENTS LIKE OFF-ROAD RACING AND COMPETITIVE ROCK CRAWLING.BAKERSFIELD, CA
(December 16, 2008) BRP/Billet Racing Products, Inc and American Motorcyclist Association, District 37 (AMA D37) teamed up this weekend to put on the “Save Johnson Valley Fun Ride.” The ride was held at Cougar Buttes in the Johnson Valley OHV Area. An estimated 3000 plus people attended the event. The fantastic turnout was a testament to how important this area is to the entire OHV community.
The main goal of the event was to raise awareness about this issue. It is very important that the OHV community, as a whole, be involved in the public process the Marines are going through in their expansion efforts. The public has three opportunities to shape the outcome of this expansion effort. We can make specific scoping comments, respond to the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIS) and lastly respond to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Both the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA) and AMA D37 will have template letters available for their members and the general public to use on their websites throughout this process. “Giving the OHV community the education and tools to be a part of this process is the goal of both ORBA and AMA D37. We believe getting end users involved is very important in this fight” stated Jerry Grabow, AMA D37 Off-Road President. AMA D37 has also launched a new website, www.savejv.com, and all of the template letters will be available on that website as well. We encourage everyone that wants to see continued public recreation in Johnson Valley to visit the website and send their own personalized letter.
Besides raising awareness about the issue, another goal of this event was to unite the entire off-road community while at the same time providing a weekend of fun for the entire family. There were things to do for every type and skill level of off-roader. We had a kid’s track, several motorcycle loops, an ATV/UTV loop and two 4 wheel drive runs. Other attractions offered at the event were a rock crawling demo and trials riding demo. Jim Rios, President of BRP stated “I am very proud of how this event brought together all aspects of the off-road community. Together we are a much stronger force.”
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ORBA is a national trade association composed of off-road related businesses united to promote common goals that support the prosperity and growth of the off-road industry. ORBA can be found at http://www.orba.biz
SEE PROPOSED ACTIONS & DOWNLOAD WRITTEN STATEMENT FORM
Friends Of Johnson Valley http://www.pfjv.org/
MORE INFORMATION From Military: http://www.29palms.usmc.mil/las
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