After nearly three years since the American Sand Association (ASA) first petitioned the Secretary of the Interior that the Peirson’s Milk Vetch be removed from the Endangered Species List, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced today that the plant warrants continued protection and will remain on the list of endangered species.

The battle encompassing the 49,300 acres of land temporarily closed to off-highway vehicles (OHVs) at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (ISDRA), which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), has inarguably been one of the highest profile cases involving U.S. public lands and the differing interests between off-road enthusiasts and extreme environmental organizations.  Environmentalists were able to get the plant listed under the Endangered Species Act without first conducting any scientific studies or providing data that the plant warranted protection in the first place. Off-road enthusiasts contend the plant was simply a tool used by environmental extremists to have the dunes temporarily closed, and off-roaders have spent millions of dollars and countless volunteer hours trying to prove the plant is flourishing in the dunes and does not qualify as a species that deserves federal protection.

Off-road recreationists who have been battling the environmental consortium in federal courts for several years believe the scientific data the FWS and BLM have collected over the last few years should have verified the PMV was doing well and did not require continued federal protection. The anti-access advocates and environmental extremists continue to use every avenue available to them to further their agenda to close public lands. “Their weapon of choice during the past several years at the Imperial Sand Dunes has been the Endangered Species Act,” said Jim Bramham, a member of the ASA Board of Directors. Bramham and the other Board of Directors with the ASA have chosen to work closely with the land management agencies, and Press Release — American Sand Association support the method of gathering scientific data to make logical decisions whether public lands are closed for environmental protection or remain open for recreational access.

Many off-road enthusiasts are understandably outraged over the decision by the USFWS to keep the PMV on the Endangered Species List. They believe this is a politically-charged ruling, rather than a decision based on what is best for both the environment and the economic impact to both the private and public sectors. Off-road recreation is a hobby that has become a way of life for many generations of people living in the western United States, and losing valuable riding areas because of a blatant misuse of the Endangered Species Act is a sad situation that impacts many Americans, not just those who ride off-road vehicles. The members of the American Sand Association urge fellow Americans, whether they’re enthusiasts of off-road vehicles or other types of outdoor recreational activities, to take a hard look at the science behind this 8-year battle. The fact remains that the Peirson’s Milk Vetch plant ranks as the most studied plant in the entire California desert! The studies conducted by Dr. Art Phillips, as well as the Bureau of Land Management, clearly conclude this plant is not deserving of a “Threatened” status by the USFWS. In 2006, a count of 1.8 million PMV plants were found at the ISDRA. In addition, notable data suggests that less than 0.5% of the plants are affected by offroad vehicles. What many people do not realize is that nearly 26,202 acres of land situated within the ISDRA, north of Highway 78, have already been designated as a “Wilderness” area, closed to OHV use. This area, coupled with the current administration closures, make it nearly impossible for OHV activity to damage or threaten the PMV plant which is shown to be thriving in the barren desert environment. The American Sand Association stands fast to its resolution that the PMV is not deserving of a Federally protected status. The plant has been the subject of many extensive and costly studies, and all the reports draw the same conclusion: The plant is very hardy but its numbers fluctuate according to rainfall; and there is no evidence that OHV use negatively affects the continued viability of the PMV. The ASA urges its members and other OHV enthusiasts to continue honoring the “temporary” closures that are currently set in place.

Popularity: 2% [?]

By: Scott Swenka

Oct 13 - 14, Orangewood RV Center of Surprise, Arizona and the American Sand Association hosted its 4th Annual Pound Sand Show. This year’s show had a good vendor turnout, with big names such as: Suspensions Unlimited, Ride Now, Federal Sand Rail, WhipLash Racing, and Sand Tech Motorsports. The Viper Truck Club of America had a decent display as well. Industry related magazines - Sand Addiction, Sand Sports, and San Diego Off Road also provided free magazines to be given away at the entry gate. Approximately $400 was collected from the sales of “hat pins” dedicated to the memorial fund of Major Troy Gilbert who was killed in action on November 27, 2006 while flying a mission over Iraq. We estimated the overall attendance to be around 4000. Key people involved in the event were - Bill Harris - Consignment Manager at Orangewood RV, Scott Swenka - ASA Checkered Flags Chairman, and Marc Tracy - Owner of Orangewood. All of the vendors provided some excellent giveaways for the drawing that took place throughout both days. The KeyStone Performance Fuzion 382 was also introduced at the show, a toy hauler that is not matched by any other toy hauler maker with two slides, large 16 foot garage area, and two high quality LCD TV’s. Scott Swenka of the ASA presented Bill Harris with a plaque from the ASA at the end of the show on Sunday. Next year’s show is shaping up to be even bigger and better which is slated for Oct 4-5, 2008, and will be located at the Speedworld Dragstrip in Wittman, Arizona. It will provide an even larger venue and services for the vendors to show off their stuff.

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The ASA needs your help on Sat Aug 9th at 10 am.You and your off-highway vehicle friends are invited to join the ASA Board of Directors at the Extreme Performance shop Click Here for Directions . You will be treated to lunch following a briefing by officials from the following agencies:

Round Table Participants

Daphne Greene, CA State Parks, OHMVR Division – Moderator
Phil Jenkins, Ca State Parks, OHMVR Division
Mike Boxx, BLM El Centro Field Office
Neil Hamada, BLM El Centro Field Office
Ed Preciado, Imperial County Sheriff’s Office
Quinn Palmer, US Border Patrol, El Centro Sector

Topics of discussion will include:

* ISDRA issues such as new fee structure, budget shortfalls and possible cut back in visitor services.
* Pack it Out litter education campaign
* Status of ISDRA rules and regulations for the upcoming dune season
* Answer specific questions re implementation and enforcement of ISDRA rules and regulations.
* Answer your questions regarding other items of interest to the California desert recreation users including:

o Military expansion into Johnson Valley OHV riding area
o Impact of renewable energy projects in the California desert on OHV activity

* Current status of California Senate Bill 1228. This legislation will affect all ATV users under the age of 18 recreating in the State of California
* Please confirm your attendance. Let us know how many in your group will attend. If this does not fit your personal schedule please feel free to foreword this info to others.

Popularity: 4% [?]

ASA May 2008 Newsletter
Click here to view the online edition of the ASA May newsletter.

ASA BLM ISDRA RAMP Scoping Document Delivered
The BLM is in the process of writing a new Recreation Area management Plan (RAMP) for the ISDRA and has asked for comments on what should be contained in the new RAMP. The ASA has provided comments to the BLM on this process.

Additionally EcoLogic Partners, Inc. have submitted the following scoping comments that can be viewed here: EcoLogic Comments

ASA California OPEN BOARD MEETING AT EXTREME PERFORMANCE
NEW LOCATION! Help us get the word out. This is an opportunity for you and your duning friends to learn what’s legal and what’s not directly from the officers involved.
Dune Info Meeting
“Dune Talk, Everything You Need to Know”
August 9th 2008
10:00 am ’til 3:00 pm
Extreme Performance
5486 Industrial Pkwy San Bernardino, Ca, 92407
909 887-8000
Click Here for Directions
Speakers on hand from BLM, U.S. Border Patrol, Imperial County Sheriff, CA State Parks Dept. and Dune Safe
Q & A session: “What’s Legal –What’s Not”
SHOW AND SHINE EVENT
BRING YOUR COOLEST OFF-ROAD TOYS
WIN SOME COOL PRIZES
This event brought to you by the ASA and Extreme Performance
Supported by GlamisDunes.com and DuneSafe.com

Yamaha Grant Supports UDG BLM Partnership
Yamaha has approved a $5,000 grant to the United Desert Gateway. This grant along with $2,500 from ASA and $5,000 from BLM will pay for the reprinting of the “Take It Outside” youth education cards that were initiated last season. The US Border Patrol, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Native Plant Society have recently joined the ISDRA partnership by providing outreach messages relating to the Mexican border and environmental awareness.

Get your new card set at the SSSS in Sept. The 20 plus cards will provide excellent campfire conversation. Be sure youngsters in your group can answer the questions before they ride.

Submit Your Nominations for the 2008 JRS Award
The ASA Board of Directors established the JRS Award in 2004 to recognize those Sand Sport volunteers that give freely of their time and talent in the interest of Protecting their Right to Ride. Anyone can nominate an ASA member who they believe to qualify. Nomination and Entry Forms are available on the the ASA web site. CLICK HERE to download the forms. Nominations will be accepted for the 2008 candidates through July 15, 2008.

ASA Giveaway Raffle Car on Display in So Cal
Mid-Cities Honda is helping the ASA with the Extreme Performance Giveaway car by displaying it in their showroom located at :
15725 Lakewood Blvd. Paramount, CA 90723(near the corner of Alondra Blvd.)
So go see this beautiful car up close, and get yourself a ticket.
Mid Cities Honda are one of our “Premium Sponsors” that offer a Discount for ASA Supporting Members, a 10% Discount on Parts.
Please visit their web site: Mid-Cities Honda
Mid-Cities Honda has been our most valued Business Sponsor in signing up new members. To date they have signed up over 500 members at their store! Those efforts are what it takes to help keep our sport alive by gaining membership to help us maintain access to our sand and desert areas.

ASA Giveaway Raffle Car
This year, the ASA Giveaway buggy is a custom built Extreme Performance Eco II. This is the second car that Extreme Performance has built for the ASA Giveaway Raffle. Tickets are $20 each and the winner will be drawn at the 2008 Sand Sports Super Show, September 21, 2008. You do NOT have to be present to win.

NEW FEE STRUCTURE BEGINNING OCTOBER 2008
Effective October 2008, permits purchased at the dunes will cost $120.00 for a season and $40.00 for a week. Save yourself time and money by purchasing your permit before arriving. Pre-purchased permit fees remain unchanged, $90.00 for a season and $25.00 for a week. Permits can be purchased online, by phone, from a vendor on the way to the dunes or best of all, through the ASA!

ASA 2009 Calendar Photos
The ASA calendar committee is hard at work on the 2009 ASA Calendar. They try to include as many ASA members’ pictures as possible in the calendar. It’s fun to see the photos of your family or dune trip in the calendar. If you have some pictures that you would like to see in the new calendar please send them to Debbie DeRenard at NSDuner@aol.com.

Mark Your Calendars! Volunteer for the Sand Sports Super Show in September
Start making your plans now to volunteer for the Sand Sports Super Show at the Orange County fairgrounds. This is the show where the ASA gives away our raffle car and it is one of the main sources of support for the ASA both financially and in signing up new members. It is a good place to get aquatinted with other ASA members and is a fun experience.
This year show will be September 19–21 and volunteers are needed for days.
We will be sending out a request for volunteers as the time draws closer so just mark your calendars to help the ASA at this event.

EcoLogic Partners, Inc Raffle
EcoLogic Partners fund legal counsel to protect the rights of OHV recreationists.
They are raffling off a 2008 KTM 50 SX Mini. Tickets are $5 each.
If you would like to buy tickets please call or e-mail Meg Grossglass 951-415-1869 / meg@orba.biz or Jerry Grabow 714-747-1211 / plumrdy@aol.com

The motorcycle will be given away at the Sand Sports Super Show on Sunday September 21, 2008 at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, CA. Winner need not be present to win. Winner pays all taxes and registration fees.

The bike was donated in part by Z Racing of Orange. Z Racing has been a KTM Dealer in Orange County for over 25 years. They are a full service, parts and accessory dealer. They are located at 608 W. Katella Ave. Orange, CA 92867, phone 714-633-3115.

EcoLogic Partners was formed to advance land use policies that conserve natural resources while providing responsible outdoor recreation for American families. Currently ASA, AMA D37, SDORC and ORBA are the organizations supporting EcoLogic Partners, Inc.
We are currently involved in the following issues:

• Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Management Plan
• Delisting of the Peirson’s Milk Vetch
• Critical Habitat Designation for the Peirson’s Milk Vetch
• Western Mojave Management Plan Litigation
• Renewable Energy Projects proposed on BLM lands in the California Desert District
• Truckhaven & Ocotillo Wells SVRA Management Plans
• U.S. Forest Service Travel Management Plan

New ASA Address
The ASA has relocated its main mailing address due to the closure of the original mailbox location.
The new mailing address for the ASA is:
American Sand Association
P.O. Box 1872
Canyon Country, CA 91386-1872

If you need to talk to someone about an ASA issue you can call our toll free telephone number at 888-540- SAND or 888-540-7263. If no one is available please leave a message and someone will get back to you.

Proposed Legislation to Mandate Safety and Size Restrictions for All-Terrain Vehicles – SB 1228
By Vicki Cossey, Legislative Affairs
Currently in Sacramento, the legislature is hearing a bill known as SB 1228. This bill has three elements and only affects ATV riders at this time. The first is to increase the age from children under 14 to children under 16 in which they would have to be under direct supervision of their parent or an adult. Second, mandate children to have in their possession a safety certificate proving they have taken a safety training course. Third, it would impose specified size restrictions on ATVs operated by persons under 16 years. These restrictions follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on youth ATVs.

The ASA, along with it’s partners in the California OHV Coalition continues to work diligently with all the interested parties to craft a piece of legislation that brings balance between the sponsor’s of the bill, the Senator that authored the bill, the OHMVR Division and the OHV Community.
Continue to watch for monthly updates in the ASA newsletters. For any further information, please contact legislativeaffairs@americansandassociation.org.

ASA Web Server Crash

Sometime during the day on April 26th, 2008 the server that runs the ASA Web site had a catastrophic hardware crash. Once the problem was investigated it was found that the existing server hardware was approaching 5 years old, and needed to be replaced as fixing the server would, alas, only provide us with repaired 5 year old computer technology.

For the replacement, we chose to go with Dell server hardware, specifically a Dell 2950/III 2U server, with Dual Quad Core Intel Xeon 2.33ghz processors,8GB Ram, 460GB of SATA Raid hot swap disks, and dual redundant power supplies. We also chose to upgrade our underlying Operating System. The server came back online on May 13 with only a few modules such as the forums/BBS coming back online a few days later.

The team involved, Scott Swenka, Jason Hitesman, and Greg Gorman, all played a valuable and tireless roll in bringing the server back up and online. Their volunteer efforts are greatly appreciated.

United States Border Fence Construction
Approximately 6.3 miles of fence will be constructed on the US and Mexico International border south of Interstate 8 within the US Border Patrol Yuma Sector Area of Operations. This 6.3 miles is in the dunes: another 4 miles lies outside the dune field for a total of 10.3 miles of fence.

The Yuma Sector anticipates fence construction to commence in June of 2008 and be completed by December 31, 2008. An additional 4 miles of Pedestrian Fence will be built from the Andrade Port of Entry west to the Imperial Sand Dunes. The USBP has requested the “Duning Community” observe a voluntary enforcement zone 100 feet north of the new fence. The fence poses no negative impact to the recreational community since there is more than 11 square miles of off-road recreation area south of Interstate 8. This will enable the USBP to provide better border security and a safer Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.

Popularity: 4% [?]