According to the updated figures presented in the 30x30 website: https://www.californianature.ca.gov/pages/ca-nature, California now has conserved 24.41% towards the total goal of conserving 30% of the landmass in California. This is up almost 1% from the time the initiative began in 2020, and is attributed to the increase in conservation easements. What will be interesting to see in the Governor's May Revise budget, is how much money is allocated in the budget towards these efforts considering the predicted deficit of $58 billion, projected by the Legislative Analyst's Office: https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4850#:~:text=The%20state%20already%20faces%20a,weakness%20relative%20to%20those%20estimates. Many people are concerned with the 30x30 initiative, which CORVA is watching very closely. Reading the February 2024 newsletter: 2024 newsletter, the projects that are being highlighted are still within the category of conservation easements.
One of the biggest threats to OHV recreation lies in the creation and/or expansion of National Monuments in California. There are existing proposals to expand and/or create new National Monuments, and the new Resources Agency Deputy Secretary of Biodiversity and Habitat Meghan Hertel is promoting a number of these proposals. Today it was announced the US Supreme Court has rejected a pair of cases that would have called into question the ability of a sitting president to use the 1906 Antiquities Act to unilaterally create National Monuments through proclamation: https://www.eenews.net/articles/supreme-court-refuses-timber-industry-antiquities-act-fight/. Representatives of the logging industry were seeking a review of the Antiquities Act in an attempt to limit the scope of monument declarations. Logging industry advocates will now turn to Congress for assistance.
The next meeting of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force is scheduled for April 4th, with tours available on April 5. I will participate in Zoom on April 4th: https://wildfiretaskforce.org/southern-california-regional-meeting-2024/. The Treatment Dashboard is constantly changing and does show ongoing projects related to wildfire preparation: https://wildfiretaskforce.org/treatment-dashboard/
California State Parks
The next OHMVR Commission meeting is scheduled for mid-May with an OHMVR Commission tour of Carnegie SVRA, and an OHMVR Commission meeting held in a nearby area. This meeting will be in support of the proposed Carnegie General Plan. CORVA submitted substantive comments on the draft Carnegie General Plan, which are attached. The late July meeting of the OHMVR Commission will be held in the San Diego area, in support of the 3rd OHV Safety Summit. The last 2 meetings of the OHV Safety Summit were held in the Sacramento area, and this year the state wanted to encourage more people from Southern California to attend. The meeting is being planned as an OHMVR Commission Workshop July 31st, with a full OHMVR Commission meeting to be held on August 1st. These dates are subject to change until they are finalized and released to the public. There was a lot of pressure to hold a meeting of the OHMVR Commission at Oceano Dunes during the summer, but that meeting is now being tentatively scheduled for October 2024.
Three members of the OHMVR Commission have been reappointed by Governor Newsom - Kat Anderson, Tommy Randle and Roger Salazar: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/03/08/governor-newsom-announces-appointments-3-8-24/. Commissioner Diane Ross-Leech's term is also up for reappointment by the Speaker of the Assembly, but no information has yet been released to indicate that she has been reappointed.
The OHV Trust Fund Grant proposals are now live for public comment, until May 6, 2024. Please go to the following link: https://olga.ohv.parks.ca.gov/egrams_ohmvr/user/ReviewProjects.aspx to either read the public comments that have been submitted or to submit a public comment. We are waiting for the May Revise of Governor Newsom's budget to ensure that $30 million was restored to the grants fund. WHen the budget was initially released, the allocation for the OHV Trust Fund grants only totaled $1 million. But the OHMVR Division Grants department has taken applications for grants under the assumption that the total in the grants fund will be restored to $30 million.
California State Parks Safety Week started last Saturday on March 23rd, and continues through March 31st. Safety Week includes the ability to sign up for free training classes for dirt bikes, ATV's and SxS's. There is a new online version of the OHV Adventure Map:OHV Adventure Map which has extensive GIS capability to review OHV areas offered from state, federal, county and city agencies, including what types of vehicles are allowed on trails.
Carnegie SVRA - Tesla Rd access is still closed, the only access to Carnegie is through Corral Hollow Rd. A number of the trails are closed for maintenance, The Carnegie Advisory Team meets the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 4:30pm by teams. Information is on the website: https://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1172. Hollister Hills - The Renz and Adobe Ranches in the Lower Ranch and Hudner Ranch are closed due to wet weather.
For anyone curious about the section of the California Vehicle Code governing the use and registration of off-highway vehicles, it is easily accessible through: https://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=26302
Forest Service
The upcoming meeting of the Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Collaborative has been scheduled as a hybrid meeting on April 17th, at the Moss Federal Building in downtown Sacramento. Zoom login information will also be distributed. A number of Region 5 decision-makers will be in attendance at this meeting and I will attend in person. Issues that will be discussed include data collection, and how the data is applied to recreation opportunities in Region 5 forests. The northern California forests with mandated wet weather closures are getting ready to lift their native surface road closures during the next month. As weather changes through April, please go to the forest website or call the District Ranger office to determine the extent of the road and trail closures.
Legislation
Please see the latest bill tracker report for this week: ORVLC Bill Tracker. There are a number of bills the ORVLC lobbyist, Mark Smith has identified for the coalition to act upon or watch including:
SB 708 (Jones) : competition sticker bill
SB 903 (Skinner) : this bill concerns PFA's, otherwise known as 'forever chemicals'. This bill would take the prohibition of use of the chemicals into the manufacturing realm, and make it difficult to near impossible to manufacture everything from boats to off-road vehicles. The Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, a division of the Motorcycle Industry Council is opposing this bill in conjunction with a coalition put together by the American Chemistry Council. There will be a coalition bill the ACC is putting together and seeking partners.
Important Dates
March 26, 2024: Recreate Responsibly Zoom Meeting
April 4/5 2024: California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force meeting Southern California
April 16, 2024: Carnegie Advisory Team Meeting
April 17, 2024: Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Collaborative with Forest Service Region 5, hybrid meeting
April 19, 2024: evening reception, CORVA Annual Meeting
April 20, 2024: CORVA Annual Meeting
April 21, 2024: rescheduled Carnegie Visitor Appreciation Day
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