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Seriously…have you? There is not much to add beyond the fact that the greenies have gone too far. Its no surprise that a decision to ban sanctioned fun in the federal forests came out of Kalifornia. Please take note (in bold below) of those groups and see my solution at the bottom for how to respond to their direct mailings should they come to your address.

I am curious to know if the official legal decision was based on sound judgment or the typical activist judgment that too often comes out of the Kalifornia courts. If you’re an attorney or know one who can decode the text into real English, it would be greatly appreciated, but if the Sierra Club is a plaintiff, its likely crap.

For what its worth, here is the judge’s information: Judge James K. Singleton JR. - US District Court Eastern District of Kalifornia

Here is a press release from the Blue Ribbon Coalition (The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of public and private lands, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide.):

NEWS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brian Hawthorne
Phone: 208-237-1008 ext. 102
Date: September 29, 2005

ANTI-RECREATION LAWSUIT BANS FOREST ACTIVITIES
POCATELLO, ID (Sept. 29) – A recent order by a federal court prohibits the U.S. Forest Service from using streamlined regulations to permit many popular recreational activities as well as projects that reduce hazardous fuels and improve wildlife habitat.

On July 2, 2005 the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California issued an Order banning the use of Categorical Exclusions (CEs). The ruling requires any forest project using a CE to include a formal public notice, be available for public comment and give the public the option of appealing the decision. The order applies to all decisions made with a CE after July 7, 2005. It also applies nationwide.

The court order is a result of a lawsuit filed by the following anti-recreation groups; the Earth Island Institute, Sequoia Forest Keeper, Heartwood, Center for Biological Diversity, and the Sierra Club against a timber project on the Sequoia National Forest.

A CE is a category of actions that do not have a significant effect on the environment and therefore do not require an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). CEs are allowed under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). They simplify documentation — not eliminate it — for those actions that clearly do not have a significant effect on the environment. Such permitted activities include certain off-road vehicle events, mountain bike tours and group outings for organizations such as the Boy or Girl Scouts.

Brian Hawthorne, Public Lands Director for the BlueRibbon Coalition, states, “I think the green groups have gone too far with their anti-recreation agenda. They seek to create a virtual ‘analysis paralysis’ in the Forest Service to advance their agenda. Sadly, it is the responsible recreating public will suffer because of their extreme positions.”

“I believe the American public will see this for what it is - radical environmentalism run amok. If a project meets the specific and limited criteria for Categorical Exclusion and cannot have a significant effect on the environment, land managers should not be forced to complete an unnecessarily lengthy and wasteful analysis. ” Hawthorne added.

This decisions impact projects such as the Capitol Holiday Tree program, which allows a tree from a different national forest to grace the lawn of the U.S. Capitol throughout the holiday season—a proud tradition for nearly 40 years. “Instead of approving such projects with a streamlined permit using CEs, the agency must now enact a lengthy 135 day notice, comment, and appeal process,” Hawthorne said. “It’s not just the mom and pop recreation clubs that get hurt, but great American traditions like placing the Christmas tree on the White House lawn are affected as well.”

Hawthorne noted that the ruling potentially affects hundreds of projects throughout the country, including projects that will reduce hazardous fuels and improve wildlife habitat. Hawthorne added; “The effects of the decision are not yet completely understood and it will take some time to fully assess a strategy of action. BRC remains committed to protecting recreational access to public lands and will be watching the situation closely.”

I’m mainly pissed because AZ hosts several off-road events including enduros that have been canceled. This could be yet another slippery slope to eventually ban the usage period. All we ride out here in AZ is federal and state land (of various sorts). This would be a disaster if it creeped into general usage.

DEALING WITH THE PLAINTIFFS…public service announcement
Some fine work found here and posted/duplicated below. Please apply to any and all direct mail solicitation from environmental groups:

Tired of receiving mounds of unsolicited letters and offers in the mail? Want to fight back? Want to get rid of that old tire in your garage that the garbage man won’t take? Then read on……

If you’re curious why this document was developed, it was due to the hundreds of unsolicited letters sent to me by a very annoying company called MCI. They love to mail people unsolicited letters 1-2 times per week despite requesting to be taken off their mailing lists. Well, here’s a completely LEGAL way to fight back against idiots like MCI. You can mail their junk back to them for FREE using their own postage-paid envelopes. The only catch is that it will be attached to 50 lbs of additional junk you’ve gathered from around your house (rocks, bricks, old shingles, etc.). This works, so please read on….

	Step 1 - Take those annoying postage-paid envelopes that you get in the mail and stuff them full of any garbage you may have (other envelopes, dinner scraps, etc.). Whatever trash you can squeeze into the envelope will mean less trash you have to take out to the curb later in the week. Feel free to include any original forms that the spammer sent you that includes your name and address, so they can perhaps take you off their mailing lists.
	Step 2 - Find an old box that can hold a considerable amount of junk (or weight). Make sure the junk you’ll be mailing back can fit inside. Don’t use your favorite box, as the recipient will probably not mail the items back to you…
	Step 3 - You’ll be mailing your postage-paid packages via the United States Postal Service (USPS). The USPS says that you can use a postage-paid envelope attached to any object or package (no dead animals, bombs, etc.) as long as it weighs no more than 72 lbs. Be sure to maximize the weight of your package, within limits, for the ultimate effect and cost to the spammer. Old tires are great objects to send since the garbage man usually won’t take them!!! Shingles, tires, rocks, bricks, and basically any form of junk will work just fine. You can even tape the envelope to a large rock if you want…..it’s all LEGAL.
	Step 4 - Insert your junk object into the box. If there is any extra room, and you have not exceeded the 72 lb maximum, but sure to insert more junk. Check your kitchen trash can for old milk cartons or opened cans. Perhaps, even some large rocks from your driveway will fill the voids?
	Step 5 - Neatly seal the box with packing tape. If you’ve stuffed your package with objects like shingles, which tend to shred into small pieces and fall out of the cracks, be sure you’ve sealed the entire box. Try to secure any loose objects that may cause the guy at the Post Office to get too suspicious. They’ll already be very curious why you’re mailing this type of package. If they try to give you a hard time, be sure to advise them that this is totally legal and you have the right to do so as long as you are within USPS guidelines. Any postage-paid envelope is legal.
	Step 6 - If you just so happen to receive unsolicited mail from MCI, be sure to join my crusade to make them stop the junk mailings that clutter our mailboxes. Mail that postage-paid envelope back to them either attached to a 72 lb rock, or just by itself (stuffed with as many old torn envelopes as possible). Either way, it’ll go back to the sender at their expense. You won’t have to take out as much trash this week, and you’ll feel good knowing you’ve perhaps given a signal to the spam mailers worldwide who clutter our mailboxes with their unwanted garbage. Hey, if you’re mailing one back to MCI, be sure to tell them I sent you….and give them all my love.
	Step 7 - Secure the postage-paid envelope to the box with packing tape. For some extra laughs, tell all your friends what you’re planning to do. Email them this document so they can share in the fun.
	Step 8 - Take one last look at the final package before you make your way to the post office. Laugh out loud and then tell more of your friends what you’re about to do.
	Step 9 - Take the package to any post office in the United States. Smile and hand the person at the desk your package. Tell them this is a postage-paid package and they’ll haul it off to the backroom. From there, it’ll be sent back to those mass-mailing idiots where they’ll have to dispose of your garbage. Pat yourself on the back for doing your good deed for the day. Repeat process when required. Enjoy.