BLM, governor called too lax on ORV use

The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance criticized both the Huntsman administration and the Bureau of Land Management on Wednesday for being too lax on off-road vehicle users.

The comments came as the organization released a study conducted for SUWA by Dan Jones & Associates that showed the vast majority of Utahns are concerned about the way off-roaders are impacting the landscape and favor stricter rules for the popular vehicles.

The study found that Utahns believe the governor should be keeping a close eye on wilderness areas. When asked how high a priority Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. should put on protecting wilderness lands, on a scale of 1-5, the mean score was 3.86, with 65 percent of respondents recommending it be a 4 or a 5.

And he's not doing that, said Heidi McIntosh, the environmental group's spokeswoman. She said his involvement in lawsuits meant to keep dirt roads in BLM lands open to off-roading vehicles shows that he's out of touch with Utahns, 72 percent of whom said they were either somewhat or very concerned with the impact those vehicles are having on southern Utah's wilderness areas.

But Lynn Stevens, state public lands policy coordinator, said the governor has not tried to increase the amount of land used by off- roading vehicles. The lawsuits, he said, are aimed at maintaining the right of Utahns to use existing roads.

And he said that, like everyone else involved, the governor doesn't support the use of motorized vehicles in wilderness areas, where they're illegal.

McIntosh also said Huntsman should recognize that preserving open space is in the economic interest of the state. When presented with the statement, "Preserving open space is important to Utah's economic vitality," 78 percent of poll respondents somewhat or strongly agreed. Since southern Utah destinations are a major source of tourism, McIntosh said, the beauty of the area should be protected.

The poll also found:

-- 70 percent agreed that off-road vehicles conflict with hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders; that's up from 60 percent in 1999, the last time the survey was conducted.

-- 78 percent agreed off-roading vehicle use should be managed more closely on public lands.

-- 44 percent disagreed when asked if they agreed off-roading rules are enforced well enough; 27 percent agreed and 23 percent didn't know.

-- 76 percent somewhat or strongly agreed with the statement, "The protection of southern Utah's wilderness is an important issue that deserves attention now."

-- 25 percent said someone in their household owns an off-road vehicle, and 21 percent said they off-road on southern Utah public lands at least occasionally, up from 18 percent in 1999.

Dan Jones surveyed a random sample of 438 people in May from around the state. The results have a tolerated error of plus or minus 4.7 percent.

McIntosh also criticized the BLM, saying it is soft on enforcement and allows too many beaten paths to be designated as roads.

"Their trend is to put every mark on the ground as a trail on the map," she said, adding that part of the problem is that the BLM is making maps using data provided by off-road groups, rather than gathering the information themselves.

But Robin Fehlau, outdoor recreation planner at the BLM, said criticism of its policy is premature, since it is in the process of revising the policy. New plans have been released for two areas, and six others are in planning stages.

And yes, she said, the BLM does receive information from off- roading groups and is required by law to take that information into consideration.

Currently, the majority of the BLM's public lands are open to cross-country travel, no roads required, she said. What the BLM is considering, and has already done in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and the San Rafael Swell, is to limit travelers to existing roads in most places and to only allow true off-roading in a few designated areas.

"There will be thousands of miles or roads and trails open to off- highway vehicles," she said. "Trail riders will have lots of opportunities. But those folks who don't like to stay on roads and trails will be least happy with the direction the BLM is taking."

E-mail: dhinckley@desnews.com

Copyright C 2005 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.