More and more land is getting closed that was once open to off-road use. It is great to hear that the U.S. House of Representatives’ Federal Lands Subcommittee held a hearing to consider two SEMA Action Network-supported bills impacting off-roaders in California. The first would create six national OHV areas in southern California and the second would reopen off-road trails at Clear Creek that were closed in 2008.

Representative Paul Cook and his staff have worked closely with OHV, environmental, preservation, energy, military, and local communities on legislation that offers a pragmatic path forward for managing federal lands in the southern California deserts. At issue is the need to balance competing demands and, in some instances, find shared-use solutions.

The Dumont Dunes located in the Mojave Desert about 30 miles North of Baker, California.

H.R. 3668, the “California Minerals, Off-Road Recreation, and Conservation Act” (CMORCA) would permanently designate six existing OHV areas comprising 300,000 acres in San Bernardino County as national OHV areas: Johnson Valley, Spangler Hills, El Mirage, Rasor, Dumont Dunes and Stoddard Valley. The first three would also be expanded by 60,000 acres. The president would be prevented from designating national monuments within OHV and Special Management areas covered in this legislation.

In addition, the bill would create the Sand to Snow National Monument and protect motorized recreation on designated routes within the monument. Apple Valley would also create an OHV area within land deeded to the town by the federal government.

Johnson Valley, California holds one of the largest off-road races in California, King of the Hammers.

Senator Dianne Feinstein has also worked with interest groups for a number of years to pass similar bills in the Senate. Cook’s bill is more generous to the OHV community, as Senator Feinstein’s bill requested that President Obama unilaterally designate the Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow and Castle Mountains national monuments, which as we know national monuments restrict the amount of off-roading done on the land.

Under Representative Sam Farr ‘s bill, H.R. 1838, the “Clear Creek National Recreation Area and Conservation Act,” the BLM would be required to reopen the 75,000 acre Clear Creek National Recreation Area in San Benito and Fresno counties for recreational use, including OHV access.

Part of the proposed Mojave Trails national monument.

The bill would provide OHV access to over 240 miles of public trails. In 2008, Clear Creek was closed as a result of concerns surrounding exposure to asbestos. However, the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission ordered an independent risk assessment study.

This study concluded that management and operational strategies could be effectively employed in the area to allow OHV use without exposing the public to unacceptable risks. H.R. 1838 ensures that the Clear Creek NRA will be managed in way that permits responsible recreation, while also providing for the safety of all of the area’s visitors. 

In a time were off-roading areas seemed to be getting closed or being heavily restricted it is great to see these two bills that allow for additional off-roading. Do you feel protecting our right to off-road in particular areas is worth the fight? Tell us in the comments below.

Clear Creek National Recreation Area.