INTERIOR READIES MOUNTAIN BIKE EXPANSION IN NATIONAL PARKS

[nosmokes]

Why do we bother hiring experts and keeping them on the payroll if we're only gonna ignore what they say when it conflicts w/ a special interest?
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original-peer

or Immediate Release: October 13, 2008
Contact: Bill Boteler [phone]

INTERIOR READIES MOUNTAIN BIKE EXPANSION IN NATIONAL PARKS

— Lame Duck Rule Would Clear Way for Mountain Bike Trails in Park Backcountry

Washington, DC — The Interior Department is preparing to jettison a two-decade old regulation that protects parks in favor of opening more backcountry trails to mountain bicycles, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The plan would eliminate public review and comment for new bike trails, which could be opened in any park area not prohibited by law.

Assistant Interior Secretary Lyle Laverty will propose “Mountain Bike Final regulations November / December”, according to an agency schedule obtained by PEER. This action would cap to a longstanding campaign by the International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA) to weaken current park protections.

“This is a lame duck gift for our Mountain-Biker-in-Chief,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, noting that this proposed regulation is well past the proposed deadlines announced this summer by the White House Chief of Staff. “With all the troubles facing the country, the White House should be concerned about more than where the president can ride his bike.”

While PEER applauds getting more people out of their cars to bike on the paved and dirt roads of our parks, mountain biking on narrow trails may damage resources and conflict with visitor enjoyment. For this reason, the National Park Service adopted regulations for bicycles in 1987, during the Reagan administration, which allow mountain bikes on trails only after an individual park follows a stringent decision-making process that allows for closer scrutiny. The process requires notice of a proposed regulation in the Federal Register and publication of a special federal regulation. Several parks have adopted the necessary special regulations to allow bikes. Among the parks are Saguaro National Park, Arizona and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California.

By contrast, under the plan pushed by IMBA, each park manager could designate backcountry trails open to mountain bikes by making a simple notation in an internal document called a “compendium” which is available to the public upon request but receives no public notice or public comment prior to approval. Nor would a park manager prepare any environmental compliance under the National Environmental Policy Act or other laws prior to adoption.

“The pending proposed bicycle rule is a step backward for park conservation. IMBA is correct to anticipate that such a lax and nearly invisible process will open many more trails to bikes,” commented PEER Board member Frank Buono, a long-time former NPS manager. “We think the current rule is a good one. PEER does not oppose mountain bikes on trails in backcountry areas that are outside of designated, proposed or recommended wilderness but each proposal to allow bikes on backcountry trails should be thoughtfully and publicly considered.”

Similar to the pending revision of the NPS gun rules sponsored by the National Rifle Association, the IMBA mountain biking proposal will not be accompanied by any review to determine how the proposed regulation would affect the quality of the parks environment.


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complete release including links to related sources here

[Xithras]

1. I'm on the fence with this one.

On one hand, the current rules are way too draconian and are simply used as a blanket to ban bikes from anything that isn't a road. This doesn't make much sense as many studies have shown that a bikes impact on a dry trail is no more damaging than a hikers. Instead of discussing and analyzing the compatibility of hikers and bikers on a trail by trail basis, the park service often just bans them outright.

On the other hand, this modification swings the pendulum too far in the other direction. No public oversight or comment? AT ALL? As a mountain biker, I can name dozens of trails that I'd love to ride that would work well. As an avid hiker, I can also name dozens that would be a nightmare if bikes and foot traffic had to cohabitate. There has to be SOME public input into the process.

[Arctic Dave]

2. I with you on this one.

When it comes to *, I'm always suspicious.

[nosmokes]

4. Being in NW where it's a wet climate much of the time, I favor stiff regs on

mtn biking. There is no responsible way to bike a muddy hiking trail, but folks do it all the time carving ruts into the trail and eventually turning it into a ditch.

[CatholicEdHead]

7. Hiking is not as bad as bikes

The bike wheel trail is a long, neverending one. That leads to faster erosion than a non-continuous one with each footstep.

There should be a place for bikes to go, but not everywhere anytime.

[MichiganVote]

3. Prepare the body bags..I can just see the amatuers on the mountain trails now.

[frebrd]

5. The Repugs have a long list of things....

that they want to destroy before asshole leaves office. The National Parks is one of them.

[natrat]

6. this is great

what sucks is when they allow drilling and mining and logging and road building.
The more people who have access the better because there will come a point, if this facism kicks into higher gear ,when they will want to log the crap out of beautiful places and if more people know and appreciate these places there is a chance they can be saved.