Arctic Offroad Forums

I got this through the webmaster account today from John Lawson:

Lawson said:

Quote:[SIZE=2][I]Sounds good, Wanted to make sure this got to you all. Great work our name is spreading. I am very proud to say I was part of this great group of people.
John
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What he received from those folks
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Quote:[SIZE=2]Hello, my name is Grier Hopkins and I work for Senator Joe Thomas who repressents the Northern and Western areas of Fairbanks down through the entire Denali Borough.
He recently drafted a bill to create a state recreation area in the Denali Borough in the Stampede Corridor. This area is just west of Healy in the Stampede Road Corridor. This recreation area would have a system of trails set up that would be available off road motorized vehicles of a sort that would be designated during public testimony meetings once the bill becomes law.
Sen. Thomas wanted to let Arctic Offroad know that he is planning on creating this area which could be utilized by your group and was wondering if you might be interested in writing a letter of support for the bill. This letter would help get support from the other Senators and allow for an easier process on its way to creating this recreation area. We hope you are willing to do this, and please feel free to contact us at 907-465-2327 if you have any questions. Thank you for your time and we hope to hear back from you soon.
Grier Hopkins
Office of Senator Joe Thomas
phone: 465-2327
fax:465-5241

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This sounds awesome...so should we send one drafted letter with signatures, or a bunch of different individual letters?

I don't think we should use the same template letter for everyone if we do multiples...it would be more genuine if each person wrote their own thing...we can proofread whatever gets sent out in case there are some who aren't comfortable with their writing skills.

part of me wants to jump on board and do up a letter, but the suspicious part of me says that something sounds fishy.

Quote:
This recreation area would have a system of trails set up that would be available off road motorized vehicles of a sort that would be designated during public testimony meetings once the bill becomes law

I would like to know which "of a sort" we are talking about before we subscribe because the could be inadvertantly buying off on the 1500 pounds or less category.

What do you think? Am I just not the trusting sort?

A couple of notes.
- I think that some of our NorAKor/AO joint forum members could bring it up on that site as well, thus activating those folks as well, bringing the full bredth of the offroad community to bear on this and weigh in with what manpower we do have.
- If we intend to do this we should make a decision quickly. either $#!t or get off the pot so to speak, so we don't leave our Board Of Directors in limbo about how the membership wants to act.
- We need a good orator to communicate in writing so we come across sounding the way we really are, land use patrons, conscious of our and others land use, and treading lightly across land that is available to us in a trust, to knwo that no man really owns land, it is only on loan, no matter whose name is on the title
- we need to make contact with the mayor of Healy, if someone still has his contact info, so we can touch base with him and see where he stands.

I'll get the bill wording and take a look at it. A letter from our club as well as individual letters would be best. Clearly, some talking points, but something from the heart and personal would show a real desire for this bill, should it be beneficial to us. Regardless of the bills wording, our DESIRES would be part of the public record.

I would like to see more active participation from club membership on this.

Your thoughts?

The Mr. Hopkins specifically mentions Arctic Offroad :

Grier Hppkins Wrote:[SIZE=2]Sen. Thomas wanted to let Arctic Offroad know that he is planning on creating this area which could be utilized by your group

This tells me that they've done their homework, or at least they know what we're about if they spent only 5 minutes on this site. This is a good first step....they recognized US, before WE contacted THEM. Therefore, we can abstain from explaining what we'd want, at least for the most part....that will allow us to focus on making it clear that we have no intention of harming any of the trails and that they have our support and the support of the local 4x4 community. Also, I think it would be wise to let them know that charging for any entrance to the park would be a mistake(in case this is what they're intending), as it's too far from anyone outside of Nenana or Healy to drive just to 4-wheel and pay for it...there are plenty of free trails in our own areas. The monetary advantage to this park would be increased income in the Healy area by just about everyone in Alaska, especially if the trails are challenging enough to make it fun, and foster return trips. I'd go twice a month if it were free, probably only once or twice a year if they charged more than a few bucks to cover maintenance. We can offer to maintain the trails while we're out in lieu of them charging anyone....the initial overhead for creating the trails would be their only expenditure, and with the help of 4x4 clubs, that cost should be minimal. Chainsaws, pulling small stumps, and clearing trails is all that's needed. If they intend to drain the muskeg out there, those plans may change, but I see no need to go back that far.

The Jeep tour business out there also should be putting alot of money into this, as they'll have alot more material to show their tourists on the way.


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Well then we need to know exactly what is involved in this. Will this be a free-range park for everyone? If this doesn't pass, would we be able to create new trails out there without state or federal repercussion? Is the town of Healy supportive of us building trails out there? I'm sure they are, but is it their choice, since it's State owned land anyway?

Quote:
Well then we need to know exactly what is involved in this. Will this be a free-range park for everyone? If this doesn't pass, would we be able to create new trails out there without state or federal repercussion? Is the town of Healy supportive of us building trails out there? I'm sure they are, but is it their choice, since it's State owned land anyway?

Isnt that what I just said?

When we went to the Healy meeting, the mayor and the committee made it clear that they wanted to leave the land open for public use. The alternate plan brought by adversary public was to sell/lease/give/lose the land adjacent to the park to the park(see federal land) itself.
I share Eric's apprehension that this looks a little off-key. I think TR said, "there's no such thing as a free lunch"

For your reading pleasure: Sponsor is listed as Guttenburg.

BOLD TYPE APPLIES TO OUR INTERESTS DIRECTLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 241
01 "An Act creating the Stampede State Recreation Area."
02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
03 * Section 1. AS 41.21 is amended by adding new sections to article 4 to read:
04 Sec. 41.21.401. Purpose of AS 41.21.401 - 41.21.407. The purpose of
05 AS 41.21.401 - 41.21.407 is to establish the area described in AS 41.21.407 as the
06 Stampede State Recreation Area. The Stampede State Recreation Area is established
07 to
08 (1) perpetuate and enhance
09 (A) general public recreation;
10 (B) public enjoyment of fish and wildlife;
11 (2) protect and maintain fish and wildlife habitat so that traditional
12 public use of fish and wildlife populations may continue;
13 (3) provide an area for the public to enjoy the full spectrum of public
14 uses, including maintenance and enhancement of motorized and nonmotorized
15 recreational opportunities;
01 (4) allow
02 (A) continued motorized access for owners of private property
03 in the Stampede State Recreation Area; and
04 (B) additional public uses of the area determined by the
05 commissioner to be compatible with this section.
06 Sec. 41.21.402. Management. (a) The commissioner is responsible for the
07 management of the land and mineral estate within the Stampede State Recreation Area
08 consistent with the purposes of AS 41.21.401. After adequate public hearings and in
09 consultation with the Denali Borough Assembly, the commissioner may designate
10 incompatible uses and shall adopt and may revise a management plan for the
11 Stampede State Recreation Area.
12 (b) The commissioner of fish and game, the Board of Fisheries, and the Board
13 of Game are responsible for the management of fish and game resources and public
14 use of fish and wildlife in the Stampede State Recreation Area consistent with the
15 purposes of AS 41.21.401.
16 Sec. 41.21.403. Incompatible uses. (a) Except as provided in this section, the
17 commissioner may prohibit or restrict uses determined to be incompatible with the
18 purposes of the Stampede State Recreation Area under AS 41.21.401 within the state-
19 owned land and water described in AS 41.21.407.
20 (b) Nothing in AS 41.21.401 - 41.21.407 prohibits the Department of Fish and
21 Game from engaging in rehabilitation, enhancement, and development of fish and
22 wildlife habitat within an area described in AS 41.21.407 that is consistent with the
23 purposes stated in AS 41.21.401.
24 © The commissioner may not restrict
25 (1) lawful fishing, hunting, or trapping rights allowed under a
26 regulation of the Board of Fisheries or the Board of Game in the Stampede State
27 Recreation Area; or
28 (2) the use of weapons, including firearms, in the Stampede State
29 Recreation Area except in locations where the commissioner determines that the use
30 of weapons constitutes a threat to public safety.
31 (d) The commissioner shall
01 (1) allow the Stampede State Recreation Area to be used for activities
02 compatible with the reasons for establishing the public recreation area in
03 AS 41.21.401, including all-terrain vehicle use, watercraft use, snowmobiling,
04 horseback riding, hiking, bicycling, dog sledding, cross-country skiing, skijoring,
05 camping, hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and photography; and
06 (2) recognize the traditional use of existing motorized and
07 nonmotorized uses in the area; reroute an existing trail to avoid sensitive habitat;
08 conduct trail rehabilitation or reroute a trail to minimize damage; maintain and
09 enhance motor vehicle options and opportunities; and provide for increased use of the
10 public recreation area.
11 Sec. 41.21.404. Purchase authorized; eminent domain prohibited. The
12 commissioner may acquire, by purchase in the name of the state, title to or interest in
13 real property lying within the boundaries of the Stampede State Recreation Area. The
14 state may not acquire by eminent domain privately owned land for inclusion in the
15 Stampede State Recreation Area.
16 Sec. 41.21.405. Stampede State Recreation Area. The state-owned land and
17 water, vacant and unappropriated, and all that acquired in the future by the state lying
18 within the following parcels are designated as the Stampede State Recreation Area,
19 reserved from all uses incompatible with their primary function as public recreation
20 land, and assigned to the department for control, development, and maintenance:
21 (1) Township 12 South, Range 9 West, Fairbanks Meridian
22 Sections 3 - 10
23 Sections 15 - 22
24 Sections 27 - 34
25 (2) Township 12 South, Range 10 West, Fairbanks Meridian
26 Sections 1 - 36
27 (3) Township 12 South, Range 11 West, Fairbanks Meridian
28 Sections 1 - 36
29 (4) Township 13 South, Range 9 West, Fairbanks Meridian
30 Sections 3 - 10
31 (5) Township 13 South, Range 10 West, Fairbanks Meridian
01 Sections 1 - 6 excluding national park lands
02 Sections 7 - 12 excluding national park lands
03 (6) Township 13 South, Range 11 West, Fairbanks Meridian
04 Sections 1 - 6 excluding national park lands
05 Sections 7 - 12 excluding national park lands.

There are many great organizations that are on our side as we attempt to keep lands open for off-highway use. If you know of a current or pending land use issue, no matter how small, or if you have RUMINT, please post the information here. There are many smart members and some members have an affiliation with some great organizations and they may be able to help clear up issues or provide guidance. Thank you.