The ORBA Report
Fred has travelled to a number of meeting this month working on a variety of issues for Off Road Businesses. Here are a couple of the important items, Of course the SEMA show was in full swing with meetings surrounding the week long adventure all things Automobile in Las Vegas. Fred and Jeff are busy this month organizing a continued working agreement among Off-road racing promoters, identifying a strategic plan for Johnson Valley with the CMRC, and long-term work with the BLM SRP sub Committee.
The New Year will bring even more pressure regarding the 29 palms base expansion and potential solutions for the loss of California OHMVR funds. ORBA hopes to capitalize on its relationship with Tread Lightly in the new year as well with a focus on educational projects.
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Collaborative Meeting
October 18-19, 2011
The Lake Tahoe Management Unit is a very unique forest within region 5 of California. It was created from 4 other districts to specifically manage the lake basin and the water quality in the lake. With the population growth in the nearby population centers (Sacramento-Reno) the management of recreation has become extremely important. The question is how to manage recreation and water quality?
Fred Wiley the President/CEO of ORBA was invited to participate in the collaborative process that will be used to facilitate the management of the basin. To explain the collaborative process is in a sense simple, the process and all objectives are managed by the participants. The ability to accomplish goals is in the control of the stakeholders.
The first two-day session was spent identifying the purpose and needs of managing the area. After the individual posturing was over the process began moving towards the real issue. Consensus was the key word of the meeting, and the goal was simple. The basin can be managed in such a way that accommodates all users, providing a meaningful experience.
This is the beginning of a long range planning process, but we now know who the important stakeholders are. I believe that this can be successful. I have seen this process work well in several other areas such as Bridgeport, Inyo, Hope Valley, Rabbit Ears Pass. We will be engaged in this area in help insure a positive outcome for motorized recreation.
Desert Renewable Energy Resource Counsel (DRECP)
Octobers DRECP meeting focused on reviewing areas in rural area of San Bernardino County. The one-day field trip took a close look at recreation corridors, transmission line connectivity and disturbed land areas. The field trip provides a better review of how areas relate to each other, much better than maps.
The other parts of the monthly meeting covered reports from the counties, federal agencies and the Governors office. These are progress reports on the elements that will make up the process of permitting renewable energy projects in the California Desert. It is ORBA's position that Off-Highway recreation cannot be displaced by these projects. They must provide meaningful motorized recreation without loss of OHV access.
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