Contact: Larry Smith, 202-336-5116

Friday, July 31, 2009 

AMERICANS FOR RESPONSIBLE RECREATIONAL ACCESS (ARRA) COMMENTS ON GAO REPORT ON OHV RECREATION

Washington, D.C. - The findings of the recently released GAO study on OHV recreation were not surprising to Americans for Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA).  According to Larry Smith, Executive Director of ARRA, the GAO report “confirms what we have been saying and advocating for many years.”

GAO found that inconsistent law enforcement among the federal lands agencies is a problem.  Smith said that “ARRA has worked with the House of Representatives in two Congresses to pass legislation that corrects this problem, strengthens law enforcement, but that the Senate has failed to act.”  In addition, Smith said that ARRA has “consistently encouraged the federal land agencies to improve signage on public lands and to increase educational outreach to the visiting public.”  “Those problems that do exist could be corrected with better signage and education.”

GAO found that in surveying federal land agencies environmental damage caused by OHV recreation was not as great as some organizations have suggested and that user conflict among various types of recreation was not as widespread as some had thought.

GAO also found that OHV recreation was not sustainable unless adequate financial resources and personnel were provided to the agencies.  Smith said that the same could be said of hiking trails or our federal highways.  “Without proper maintenance and personnel, sustainability becomes an issue.”

GAO also confirmed that the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management embrace OHV recreation as an appropriate use of federal public lands.  “There is no question that OHV recreation is appropriate, so the issue is how to manage this increasingly popular, family oriented way to explore and enjoy our public lands.”  Smith said “we know how to manage OHV recreation, now it just requires the necessary financial resources and personnel to do the job right.”

Based in Washington, D.C., Americans for Responsible Recreational Access represents the interests of millions of Americans who enjoy the great outdoors and who believe public lands and waterways should remain open for recreational pursuits.  Check out its web site at www.arra-access.com.