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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
2013 Annual Meeting HB 1632 (ATV Road Use) US Forest Service Roads at Risk Eastern Washington Success Discover Pass - Good News 1 Discover Pass - Good News 2 MARK YOUR CALENDARS
March 2014 9th - Moonshiner's 4x4 Swap Meet, Puyallup Fair Grounds
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Happy Holidays and welcome to the WOHVA December Newsletter! The warm, dry season is over and it's time to rev up those grip heaters,
keep those studs and chains handy, and start planning that winter rebuild project. This newsletter covers our recent annual meeting,
HB 1632 and the folklore surrounding it, road conversion planning in the National Forests, and the ever-present Discover Pass updates.
From all of us here at WOHVA we wish you a safe and happy holiday season and a bountiful new year. So keep the rubber side down, warm up and read on! 2013 Annual Meeting Thanks to those of you who attended as well as helped put on the November 10th WOHVA Annual Membership Meeting, held again on the wetside at Clover Park Technical College. Tod Petersen gave us a quick tour through the legislation we supported and fought. Paul Yelk showed us some great views of the new improved Where To Ride web site. Byron gave his State of WOHVA review, which covered our past year's performance and provided a view into 2014. And long-time WOHVA Board member and supporter Dave Hiatt stepped down from the Board, to maintain his busy work schedule. Never fear, he vowed to help WOHVA from "behind the scenes" (a favorite spot of his). In his place we welcome Steve Justham, a new Board Member from the eastern slopes. Steve brings to our table a wealth of dual sport and single-track motorcycle experience, as well as a keen knowledge of the internet and the virtual economy. Welcome Steve! HB 1632 (ATV Road Use) – What it Really Does and Does Not Do for You In the closing days of the last special session the Washington State Legislature passed House Bill 1632 (HB 1632), a bill created by a small coalition that included anti-OHV members. With the potential to provide road access for ATVs, WOHVA was interested in this bill and was originally in support, but then opposed it due to the late addition of anti-OHV language that outweighed any good that it might bring. Just as the bill was brought up for a vote in the House of Representatives, an amendment surfaced and was quickly passed which removed most of the anti-OHV language ... but WOHVA still has concerns. HB 1632 has 30 sections, but in brief terms here is what it does:
Read HB 1632's complete history on this web page: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1632&year=2013. Read a copy of HB 1632 as passed by the legislature and signed by the governor: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2013-14/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/House/1632-S.SL.pdf. Here's the new Chapter 46.09, Off-Road, Nonhighway, and Wheeled All-Terrain Vehicles, after all the changes from HB 1632 are incorporated: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?Cite=46.09&full=true. You can read WOHVA's documented play-by-play history of what took place, i.e., who did what and when regarding this legislation. Just follow this link to read it: http://tinyurl.com/n3mokz6 If the above link does not work, copy and paste the following URL: https://wohva.wildapricot.org:443/resources/Documents/Political_Action_Committee/Legislation/HB_1632_-_2013-14/Documented_HB_1632_intent_history-final.pdf US Forest Service Roads at Risk The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is concluding a series of public meetings to discuss the future of roads within that forest. They claim that they only have funding for maintaining about 25 percent of the roads and that leaves them in the position of planning significant road closures in the next few years. This same financial dilemma and planning discussion is or will be conducted in the other six National Forests in our State. WOHVA members have actively participated in many of the meetings. Continued participation is critical if we hope to protect roads important to OHV enthusiasts. Some key points brought up by WOHVA members included not physically closing roads, but just marking them "not maintained" and leaving them open for ORV use. If you attend a meeting you will be also be given an opportunity to identify up to eight of your favorite roads that you would like to see protected from closure. To learn more about sustainable roads in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, visit: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/home/?cid=stelprdb5423889. Keep in contact with your local National Forest to become involved when they conduct their sustainable road analysis! Eastern Washington Success - Okanogan County Opens 300 Miles to OHV Use! Don't think that all news is bad regarding ORV access in the State right now. We're seeing some good things happening in Okanogan County! To quote the newspaper article, "Before a standing-room-only crowd, Okanogan County commissioners on Thursday opened more than 300 miles of county roads to ATVs." Read the full story here: Okanogan County approved local ordinance to open roads to ATV before standing-room only crowd. Route map of Okanogan County roads open to OHV use: http://okanogancounty.org/PW/Recreation_Information_Items/ORV_VICINITY_MAP.pdf. Other local jurisdictions (counties, cities, and towns) are opening their roads to ORV/OHV use. To see the latest list, check out our Where to Ride web site at www.where-to-ride.info Good News Concerning the Discover Pass – Plated Vehicles Do Not Need Them! The Mason County Superior Court has overruled a lower court concerning the Washington State Department of Natural Resources' position of requiring a Discover Pass for all vehicles with street plates regardless of whether or not they have an ORV permit. Currently the law exempts vehicles with ORV permits at areas where ORV use is legal. This case involved a truck that was dual-registered as both a street vehicle and an ORV. The owner was cited for failure to have a Discover Pass by DNR law enforcement at the Elfendahl Pass trailhead in the Tahuya State Forest near Bremerton. Per RCW 79A.80.020(1), Discover passes are only required for motor vehicles and for purpose of this section a "motor vehicle" is defined in RCW 79A.80.010(6) as vehicles which are required to be registered for street use. If your vehicle is registered as an ORV and you are at a place where ORV use is legal, your street plate is not required; neither is a Discover Pass. This is a big step in the right direction and demonstrates that at least one court in our state can read and apply RCW 79A.80 correctly and how it was intended. WOHVA directly participated in writing this section of the Discover Pass law and has been working hard to educate the DNR leadership concerning the proper application of the law. Up to this point the DNR disregarded our input, so this court case presented an opportunity to educate the DNR via a judicial remedy. WOHVA provide both financial and technical support for this successful court case. Read the applicable provision of RCW 79A.80 here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/supdefault.aspx?cite=79A.80.080 The Mason County court ruling was very brief and did not describe the reasoning behind the ruling. It only said that the district court ruling was reversed and the case dismissed. More Good News Concerning the Discover Pass - "Driving Thru" Don't Need Discover Pass! Another bit of good news is Senate Bill SB 5897 passed by the Legislature during this past term. Section 3 of this change to state law will exempt driving on DNR or Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife managed roads from Discover Pass requirements. Parking will still require a pass. WOHVA thanks the bill's prime sponsor Senator Kirk Pearson for championing this common sense change. Read the bill's history here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5897 Read the bill here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2013-14/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/Senate/5897-S.SL.pdf |
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WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE DIRT
WOHVA AT YOUR GROUP – Interested in having a WOHVA representative attend one of your club or business meetings? Or maybe you have a ride or event coming up? Send an e-mail to info@WOHVA.org Please include date, location, and a point of contact! MAILING LIST – To get on our mailing list, join WOHVA at www.WOHVA.org or join a WOHVA member club or organization. WHERE TO RIDE – Looking for new places to ride in Washington State? Check out our WOHVA Where To Ride website for the latest info on areas, roads, trails, or MX Parks near you! Got CLOUT? – Email clout@getclout.org for more information on how to have a direct impact on events in Olympia. WOHVA IS YOU – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – See something here that interests you? Did we strike a resonant chord? WOHVA is 100% volunteer and your efforts make a big difference. Please send an e-mail to info@WOHVA.org and let us know how you’d like to help. Thank you, YOUR WOHVA BOARD |
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