OMRA Legal News

<<<<BACK to website 

Through your kind donations, the OMRA has been focusing your legislative donation money towards protecting your right to ride.  We have had successes across the state of Oregon, plus made great efforts and stances against the environmental extremists on a national level (which also affects us here in Oregon).  Our attorney has also worked in conjunction with Blue Ribbon Coalition, AMA and NMA on important issues.  We also work with the 4WD, snowmobile and other multi-use folks. This is also an election year, so we need to be heard.  We must not be complacent and let the environmental-extremist minority force their biased ways upon the majority and close us out.  

We are now getting dangerously low on our Legislative Account and need your help to continue fighting those that would have our sport become extinct!  Please CLICK HERE to get the membership form, select Legislative Donation and include an amount that you can afford to help further this cause.  Any amount will help keep our attorney fighting for our cause, plus help cover costs for us to participate in land-use meetings and other riding issues throughout the Northwest.  We currently have issues in Millican Valley, Tillamook Forest, Southern Oregon and Mt. Hood National Forest (to name just a few) and the list gets longer.  We've also got upcoming concerns with BLM and USFS that we must stay on top of.  The future belongs to those that participate, and to participate, we need your donations.

We realize that many of you are not able to attend meetings or take the time to explain our issues to those in government offices (heck, we barely have time to do this as OMRA Officers!), but this is a fight, and we plan on continuing "the good fight".  Some people don't hesitate spending big dollars on tires, gear, camping or fuel costs, but they balk at donating for a TRUE cause to keep our riding areas open now, and for our kids.  To continue fighting for our rights, we need EVERYONE to help and not allow apathy to reign.

If you can't help physically by attending meetings, then please help monetarily by donating to the OMRA  Legislative Fund.

Thank you in advance and a big 'Thanks!' to those who have already donated! (Click here to see)

(Below is a recent list of accomplishments from just our attorney alone, which does not count successes by individual OMRA members/officers.)

-The OMRA

---------------------------------------------------------------

MEMORANDUM

TO: Tom Niemela, OMRA

FROM: Doug MacCourt, Ater Wynne LLP

DATE: July 26, 2004

RE: Summary of Legal/Legislative Efforts for OMRA

Per your request, I have put together the following “bullet list” of efforts, broken down by subject. If you need more or different information, please let me know.

I. Planning/Related Efforts to Maintain or Expand OHV Access/Use of Public Lands

• Reviewed and commented on Draft Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan for OMRA to fight additional closures to OHV use and unnecessary or restrictive policies
• Organized OHV users input to Draft Plan from select OMRA members
• Worked with BLM officials from Prineville District Office to ensure OMRA interests and comments represented in Plan

1. Results: BLM reconsidered Draft Plan and issues relating to OHV access and use of BLM resources, and is reworking the Environmental Impact Statement
2. Built relationships with BLM planning and legal officials responsible for significant OHV use in Prineville District

II. Litigation Efforts: OHV Use of Public Lands

• Represented OMRA in Oregon Forest Issues Committee v. Kenna case to keep OHV issues under consideration for Millican, including Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan

1. Intervention of OMRA brought OHV users into legal arena with representation by respected firm/attorney in NEPA and public lands issues
2. Resulted in increased consideration of OHV issues in subsequent EIS by BLM

• Representing public access for OMRA members in State of Oregon v. Huessy case where private citizen threatening to block access to Tillamook State Forest for OHV and other users

1. Won motion for intervention by OMRA in case, demonstrating likelihood of success on merits and elevating OMRA in public lands issues throughout State of Oregon
2. Built relationship with State of Oregon who invited OMRA to participate in case
3. Building relationship with Oregon Hunters Association (and cost sharing in case) who was also asked to join the litigation in favor of maintaining public access to the Tillamook State Forest

• Tracking NW Environmental Defense Center v. U.S. Forest Service (Back Country Discovery Route case) for potential future involvement of OMRA and other OHV user groups

1.  Demonstrated relationship with U.S. Attorney’s Office developed during Millican case, where U.S. Attorney and OMRA counsel shared information to keep OMRA informed of case progress and opportunities for involvement

III. ATV Committee Issues

• Evaluated proposed changes to ATV legislation and developed draft alternate legislation for consideration by ATV Committee and possible introduction in 2005 legislative session
• Developed contact with State Parks and Recreation to keep OMRA informed of key legal issues and schedule for proposed legislation
• Prepared testimony for OMRA/ATV Committee members concerning State Parks proposal

1.  Results: Introduced issues of concern to OMRA to key state legislators regarding State Parks proposal to overhaul ATV Committee statute