Using BLM lands may cost you

[Mtnman1830]

I just got this from another forum, and needed to share it here. If it is a repost, sorry.

XPLORE-SUBSTORIES: BLM toughens permit regulations
Wednesday, December 10, 2008


Bureau of Land Management regulations currently in place apply to a wide variety of outdoor recreationists.

Permits are now required for any organized activity on public lands managed by the BLM. Application for permits must be obtained from the specific BLM office managing any part of the land for which activities are planned.

Motorcycle groups, ATV clubs, 4x4 associations and snowmobile clubs are not the only groups affected by the regulations. A family holding a reunion on public lands is specifically named as a group requiring a recreation permit. This can include hunting parties and multiple family groups, not necessarily just a group representing an organization.

I became aware of these regulations last month as the Northern Utah ATV Trail Riders finished a ride at Simpson Springs. I was approached by a BLM officer, as president of the club, requesting a copy of our recreation permit. I was surprised to learn that we were even supposed to have one. While we were not issued a citation, my information was take,n with directions to call the Salt Lake office at the beginning of the week.

In contacting the Salt Lake field office, I learned that the process of obtaining a permit establishes communication, which gives the office information about groups that will be in a given area. Feedback on information about controlled burns, areas of rehabilitation, or concerns for wildlife raising their young will be given to applicants. If your activity is deemed an organized activity, you may get more than you bargained for and the permit process will begin.

Fees for a recreation permit are $4 per person or $90 per event whichever is greater and are applied at the discretion of the managing office.

Fees may be required for any organized activity, including family reunions, Scouting events, hunting parties, and any group activities.

Fee waivers may be granted if the event is not advertised to the public and no monies are collected by the group, but application is required regardless of the number of participants. It is a matter of contacting the managing office and presenting your case or holding the event and taking your chances. It is obvious that larger groups will attract the attention of patrolling BLM officers.

The BLM manages some 23 million acres of land in Utah, which represents just over 42 percent of the state. It is pretty easy to find yourself on BLM-managed land when holding an activity outdoors in Utah. The Shoshone ATV Trail in Cache County, for example, is made up of land managed by both the Forest Service and BLM. It will take some research to know if your activity will be on public land, which agency manages it, and out of which office it is managed.

Because this policy is federally mandated, each office will take a different approach to defining an organized activity. The activity requiring a permit might be one held by an organization or it could be an activity that is organized. I don't know of any activity requiring an overnight stay that does not require some organization.

An ATV club plays an important role in establishing outdoor ethics by infusing standards of behavior among its members. We expect our club riders to stay on the trail and tread lightly. We always leave a trail cleaner when we ride it. These are ways we protect the land. Riding clubs are a part of the solution, not the problem, when it comes to land management.

Our club ride included 50 people on 47 machines. Even though we split the group for the ride, we staged as one group, which was large enough to attract attention, and we did not have a permit. While it is likely that a small group would not attract the attention of an officer, regulations give him the right to approach any group and inquire about a permit.

It's obvious that problems will develop with this policy. It is important that everyone understands what is going on so that those who are in positions to do something can make a difference. We are talking about public lands for public use. Staying on the trails and riding responsibly is not abuse.

Utah has some of the best recreation opportunities in the world. When you take out your ATV to enjoy these opportunities, take plenty of water, tread lightly, keep the rubber side down and don't look organized.

Contact Lynn Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com


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[Don]

Fees for a recreation permit are $4 per person or $90 per event whichever is greater and are applied at the discretion of the managing office.

Not sure that makes sense. So you're saying a group of 6 riders from an ATV club will be $90 (which is greater than 4x6=24)?

[Gutpiler_Utahn]

That's just jacked...

[ExpUt]

This EXACT issue is something the U4WDA really pushed in our comments on the recent RMP's for Utah. Some of the restrictions were just plain ridiculous. For example in one district if you recreated in one area (ie a picnic or a read a book in a group setting) for more than 2 hours, you needed a permit. However if you just drove you did not.