Blog - GLFWDA

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Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association

The Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association is a non-profit organization built around four wheel drive vehicles, their owners, and the land we use. Join us at https://www.memberplanet.com/glfwda

Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association

May 31st, 9:56 am

Friday afternoon there was a massive yet very quiet win for the the off road community. Blue Ribbon Coalition has been fighting the closure of over 2200 miles of trails in the Western Mojave Desert and this latest update is the direct result of their work. Blue Ribbon Coalition could not exist without support from members and organizations like GLFWDA. It’s moments like this that make me proud that our little regional association can help make an impact and a change for the better for the entire off road community across the country. This change would not happen without the support of all of the great members of Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association!Tom Craig President GLFWDA BIG NEWSPresident Trump Signed an Order that will Change EverythingWe did it!And by “we,” I mean the broad coalition of off-road organizations that have been fighting for years to deconstruct the regulatory system that has been weaponized to close down our trails. But, we had a little help.Or should I say, a lot of help!On Friday afternoon, the White House announced that President Trump has signed an Executive Order to rescind the two Executive Orders from the 1970s that have been a driving force in almost every motorized access closure we have ever fought.This is one of the most significant actions we have ever seen to restore and protect our access to public lands that we have seen since BlueRibbon Coalition opened its doors in 1987. After 40 years of fighting, this will change everything.The Executive Orders that were rescinded are the foundation for the Minimization Criteria regulations, that required agencies to minimize impacts to the environment from OHV use. As we have seen through the years, “minimize impact” was quickly interpreted to mean “eliminate impact” usually through excessive trail closures.The most egregious example of the abuse of the Minimization Criteria regulation was the order in California by a federal judge in San Francisco to force BLM to close over 2200 miles of trails in the Western Mojave Desert.While rescinding these Executive Orders and rescinding the Minimization Criteria were top priorities in our early visits to Washington last year, we knew we had to escalate the urgency after Judge Illston’s closure order made it clear that federal agencies couldn’t possibly comply with these regulations and keep trails open. In our conversations with leaders in Washington, we were told that in order to get this done, we needed to show there was strong support from the public.So we escalated this to a full mobilization of our members and the OHV community. And it worked.You made this happen. You signed the petitions. You amplified the message. Together, we took your voice to the nation’s capital, and the President of the United States listened.But the changes won’t happen overnight. We are headed to Washington D.C. next week where we plan to coordinate on the next steps, and we will continue to share with you what we can do to make sure this becomes a durable and positive change for our public lands access.But, there are a few hints in the Executive Order that President Trump signed that signal what comes next.In order to understand some key passages in Trump’s order, we encourage you read the deep-dive report we put together on the Western Mojave closures:Read the Deep-Dive ReportRead all four parts of the report and listen to the hour long podcast.Now, here are some key takeaways:Judge Illston’s closure order in the Mojave Desert ruled that BLM complied with the necessary statutes to protect public land, but BLM didn’t comply with the Minimization Criteria - a regulation which the President’s order confirmed has no basis in statute/law.Trump’s order requires federal agencies to adopt new rules to rescind the Minimization Criteria. That will likely be done in the Federal Register, and we will need to add our voice to that process when it occurs.Trump’s order requires replacing the old system with a new system that prioritizes “more access, recreational opportunities, and greater multiple-use benefits to the public”That is now the work ahead of us - to shape the new system that follows this.We are ready to rise to this challenge. We won’t be surprised if one of the near term actions will be a notice form the DOJ to the federal courts that BLM will need a stay from implementing Judge Illston’s closure order of the WEMO trails. It makes no sense for the BLM to follow Illston’s order to comply with a regulatory requirement that will no longer exist.This order from President Trump, also won’t immediately reopen trails and roads that were closed through previous actions. This means we need to build a record of all the closures that we need to revisit in the coming months and years to make sure this new system of rules makes the biggest impact.We’ve created a form to collect this information and we want to hear from you. What area, trail, or road has been closed in the last 40 years that you would like to see reevaluated?What’s Your Top PriorityPresident Trum'p’s order to reopen our public lands is the opening scene in what we believe is going to be an exciting new chapter in BlueRibbon Coalition’s history. There has never been a better time to be in this fight, and we appreciate all the support that has gotten this far.We Belong Here,Ben BurrBRC ... See MoreSee Less

BlueRibbon Coalition - Protecting Public Lands For the Public, Not From the Public

blueribboncoalition.org

Since 1987, the BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) has fought to preserve recreation access to America’s public lands. Serving members in all 50 states, BRC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit driven by grassroots ene...

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Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association

May 24th, 12:09 pm

If you are looking to learn or looking for adventure look to our long time members and friends at @ Discover 4x4 Adventures.A quick look - Don't let this summer sneak by ... See MoreSee Less

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Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association is in Michigan.

May 22nd, 5:12 am

Enjoy this recap of Blessing of the Jeeps that was sent to us from Cody Beyer. Are you in the video? Drop a like in the comments if you were or share your Jeep Blessing story. Happy Trails everyone! Stay safe out there. ... See MoreSee Less

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