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OFF-ROAD ORGANIZATIONS ASK FOR POST AUDIT HEARINGS AND OVERSIGHT of CA OHV COMMISSION

BLUERIBBON COALITION, INC. and OFF ROAD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Roy Denner – Off Road Business Association – 619.449.0778

              Don Amador – BlueRibbon Coalition – 925.625.6287

Date: September 15, 2005

SACRAMENTO  (Sept. 15) – A coalition of all major off-highway vehicle (OHV) organizations with members in California sent a letter State Senator Bill Morrow requesting post-audit hearings, oversight, program reform, and possible criminal prosecutions. This action was prompted by the group’s collective concerns regarding the Bureau of State Audits Report 2004-126: Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program.

The recreation organizations are calling for legislative hearings conducted by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and the Joint Boards, Commissions, and Consumer Protection Committee on the conduct of the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division and Commission. Additionally, the groups state that current and former state officials and contractors -who participated in illegal “contract splitting” to avoid oversight by control agencies - should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Other issues that should be addressed include return of misappropriated monies to the OHV Trust Fund, reform of current buffer land purchase policy and introducing legislation to prevent mismanagement by state parks of the OHV program.

Roy Denner, executive director of the Off Road Business Association who first called for the audit said, “I think this audit gives the OHV community a golden opportunity to demand that their program – which derives its funding from user-supported fees – be held accountable to those who recreate on public lands.”

Don Amador, western representative for the BlueRibbon Coalition, concludes, “I believe this audit shows the OHMVR program has been robbed by environmental extremists and state bureaucrats who have misused the fund to further their own personal or political anti-OHV agenda.”

The groups signing the letter include;  American Sand Association, Off-Road Business Association, San Diego Off-Road Coalition, American Motorcyclist Association, American Motorcyclist Association – District 36, American Motorcyclist Association – District 37,  BlueRibbon Coalition, California Association of Four-Wheel Drive Clubs, California/Nevada Snowmobile Association, California Off-Road Vehicle Association, Desert Vipers Motorcycle Club, Duners,  American Motorcyclist Association District 37 Dual Sport, and United Four Wheel Drive Associations.

A summary of the audit with link to full audit may be viewed at:

http://www.bsa.ca.gov/reports/summary.php?id=484

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The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national recreation group that champions responsible use of public and private lands, and encourages individual environmental stewardship. It represents over 10,000 individual members and 1,200 organization and business members, for a combined total of over 600,000 recreationists nationwide. 1-800-258-3742.  www.sharetrails.org

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