TPA and COHVCO letter of support to the SCORR Tenderfoot project

TPA and COHVCO letter of support to the SCORR Tenderfoot project

Dear Representative Polis:

We are writing today to express our strong support for the U.S. Forest Service’s recent draft proposal to build a small system of sustainable, multi-purpose trails in the Tenderfoot area of Summit County on the White River National Forest.  Once constructed, these trails would continue to provide recreation opportunities for single track motorcycle use along with all other trail uses except ATV’s and full size four-wheel drive vehicles.

Before getting into the specifics, we want to thank you for the work you do on behalf of Colorado tourism and small business.   In many of our rural communities, small businesses play a key role in the local economy by providing motorized outdoor recreation opportunities such as 4-wheeling, ATV rides, snowmobile rides, and in our case, trails for motorcycle riding. These recreation activities generate essential income and jobs in many of our smaller rural towns such as Ouray, Telluride, Durango, Silverton, Grand Lake, and in areas such as Vail Pass.

Unfortunately, over the past decade, a number of environmental groups have made a concerted effort to exclude motorized users from enjoying our National Forests.  Through political pressure and lawsuits, the actions of environmental groups have significantly reduced motorized recreation opportunities.  In our opinion, groups such as the Center for Biological Diversity, the Quiet Use Coalition, Rocky Mountain Wild, the Colorado Environmental Coalition, and others have exhibited an attitude of increasing intolerance towards motorized recreation on our public lands.  In spite of our best efforts, it is becoming increasingly difficult to work with these groups in an atmosphere of collaboration. 

When it comes to the management of public lands, we want to emphasize that decisions are not made according to “majority rules.”  If this were so, the record shows that our well-funded and large-membership environmental organizations would force our national forests to discontinue grazing and commercial timber harvest that support local ranchers and logging companies.  As a result of continuing and long-standing litigation in opposition to timber sales, there is only one large saw mill remaining in Colorado and with the huge amount of beetle- killed timber there is simply no market, such as companies that manufacture biofuel products, for this wood.   If the environmental majority ruled, oil and gas exploration and development and many other uses would stop.  These activities would be pushed, and in fact already have been, to countries where environmental protections are relatively nonexistent.   As a result, our global rain forests are being decimated to meet the demands coming from the United States for energy and forest-based products.  Shame on them!

When it comes to outdoor recreation, the number of motorized users in Colorado continues to grow.  We do not realistically expect our national forests to meet the entire demand for the growing number of enthusiasts.  However, we also do not think that closing more and more trails to motorized recreationists is a viable solution.  If closures and opposition to responsible motorized recreation continues, users will be forced to find places where their activity is unlawful in hopes that law enforcement will not “catch” them.  From our viewpoint, it seems that almost every  other recreation user group, including ski areas and mountain bikers are receiving preferential treatment in terms of meeting increasing user demands.   This is simply not equitable. 

The Tenderfoot Trail System

The proposed Tenderfoot Trail system in Summit County is a modest trail proposal that the motorcycle community and the Summit Count Off-Road Riders (SCORR) in particular, have worked hard to bring to fruition.  Two years ago, a Colorado state OHV grant was used to conduct the associated NEPA analysis and trail layout.  As you are probably aware, the OHV fund in Colorado is funded by the state OHV registration program, a fee placed on OHV owners that is supported by the OHV community specifically for OHV trail construction and maintenance.  

Working in collaboration with the Forest Service, SCORR and the Forest Service have completed all of the technical analyses including sound tests, meetings with local municipalities and the county commissioners, and public hearings.  Additional highlights and of this trail system are as follows: