Rescue Tellico! Another attack on out rights to wheel! PLEASE RESPOND!

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Tellico Lawsuit

July 2, 2007
Southern Environmental Law Center files a 60-day Notice of Intent to Commence Civil action at the Upper Tellico ORV Area

On June 28, 2007, the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) filed a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Commence Civil Action under Section 505 of the Clean Water Act. SELC is acting on behalf of the North Carolina Council of Trout Unlimited, the Tennessee Council of Trout Unlimited, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, and the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project.

The NOI alleges violations under Sections 301, 313, 401, 402, 404, and 505 of the Clean Water Act; violations of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and various violations of North Carolina and Tennessee state water quality laws and standards. In the NOI, the SELC calls for seasonal and permanent closures of trails within the Upper Tellico ORV Area.

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association is keenly aware of this Notice and intends to follow its progress carefully. In conjunction with the United Four Wheel Drive Association and the Blue Ribbon Coalition, SFWDA is preparing a statement and will be providing it to the U.S. Forest Service to support their defense of the claims in the NOI.

The Southern Four Wheel Drive Association was founded in 1987 to promote responsible land use and to keep public lands accessible for motorized recreation. Since the formation of Southern Four Wheel Drive Association the focus and mission is to promote responsible land use and to help keep public lands open for motorized recreation. Southern's commitment along with United's is as strong today as ever. Events such as these magnify the need for what we do as clubs and associations. We ask that you support Southern and United in this effort.

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association: www.sfwda.org

United Four Wheel Drive Associations: www.ufwda.org


Read this: http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770708015

Then read this, CLICKY PDF LETTER



There is a comment box locate at the bottom of the page. Please comment on this pathetic situation that we will be faced with. Please make your responses in a professional manor. Asheville is a hot bed for enviro-activists so it's important to have our voices heard in that forum.

There is more info located at http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=595745

If you love to wheel Tellico I implore you to get behind The Southern Four Wheel Drive Association. Its time to support your sport!

[jmdave69]

hey jimmy read mine   

i really hate strongly dislike the environmentalist for fighting for the fishes and the birdies BUT good lord fight for the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airman, and R/T 

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Bravo. Tell your friends about this. 

[sammi_davis]

  I agree that runoff is a problem , but it can be solved and the 4wd community will put forth the labor to fix this issue .

 As trails close and we are herded into ever smaller areas the land will show more impact . The solution to this problem isnt to keep closing areas off , the way to fix it is to open more areas . With more places to ride there will be less impact as the useage is spread out .

 I used to hike and mountain bike a lot , after reconstructive ankle surgery I dont get to go out as much as I used too . With my 4wd I can go to some of the places I used to enjoy  .

  I tread lightly and leave no trace other than a tire print . It is vital to the
4 wd community that Tellico remain a place for OHV users to enjoy .

 I am off the soapbox now

[dadstoybox]

I am off the soapbox now

you cant get off the soap box yet, non of us can or we can all forget having anywhere to enjoy.look at out kids, we are raising them to enjoy the outdoors and the same things we do,by the time they are 20 or so they will not have the freedoms and privlidges we have had to enjoy trails and national parks.
 what good does it do to have a national park that our tax dollars pay for and only be allowed to drive around the very edge of it on a paved highway with a quite exaust with the windows up covered in tint with the a/c on high and the xm radio blaring ? what did you hear, see,smell,what did you share with your kid on that trip ? come on everybody needs a soapbox and a voice.

don

[Whitfield]

Nice disinformation and false hoods. Your publication should check FACTS before publishing this garbage. That rutted area pictured was hardened and filled in months ago. It was fixed in such a way that it should not become a problem again.

There is NO decline in fish population. If you look back the 5 previous years it was on the increase.
THIS YEAR they changed how they counted them and that change is why it shows a FALSE reduction. The previous years they counted fish 2 inches and longer...this year they counted 4 inches and longer. Next year it will again show an increase.

This is just another DIRTY lie propagated by these "Eco groups" to lock the public out of public lands.

[Blue Ridge Runner]

More:

There are so many lies in the article that exist I am surprised that a reputable newspaper would even publish it. There is a new bridge located on trail 5 and there is a new bridge coming to Fains Ford. That evidence alone is proof that the NFS is serious about water quality. The new bridge is not a little log bridge. It is a large well built bridge built using steel. It is a highway quality structure. I am sure it costs well over $100,000 to build. When I was there in June the construction equipment was being moved to Fains Ford so I expect that that bridge will be built soon. I have often heard that the NFS is under funded. The OHV user fee has doubled. I would imagine that is to pay for the bridges since our tax money is not being allocated to the NFS to take care of these problems. If the Southern Environmental Law Center wants to sue then sue the federal government for not funding the NFS rather than suing those that allow us to enjoy it. I am sure those bridges would have gone up years ago had the NFS received the funding they deserve. As usual we the OHV users will pay for it in entry fees. Maybe a $10 per head charge for fishing and hiking in those areas should also be put in place. I am a fisherman also that DOES NOT SUPPORT The Southern Environmental Law Center on anything.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO POST SOMETHING THERE!

Thanks to those here that have already. 

[Joe S.]

i live in Mississippi, and there is no where locally to ride. But rather than doing something irresponsible and trespassing and tearing up private land, my group of offroaders drive (towing our camping gear and ORVs) for 3 or 4 to as long as 20 hours to ride and we rely on places like Tellico to give us a place to go to ride legally. we dont tear up the land. we stay on designated trails. we clean up after ourselves and others. we believe in leaving the trail cleaner than it was when we got there. heck, some events we frequent even offer prizes for the person who picks up the most trash. that is how seriously us offroaders take protecting our environment. we will gladly step up to help prevent environmental damages when needed. there is no need to waste money that could be put to good use for something that can be fixed so that everyone is happy.

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Excellent Joe. 

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Anyone reading the forum?

http://www.topix.net/forum/source/asheville-citizen-times/T6Q9CU9O6BE2CE219

[sammi_davis]

Anyone reading the forum?

http://www.topix.net/forum/source/asheville-citizen-times/T6Q9CU9O6BE2CE219

Yep I read through some of it , the enviros are looking like whackos ... big suprise .

[Blue Ridge Runner]

More lies from the biased media:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070703/ts_csm/aoffroad&printer=1;_ylt=Ahxs3IELMLmJYS2bpFgYzumOe8UF

Off-road vehicles rev up controversy in public lands

By Mark Clayton, Staff writer of The Christian Science MonitorTue Jul 3, 4:00 AM ET

Off-road vehicles now pose the single biggest threat to America's public lands and represent a fast-growing law enforcement problem.

That's the verdict of a new coalition of former public land managers and rangers, which has formed to bring attention to the problem.

Understaffing, weak penalties, and lack of enforcement of trail restrictions, among other problems, have led to environmental degradation and an increasingly chaotic environment at many popular federal recreation areas that are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of off-road-vehicles (ORVs), the coalition says.

"These things are just crawling all over the place, unregulated, damaging the environment and wreaking havoc - there's no teeth in any law enforcement," says Jim Baca, a member of the Rangers for Responsible Recreation coalition and a former director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) under the Clinton Administration. "Congress needs to look at this and make sure public land agencies are doing their job."

BLM officials acknowledge the rising numbers of ORVs, but insist the problem is under control.

Use of ORV is legal on designated roads and trails across more than 80 million acres of land overseen by the BLM and millions more overseen by the US Forest Service. But ORV use, especially in the western US, has zoomed off trails into fragile areas, growing far faster than public land managers' ability to police it, the coalition says.

National growth numbers are hard to come by. But the most popular areas risk being overrun, a BLM spokesman in Washington acknowledges. One popular BLM-run recreation area, Imperial Sand Dunes in California, has ORV visits soar to 1.2 million each year, BLM officials say. Both the BLM and US Forest Service are taking steps they say will reign in ORV infractions.

Indeed, conflicts, sometimes violent, appear to be growing between rangers and ORV users who flout trail signs and damage delicate desert and other habitat, or lug alcohol and drugs into wilderness areas, the group says. But a BLM spokesman says law-enforcement incidents involving "off-highway vehicles" (OHVs) actually fell from 5,846 in 2004 to 5,066 last year.

"We realize there has been exponential growth in OHV use, so we know it's a challenge. But we think we're meeting the challenge," says Tom Gorey, a BLM spokesman.

Yet the problem is clearly growing more serious in many locations. At an Easter weekend gathering, 50 federal rangers faced "near riot conditions" with about 1,000 out-of-control ORV enthusiasts at the Little Sahara Recreation Area in Utah. Revelers sexually harassed a number of women among the 35,000 people using the area, federal reports of the incident show. There were 300 arrests and 37 injuries.

"What has been lacking is the assurance of tough enforcement and the backbone needed to bring the runaway problem under control," said Jim Furnish, former deputy chief of the US Forest Service and a member of the rangers' coalition, in a statement. "Folks visiting our public lands expect enforcement that protects natural resources, ensures visitor safety, and reclaims a family friendly atmosphere."

As numbers grow, the environmental challenge is growing, too.

At the Tellico Off-Road Vehicle Area within the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina, ORV use has been allowed to soar beyond planned limits, critics say. Now, deeply-rutted trails wash silt into once-pristine trout streams that feed into the Tellico River.

In a "notice of intent" letter last week, the Southern Environmental Law Center informed the US Forest Service it would soon file suit on behalf of several trout fishing organizations to enforce the federal Clean Water Act. The letter says that trails close to streams violate the law.

Enthusiasts of ORV riding say the problem nationally is due to a lack of adequate mapping and signage on public lands to show users where to ride, and that new forest service and BLM rules are addressing it.

But as numbers grow, broader rider education efforts are needed, they acknowledge.

"We recognize there are issues with OHV use on public lands," says Jack Welch, president of the Blue Ribbon Coalition, which represents off-road enthusiasts and vehicle manufacturers. "We believe most of these problems can be solved with better signage and map programs. But we also think the ranger group is not really interested in working together with us – they simply want to eliminate motor recreation on public lands."

Coalition members deny they are just out to eliminate motorized vehicle use, but say they want the ORV problem brought under control.

Penalties that are severe enough to deter violators are badly needed, such as forfeiture of hunting and fishing licenses or confiscation of vehicles when off-roaders are caught ignoring the law, they say. A larger budget for more rangers to enforce the law is also required, they add.

"Land management agencies just don't have a lot of enforcement capability right now," Mr. Baca says.

Copyright © 2007 The Christian Science Monitor

[dadstoybox]

gee, look who it is written by. sit down and write them a letter and tell them to back up their facts and they will roll over and play dead. they are about as extreme as It gets and are fanatics.

[Blue Ridge Runner]

The problem is the liars have a voice. 

[Blue Ridge Runner]

This is how SFWDA handles Tellico. What a smack in the face. They clean up after the worthless people that litter the creeks and rivers and then get sued for destroying the water quality by the people that they helped do the cleanup. Here is the SFWDA doing what they do best:

http://sfwda.com/trails/tellico/cleanup20060311/index.html

7th Annual Tellico River Cleanup

by Stefan Roth, March 2006

Member of Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) and other volunteer groups recently spent a Saturday out in the woods on National Forest lands, picking up litter that thoughtless or careless people had discarded on public lands.

SFWDA President Bob Yarbrough, who was out with the work crews picking up trash, said , "It a great way for us to help the Forest Service take care of our public lands. We enjoy the recreational opportunities and we're willing to work to make them possible."

The 7th Annual Tellico River Cleanup Day was held on March 11, 2006. Organized as a partnership between Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, Trout Unlimited, and the U.S. Forest Service, it has grown quite a bit since its inception and the event regularly brings out 200 - 300 people from dozens of recreation groups - hiking and walking groups, kayaking and canoeing clubs, fishing and hunting clubs, 4-wheel drive clubs, and nearby businesses.

The volunteer groups split up into small groups and covered literally dozens of miles of roads, trails, and river banks in the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests, which border each other across the Tennessee / North Carolina state line.

Mary Jane Burnette of the Forest Service's Tellico Ranger District reported that she had 182 volunteers working in Tennessee. Larry Fox, Forestry Technician with the Tusquitee Ranger District, counted 113 volunteers in North Carolina. This adds up to a grand total of 295 volunteers cleaning up dozens of miles of trails and roads. Of these volunteers, 183 volunteers came from local and regional 4-wheel-drive groups. Everyone should be very proud of the dedication shown by all the volunteers..

For example, Southern Jeeps, out of Atlanta, worked the areas east of the state line in North Carolina. "We had 30 members attend and covered about one and a half miles of trails," says Scott Gregg, President of Southern Jeeps.

Wayne and Joyce Kickles from Smoky Mountain Trail Runners 4WD Club spent 8 hours on Saturday on the cleanup and workday. Wayne wrote us, "We picked up some trash on the way up to the work areas, but got most of what we collected at the top of trail 9. Once we reached the work areas, we spent most of our time cleaning and helping to install the fence at the top of trail 9 (see related story)."

Eric Potts and two friends in his Jeep picked up trash for a mile on trail 6 - until their trash bags filled up. They came up from Georgia to help out because they like to ride at Upper Tellico OHV Area.

JimBob Faulk reports that there were two members from Traxx in Motion, traveling all the way from Nashville, Tennessee. JimBob reports, "We cleaned down along the river on trail 5. The big camping area near the water crossing had a wealth of "crap." Literally, the highlights were nearly 2 dozen small propane bottles, multiple tampons, and someone's homemade toilet (5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat on top). We also worked the area from Big Oak campground to the next campsite toward Tellico Plains."

Scott Correll from Cumberland Off-Road in Cookeville, Tennessee wrote to tell us that their club had five adults and three children working for five hours on trail 9 from the garden below slick rock to the top. They picked up mostly stuff from the "bystanders" area and off to the sides of the trail.

"Nine members from Georgia 4x4 and Off Camber 4WD cleaned trail 1 from the lower trail 2 entrance to the upper 2 entrance and collected 12 bags of garbage - approximately 1.5 miles of trail, " reported Mark Webb, the Director of Land Use for Off Camber 4WD Club from Atlanta, Georgia. In addition, three vehicles from Off Camber 4WD and 5 vehicles from Clemson Offroad cleaned from the beginning of trail 3, up trail 12 over to Pinch Rock on trail 11. Others cleaned up on the entrance to upper trail 2 and surrounding area around the top of lower trail 2.

Ten members Rock Solid Jeep club attending the cleanup day started at State Line and went along Tellico River Road to the road to trail 2. Then they went up the gravel road almost to the top of lower 2 and back down. They continued on up the River Road a couple of miles past the gravel road, where they met members from the Renegade 4WD Club cleaning up along the road and river. Gary Parsons reports that they found the normal bottles and cans, an old chair, and the elastic band from a pair of men's underwear.

Land Rover owner David Russell brought four other members of the Southern Land Rover Society to the cleanup day. David reported, "We did about 2 miles on trail 1 towards Murphy. We cleaned up about 50' off the trail in those hard to get to places. We picked up mostly cans and bottles and filled 2 1/2 trash bags."

Gerald Henderson, President of Rattle Rock 4WD Club, stated that his club had twenty members in attendance. They covered the Upper 2 trail and School Bus hill (trail 12). The most interesting item they recovered was a freezer - what was it doing way out there in the woods?

In addition, members from all recreation groups cleaned up many more miles on the trails and roads along the Tellico River and the North River in Tennessee. Volunteers picked up the trash and left the full bags along the road side, to be picked up by Forest Service personnel who gave up their weekend time to help this worthwhile cause.

[Blue Ridge Runner]

This article was retrieved from the back stabbers web page:

http://www.tu.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=7dJEKTNuFmG&b=901105&ct=2053457


2006 Bottle Bill announced at Tellico River

March 10, 2006
The Chattanoogan (TN)

As part of Saturday's (March 11) Tellico River cleanup, several hundred volunteers will pick up several tons of litter, much of which is sure to be bottles and cans.

To Mt. Juliet’s Marge Davis, coordinator of the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project, it’s a perfect chance to announce the 2006 Tennessee bottle bill.

Joined by members of Scenic Tennessee and other supporters, Davis will talk to the press at 8:30 a.m. at the State Line Campground, located at the end of the Tellico River Road at the Tennessee/North Carolina border.

Each year the campground serves as a staging area for volunteers taking part in the annual cleanup of the Tellico and North rivers. The event, which is sponsored by the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, Trout Unlimited, the U.S. Forest Service and others, typically attracts more than 200 participants and packs out nearly 500 bags of litter.

“This is one of the biggest litter cleanups in the state,” said Davis, “and everyone says that beverage containers are the biggest component, by far, of the debris they collect. Plus, fishermen, sportsmen and off-roaders are some of the bill’s staunchest supporters, and the Tellico is in both Sen. McNally’s and Rep. Johnson’s districts. So I thought, what better place to talk about the 2006 bottle bill?”

State Rep. Russell Johnson (R-Loudon) and Sen. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) are cosponsors of the proposal to reduce litter and increase recycling by putting a five-cent deposit on glass, plastic and aluminum beverage containers. According to Davis, the measure should reduce Tennessee’s beverage-container litter by at least 80 percent and overall litter by 40 percent. It will also increase Tennessee’s recycling rate for these containers from 24 percent to a projected 85 percent. With Tennesseans buying 4 billion sodas, beers, bottled waters and other drinks each year, that’s 3.4 billion containers that won’t end up in the landfill or worse, on the landscape.

Last year’s legislation died in committee, but Davis said that this year’s bill should be much more palatable, not only to the state’s beverage distributors and grocery stores, but to the county mayors and sheriffs who have feared losing their annual litter-control funding known as the county litter grants.

“The 2006 bill effectively doubles the litter grants money,” said Davis, “by taking $10 million of the unclaimed deposits and giving it to the counties in place of the $5 million they’re getting now from the beer and soda taxes.” Those so-called “litter taxes,” in place since 1981, will be eliminated if the bottle bill passes.

Another key feature of the bill, Davis said, is that it takes distributors completely out of the redemption process, as well as most if not all retailers. (HB3347/SB3629 exempts most retailers from taking back empties; an alternate version, HB3350/SB3616, exempts all of them.)

And while the largest grocery stores may put “reverse vending machines” in their foyers, Davis said that the majority of returns will take place at small, independent redemption centers located throughout the state. These centers, which must be conveniently located in order to be certified by the state, will earn a handling fee of 3 cents per container paid by the distributors.

“There will be hundreds of these mom-and-pop businesses,” said Davis, “many of them earning more than $100,000 a year.” The bill allows county and local governments to run redemption centers, she said, as well as organizations such as Boy Scout troops or homeless shelters.

The 2006 bill also authorizes mobile redemption centers offering on-site service to businesses, special events, elderly customers and so on. And it is the first bottle bill in the world to specifically authorize satellite drop-off sites, where an attendant will scan the customer’s key-ring courtesy card, print out a bar-coded label and stick it on the bag of empties. The customer goes on his way, his empties are taken to an automated processing facility, and a few days later his refund is either mailed to his home, deposited automatically into his bank account or sent to the charity of his choice, such as a school or homeless shelter.

“This is the kind of thing we learned about in Maine,” said Davis, referring to the study trip she and Rep. Johnson made in December. “This is why Rep. Johnson spent four days talking to retailers and redemption centers and solid-waste officials and legislators and nonprofit groups and ordinary citizens and even a beer bottler. All of them—even the grocers and the beer guy!—agreed that a bottle bill is a good thing, so long as you design it properly. And that’s why I’m going to the Tellico tomorrow: to tell Tennesseans that this is the best-designed bottle bill in 35 years.”

The SFWD sponsors a joint effort and get sued for helping the community.

[nor-cal zukini]

Fricken unbelievable!!!!  It is amasing how they (enviro's) make us out to be these bad villions that have no respect for anyone. I understand that they are trying to make there point, but for cryin out loud, at least don't lie to the public.  I know that we dont see eye to eye with them on everything, but at least we as forest user's are trying to work together to find a common solution to the problem

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Fricken unbelievable!!!!  It is amasing how they (enviro's) make us out to be these bad villions that have no respect for anyone. I understand that they are trying to make there point, but for cryin out loud, at least don't lie to the public.  I know that we dont see eye to eye with them on everything, but at least we as forest user's are trying to work together to find a common solution to the problem

As you can see. The east coast is gonna be faced with a very similar issue as you guys out west are facing. The biggest problem here is that we don't have many public owned trails now. If the SELC and Trout Unlimited gets their way we won't have any. Tellico's total trails consist of about 30 miles. Uwharrie has less than 20 miles.

Getting people motivated here is a problem. 

[nor-cal zukini]

I think a good start is with the general chit chat area? I know they have seen this forum, but it seems that is the most used area here and chiming in once in awhile there should keep it fresh in there minds. There are alot of active users on this board, and I see post's in other forums relating back to this web site.

Kinda like how I'm teaching my 3 year old tonight how to spell her name, just keep repeating it over and over and over and.....................

[nor-cal zukini]

This put out today from Blue Ribbon Coalition

http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Who are these guys? Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility

Answer: http://www.peer.org/

Bunch of turncoats. 

[Blue Ridge Runner]

BRC is also involved:

Media Release: SFWDA PROTECTING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OF THE UPPER TELLICO ORV AREA
Contact: Heather Spivey, Southern Four Wheel Drive Association
       Phone: (678) 463-7376
       E-mail: hspivey@bellsouth.net
       Webpage: http://www.sfwda.org/
Date: August 6, 2007


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MT. JULIET, TN (August 6)--Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) is acting to address statements made against the U.S. Forest Service alleging violations of the Clean Water Act and other federal and state laws at the Upper Tellico Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Area in the Tusquitee Ranger District in the Nantahala National Forest. The North Carolina Council of Trout Unlimited and Tennessee Council of Trout Unlimited accompanied by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project have threatened to sue the United States Forest Service on grounds that they have violated the Clean Water Act and other federal and state environmental regulations. The groups are demanding the Forest Service close a significant number of the designated ORV trails. This notice represents a formal threat of suit clearing the grievants' path to the courthouse should the agency refuse to capitulate to their demands.

Known as the Upper Tellico Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Area, Tellico is one of the premiere facilities for four wheel drive enthusiasts in the country and offers a variety of experiences for different types of off-highway vehicles. The Tellico ORV Area also provides significant economic benefits to the tri-state region surrounding the area, including North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.

Commenting on the recently filed notice, Heather Spivey of the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association said, "We are reviewing the notice of intent to sue and intend to provide more accurate information for the US Forest Service to consider."

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) provides extensive environmental stewardship in the area including restoration of trails and surrounding environment, installing silt screens and traps, building bridges to protect stream quality, and constructing trail head facilities such as parking lots, loading ramps, signs, bulletin boards, and restrooms.

Spivey, who has over a decade of water quality regulation experience, also stated, "It appears at first blush that the erosion issues recently publicized by the involved parties are inaccurate. They failed to account for the significant investment from Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) and their membership to improve erosion control measures and to remedy siltation issues within the Upper Tellico ORV Area."

In 2005 and 2006 alone, SFWDA volunteers contributed thousands of hours of labor, equipment, and materials valued at over $100,000.

"Southern Four Wheel Drive Association is committed to preserving the Upper Tellico ORV Area while protecting the water quality and trout populations of the Tellico River. Our Association is made up of member clubs consisting of sportsmen that also hunt, fish, and believe that everyone should have the right to enjoy their public lands, including motorized family recreationists," stated David Borum, nationally-known Director of Legislative Affairs for Southern Four Wheel Drive Association.

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association is working with the BlueRibbon Coalition and United Four Wheel Drive Associations and their attorneys to ensure that motorized recreation stakeholders' interests are protected when legal proceedings are initiated by the involved parties.

# # #

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) was founded in 1987 to promote responsible land use and to keep public lands accessible for motorized recreation. Since the formation of Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, the focus and mission is to promote responsible land use and to help keep public lands open for motorized recreation. For more information on the activities and accomplishments of Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, please visit http://www.sfwda.org or contact us at 1483 N. Mt. Juliet Road, PMB # 222, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122

United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA) is the global leader of all-brand four wheel drive enthusiasts. UFWDA is a group of individuals, clubs, state, regional, provincial and national associations and businesses in the United States and around the world with members spanning the globe from the U.S. and Canada, New Zealand, Australia, England, Japan, South Africa, and Iceland. If you would like more information on how you can be a part of this effort, contact United Four Wheel Drive Associations today at 14525 SW Millikan Way #22622, Beaverton, OR 97005-2343, 1-800-448-3932 or visit http://www.ufwda.org.

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 - http://www.sharetrails.org

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Here is the official link located at Pirate:

http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=604044

Looks like The SFWDA, BRC, UFWDA, are diggin in. 

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Here is the latest news for the Asheville newspaper. Its a "little" more balanced than the last article but not much:

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770905103

Upper Tellico runoff sparks controversy
Off-roaders face trail eviction
by Jon Ostendorff, jostendorff@citizen-times.com
published September 6, 2007 12:15 am
Read all 7 comments »
e-mail this
Print this

HANGING DOG – The U.S. Forest Service may close trails in one of the nation’s most popular off-road driving spots because of fears muddy runoff from four-wheel-drive tracks is hurting fish.

The agency hasn’t made a final decision on the Upper Tellico Off Road Vehicle Area, about two hours west of Asheville and 11 miles from Murphy. But a temporary closure this winter is likely.
Web Extras: Multimedia & Related Content
gallery Upper Tellico Off-Road Trails Area
Adobe Acrobat PDF Forest Service plans for the Tellico area (23 KB)
Adobe Acrobat PDF Letter from a business owner who rents cabins to off-roaders regarding the Tellico area. (37 KB)
Advertisement

The 38 miles of trails in the Nantahala National Forest attract off-road enthusiasts from across the nation and the world. It is one of the few places in the Southeast where people driving jeeps, trucks and specially designed all-terrain vehicles can find challenging driving in a wilderness setting.

But runoff from poorly maintained trails is choking out brook trout, the Southern Environmental Law Center told the Forest Service in a July letter threatening that the organization may sue.

The off-road drivers deny the allegation, saying also that they volunteer time restoring trails and spend big money at area businesses.

That includes Tellico Cabins, run by Chuck and Helen Davis. Helen Davis said her business would take a direct hit should the trails close.

“The off-roaders are 100 percent of my business,” she said.

Officials with the government will study the condition of about seven miles of trails within 100 feet of streams. At minimum, the Forest Service could close the area from January to March to make repairs. At most, it might close some trails forever.
Cause is debatable

The Southern Environmental Law Center is representing Trout Unlimited, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and the Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project in its threat to sue.

The environmental groups believe the sediment from the vehicle trails damages the Southern Appalachian brook trout’s spawning grounds and harms aquatic life critical to the trout’s survival.

The 8,000-acre Tellico area straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee line. It has 13 trails for off-road vehicles.

Studies set to start next year would help determine what is causing the sedimentation, said Bill Champion, forestry supervisor for the area.

The Upper Tellico has a long history of off-road vehicle use, he said. Before the Forest Service bought the land in the 1980s, it was logged and had been an off-road spot since after World War II. The Forest Service closed 80 of the 100 miles of roads and trails in the area when it bought Tellico.

“Yes, there is sediment in the river, but there has been sediment in the river for 100 years,” Champion said. “What we don’t have is a good handle on is what impact does it have and how much is too much.”

The environmentalists want the Forest Service to permanently close the most environmentally damaging trails and shut down additional trails during the wettest months.
Studies planned

The Forest Service has a long-term and short-term plan for the Tellico area. It discussed the plan at a public meeting on Aug. 24 in Murphy.

First, it will study about seven miles of trails within 100 feet of streams and creeks. Based on that study, it will make repairs designed to stop sedimentation.

Next, it will study all 38 miles of trails and complete construction of the Fain Ford Bridge.

Then, it will analyze the potential for a wet-weather or seasonal closure of the area and the permanent closure of three trails: 2, 7 and 9.

In the long term, the Forest Service plans to work with stakeholders — which can be forest users, environmentalists, businesses or anyone else interested in the Tellico area — to revise a list of priority needs.

That discussion would include evaluating the density of the trails, types of uses and how often the uses would be allowed in Tellico. Monitoring water quality is also part of the long-term plan.

“We are really just getting started,” Champion said.

Sedimentation in the past has been a killer for the brook trout and continues to be the biggest cause of water pollution in WNC.

Extensive logging nearly wiped the fish out. It has only recently made a comeback. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, after a 30-year ban on catching brook trout, is now allowing fishing in almost all of its creeks.
Economic impact

Trail closures aren’t something Davis would like to see happen.

She has seven cabins and can accommodate 40 people at full capacity. The business offers everything the off-road enthusiasts need, including a shop for repairs.

“When we started this business, we did it with the off-roaders in mind,” she said. “I haven’t even had to market to family vacationers.”

She doesn’t buy environmentalists’ assertions that the area is over-crowded with 2,400 vehicles a month. She says the biggest event of the year, the Dixie Run, an event sponsored by the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association, usually has about 500 vehicles.

The off-road advocacy group says volunteers in 2005 and 2006 contributed labor, equipment, and materials for trail maintenance valued at more than $100,000.

Drivers must pay a fee of $10 a day to use the area.

Davis said the off-road community is family-oriented and has money to spend on vacations. The sport itself can be quite expensive, with some vehicles costing more than $20,000 and dedicated solely to off-road driving.

“They are the nicest people,” she said. “And they leave my cabins clean.”

Sande Kimball, executive director of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses, including hotels and motels that would benefit from off-road enthusiasts visiting the area, said her board has directed her to remain neutral on the “politically charged” issue of trail closures.

“We just hope that they reach an amicable solution that will benefit everybody, the environment as well as keep the four-wheelers coming into the county, which is very important to tourism,” she said.

There is a comment forum there also I suggest posting a response.

[Blue Ridge Runner]

The latest dribble from The Citizen Times:

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770914112

There is a public forum for comment located at the bottom of the article. Also notice that the author Michael Smith is a member of Trout Unlimited.

CITIZEN-TIMES.com
Excessive ORV use clearly hurts water quality

By Michael Smith
September 16, 2007 12:15 am

I read with great dismay the comments of a U.S. Forest Service representative in a recent article about off-road vehicle (ORV) use in the Tellico River area (Sept. 6, “Upper Tellico runoff sparks controversy”). Contrary to what USFS Ranger Bill Champion is quoted as saying, we do know how much sediment in the river is too much. State and federal standards are crystal clear on the issue. Unfortunately, the Forest Service has been ignoring those standards. Water quality samples have revealed excessively higher levels of sediment in Tellico tributaries than allowed under any state or federal standard for the past eight years.

Champion also said that a long-term plan to evaluate ORV use and impacts in the area, and a discussion of priorities with all the stakeholders, is “just getting started.” Again, the Forest Service is ignoring years of collaborative study and efforts, in which Trout Unlimited and many other participants have worked with the agency to resolve the conflict between intensive ORV use and water quality.

Unfortunately, our collaborative studies seem to be overlooked, and coincidentally, the measurable deterioration in water quality has occurred during the same eight years of collaboration. The Forest Service has been more talk than walk, while the resource has suffered. Hence, the need to take legal action to remind the agency that in the eyes of the law, water quality and the protection of our resources comes first.

Lastly, I was disappointed that the reporter did not contact anyone from the conservation groups who are taking this legal action. If he had, he would have learned that: 1) The roughly 38 miles of designated ORV trails he cites are more than twice the density legally allowed under the Forest Service’s management plan; 2) The estimation that “2,400 vehicles per month use the Tellico area” comes from the USFS, and is not an “environmentalists’ assertion;” and 3) While ORV users clearly contribute to the local economy, other factors to consider are the potential loss of tourism revenue from anglers, the potential cost to downstream communities who face higher cleanup costs before using the river as a source of drinking water, and finally the potential loss of significant Southern Appalachian brook trout populations.

Michael “Squeak” Smith is member of the board of trustees for Trout Unlimited.


Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Copyright 2007 Asheville Citizen-Times. All rights reserved.

[durnzuki]

I wish that some of these people could go with me on my job.  I do work for the GA and SC dept of rec.   I pump out the SST's like we have at group camp.   The area's that I pump are for hikers and fishermen only and the are pitiful in what are dumped in them and around them.  It looks like a dump site for garbage after every holiday.

[Blue Ridge Runner]

More updates at Pirate:

http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=614803

I need to make time to read all this. I believe there is a letter writing campaign in the making.

[dadstoybox]

well aint Mr. Fisherman special 

[Blue Ridge Runner]

This is a form letter that you can use to for voicing your opinion to the NFS:

It can also be e-mailed to this address:

comments-southern-north-carolina-nantahalatusquitee@fs.fed.us

FROM SFWDA, UFWDA, and BlueRibbon Coalition:

As you know, in response to the recent request of the Forest Service to comment on the two proposals to establish new Forest Supervisor’s Orders on the Upper Tellico Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) area, Southern, United, and BRC have enlisted the services of Carla Boucher and Paul Turcke to submit a formal response letter. In addition to that, we think it is important that you comment on the proposals as well. The request for comment is located here http://www.sfwda.org/trails/tellico/...o20070917.html for you to read. We are providing you with a template letter with the following suggested outline in preparing your letters and remind you to put it in your own words. We urge you to mail your letters in before the identified date of October 17, 2007.

Your letter should be mailed to:

US Forest Service
Nantahala National Forest
Tina Tilley, Tusquitee District Ranger
123 Woodland Drive
Murphy, NC 28906

    * Include the date
    * Include the file reference information (File Code: 2350-5/1950)
    * Include reference (Supervisor’s Orders on the Upper Tellico Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area
    * Tell them who you are and why you are writing
    * Give your general and specific comments including:

   1. The importance of the Tellico area to recreation and surrounding communities and the effects the closures will have
   2. Tell them why you think the specific trail closures (Action #1) on Lower Trail 2, Trail 7, and Trail 9 is not justified
   3. Tell them why you think the proposed winter closure (Action #2) is not justified
   4. If you know the science, then talk the science
   5. Talk about how no data has been provided and ask for the scientific data on which the closures are being based
   6. Talk about all the mitigation/maintenance work you/your group/Southern has done and continues to do
   7. Talk about what Tellico means to you, why you and your family value it, how you practice Treadlightly!, how you participate in trail clean up, etc.


In conclusion, express your opposition courteously but strongly one last time
Include a statement of your support of the joint letter sent by Southern, United, and BRC.

Request you be added to further communications

Give your contact information

Signature


Please also remember to be courteous and substantive. In other words, “get it off my chest…” type comments are of little or no value. Finally, you need to keep a copy of your letter for future reference.

If you would like to use a TEMPLATE LETTER, here is one that you may cut and paste to use. PLEASE BE SURE TO ADD YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE LAST PARAGRAPH.

U.S. Forest Service
Nantahala National Forest
Tusquitee District Ranger
123 Woodland Drive
Murphy, NC 28906

INSERT DATE

RE: File Code : 2350-5/1950
Supervisor’s Orders on the Upper Tellico Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area

Dear District Ranger,

My name is YOUR NAME HERE and I am writing at to express my concerns about the above-referenced Supervisor’s Orders addressing vehicle use of the Upper Tellico OHV Area.

My understanding of the September 17, 2007 letter is that the Forest Service intends on enacting two new Supervisor’s Orders that will close the Upper Tellico OHV Area during the winter months, and will close specific trails (Lower#2, 7 and 9).

Trails Lower#2, #7, and #9 should not be closed. From your letter and from the research that has been conducted, there is no scientific evidence that the Tellico trail system or any one trail in particular, have any impact on streams in the area. The streams that were sampled originate above the OHV area, and samples were only taken down stream of the OHV area. In order to demonstrate that sediment load is coming from a specific area, it is necessary to sample the stream/river both upstream and downstream of the area.

With respect to seasonal closures of the entire area, your agency did not provide and I have not seen any proof that demonstrates the time of year is directly tied to increase potential for impacts. There is no data provided by your agency to suggest that sedimentation from January 1 to March 31 occurs at a higher rate than sedimentation during other months of the year, which makes a winter-time closure unfounded.

[Write a paragraph here about what Tellico means to you. Talk about what you do to preserve the area, talk about how your practice Tread Lightly and how you participate in trail clean up, etc.]

The OHV community is willing to support reasonable management prescriptions, but the Proposed Orders are not rationally connected to the proposed riding restrictions. A well-conceived and thoughtful planning process should be conducted rather than hastily-prepared Orders in response to closure demands of anti-access special interests. My intent with this letter is to show my strong opposition to these and any trail closures and to request my contact information be added to any further communications regarding the Tellico ORV area.

YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
YOUR E-MAIL
YOUR PHONE NUMBER

Very truly yours,

SIGN YOUR NAME
TYPE YOUR NAME
_________________

[Blue Ridge Runner]

The latest from The Citizen-Times. I responded. Please do the same. Its our rights we are talking about!

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pb...D=200770918047

Link to the letter mentioned in the article (PDF file) - http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pb...arams=Id=85914



HANGING DOG – The U.S. Forest Service is seeking the public’s input on a plan to close trails in one of the nation’s most popular off-road driving areas because of environmental problems there.

The agency wants to ban motorized vehicles from trails two, seven and nine in the Upper Tellico Off Road Vehicle Area for a year and close all of the trails except trail one and the upper section of trail two from January to the end of March.

The Forest Service’s call for comments and plan to close trails comes three months after environmentalists threatened to sue the agency over muddy runoff from trails. The Southern Environmental Law Center says runoff is choking out brook trout.

The Upper Tellico, about two hours west of Asheville and 11 miles from Murphy, is one of the nation’s top spots for off-road enthusiasts. It is one of the few places in the Southeast where people driving jeeps, trucks and specially designed all-terrain vehicles can find challenging driving in a wilderness setting.

Off-roaders disagree with allegations from environmentalists. They say they volunteer time and spend their own money restoring trails. And the off-roaders also say their sport is good for the local economy.

Helen Davis, owner of Tellico Cabins, a business that relies on the off-road sport, said Tuesday that the Forest Service hasn’t done enough research to pin water quality problems on runoff from the trails.

“They are just giving in to them too easy,” she said. “They haven’t given any proof that it is causing problems.”

The public has until Oct. 17 to file comments on the plan. A letter from the Forest Service seeking comments is on CITIZEN-TIMES.com.

Terry Seyden, a spokesman for the Forest Service, said the agency has studied the problem. He said workers have collected data on sediment levels in the streams and on fish populations that show runoff is causing a problem.

“We acknowledged that there are some water quality problems and that there is sediment reaching the Tellico River,” he said. “And that is why we are proposing these to actions to address what we feel are the biggest contributors to sediment.”

Seyden said the Forest Service has not studied the economic impact of closing trails.

As part of the plan, the Forest Service will study the condition of about seven miles of trails within 100 feet of streams to determine what should be done in the future to prevent water quality problems.

The 8,000-acre Tellico area straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee line. It has 13 trails for off-road vehicles.

Author's email - jostendo@ashevill.gannett.com

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Here is the latest:

From www.SFWDA.org

November 19, 2007

We attended a meeting in Asheville, North Carolina with the Forest Service. Originally, this meeting was billed as the meeting they would tell us what their upcoming decisions would be regarding the Forest Supervisor orders that were published on September 17. In summary, these proposed orders are:

Prohibiting motorized vehicles on Lower Trail # 2, Trail # 7, and Trail # 9
Prohibiting winter-time motorized vehicle use on the Upper Tellico OHV Trail System from January 1 to March 31 each year
In short, according to the Forest Service, no decision has been made. They may announce a decision by December 1, but they may be delayed beyond that.

These actions would be in the form of a Forest Supervisor order that is "temporarily" in effect for one year. None of this is acceptable to us - hard experience with the Forest Service in other southern forests has shown us that most (if not all) "temporary" closures are forever. Whatever repairs or maintenance that they intend to do during the closure period will usually not get done due to one reason or another. We remain in close consultation with our lawyer on these issues.

For SFWDA, the attendees were Jay Bird (President), Gunnar Byrd, Rob Theurer, and Roger Theurer. For Blue Ribbon Coalition, the attendee was Greg Mumm. There were several Trout Unlimited (TU) attendees including Michael "Squeak" Smith and George Lane and DJ Gerkin for Southern Environmental Law Center. Deborah Walker was the facilitator for the Forest Service. Marisue Hilliard is the Forest Supervisor in North Carolina and she will be making the final decisions.

The Forest Service did not announce any decisions regarding trails lower 2, 7, and 9 or the winter closure. Furthermore, the participants did not agree on a statement of principles that the Forest Service had developed. We felt that the pre-written "statement" assumed problems exist that have never been proven (or even satisfactorily shown) to exist. TU would also not agree to any statement.

Note on Trail 8: Three bridges on trail 8 are closed due to sagging. Two bridges can be replaced with culverts and one bridge needs to be rebuilt. A section of trail 8 is closed from the bottom of the intersection with trail 9 to approximate where the old skidder (near turn to #10) is resting next to the trail. This means you cannot complete the loop on trail 8. We volunteered to do the work, but the Forest Service engineer seemed in no hurry to get the work done - maybe by next summer. Argh.

The rest of the meeting was similar to the previous Stakeholder meetings we have attended, where the Forest Service updated us on actions taken on their list of Tellico options:



Summary of status as of
November 19, 2007 
Short Term:

completed
not yet initiated
18 miles have been looked at
design is 80% completed
pending
not initiated - perhaps one year
 
Longer Term:

completed
no status
not started yet
no status
under way
no status
on-going
no new actions


This is not good news!

[sammy77]

i've sent my letter in. it would be very disappointing to see this area closed off to us. i am hoping to make a trip there this spring

[FugginZukin]

Friggin B.S.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=640323

[sammy77]

does anyone know if this is legit?   Friends Of Eldarado on myspace sent it out as a bullentin      

Today the USFS came out with their Closure Orders.

The Summary is:

1. A one-year closure of Lower Trail 2 (from the intersection with Road 420 west to Road 402), Trail 7, a portion of Trail 8 (from the intersection with Trail 9 to the intersection with Trail 10A), and Trail 9 in the Upper Tellico OHV area which prohibits operating motor vehicles on these trails during the closure period and sets penalties for violating the provisions of this Order.

2. A seasonal closure of the Upper Tellico OHV Area which prohibits operating motor vehicles on trails within the Area during the period between January 1 and March 31 each year and sets penalties for violating the provisions of this Order.

SFWDA in cooperation with UFWDA and BlueRibbon is evaluating these orders and will be responding accordingly.


http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=640323

Jan 1-Mar 31 TELLICO IS SCHEDULED TO BE CLOSED!!!!! If you have a trip planned during that time, pay attention!

[Blue Ridge Runner]

As bad as I hate to say it I saw this coming. Rarely does a Forest District reopen trails that have been closed for a limited period so don't expect those trails that are closed to ever reopen. I sold my rig last week so I guess I got out at the right time. What happens in the future will decide on weather I build another rig. Its a sad day in the offroad community. Tellico will never be the same. Thanks go out to those that supported the OHV community in the fight.

The FS has a history of caving in to the lawyers and tree hugging fanatics. Its truly a shame. Kep your eyes on the other FS parks. They could be next.

The economy of Murphy will feel the impact too. That also a shame.

[R/T]

The worst part? Look at this:
...Public involvement began on September 17, 2007 when a letter was mailed and emailed to groups and individuals known to be interested in management of the Upper Tellico OHV Area. The “scoping letter” requested comments on the proposed Forest Supervisor’s Orders. As a result, approximately 200 responses from individuals, groups, organizations and other government agencies were delivered to us by mail, emailed, phoned in or by personal visit to the District office. These responses conveyed numerous issues, and are summarized in the Response to Public Comments, in the project file.
Additionally, approximately 700 form letters were received by email from those people who supported any and all closures of the trail system. And approximately 400 form letters were received from people who favored trail repairs and reroutes, but not trail closures.
In the 30 day scoping period that began on September 17 newspaper articles were published in the Asheville Citizen-Times, The Cherokee Scout, and the Clay County Progress...

We should all be ashamed. Our playgrounds are being closed and it's our own fault. We'll never outnumber them but we can show more support than 400 letters. Write your letters people, send email and get involved before we lose all our places!

[sammy77]

400? is that it? i was really hoping to go to tellico (hadn't been yet) since everyone talks about it so highly. looks like i won't get to enjoy what othersw have in the past.   

[FugginZukin]

Comments and responses from the order.

http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/nepa/tusquitee/tellico_response_to_comments.pdf

[sammy77]

seems like the same answer over and over again. looks as if there isnt more public response we will end up losing our riding areas. if everyone that acted concerned on this matter would act on it, it wouldnt be a problem. but we all know how that goes   

[samurota]

  This may have been mentioned as I haven't read this whole thread but I got to to tellico a couple of weeks ago and I saw a couple of the trails.
 I also saw what I am seeing a lot of places such as the lake I live near. Real estate signs. Why do I see a national forest sign and then a real estate sign?
   This is all about money and the people that have the most of it are gonna win. Thats just my opinion but how many protesters do you see when they cut and pave roads thru the mountains and around the lakes and Build houses upon houses. How is this less destructive than a few 4wds riding thru the woods on old logging roads.
  Have you ever seen the forest after a logging operation ? the damage is 10 times worse than anything that has happened in Tellico in 30 years. Housing developments are 20 times worse damage because they don't go away with time the damage is permanent. I think the driving forces here are developers looking to make a buck. They may even start to sell off the national forests for development if we the people don't fight.
  My Rant Off

[cjackg]

  This may have been mentioned as I haven't read this whole thread but I got to to tellico a couple of weeks ago and I saw a couple of the trails.
 I also saw what I am seeing a lot of places such as the lake I live near. Real estate signs. Why do I see a national forest sign and then a real estate sign?
   This is all about money and the people that have the most of it are gonna win. Thats just my opinion but how many protesters do you see when they cut and pave roads thru the mountains and around the lakes and Build houses upon houses. How is this less destructive than a few 4wds riding thru the woods on old logging roads.
  Have you ever seen the forest after a logging operation ? the damage is 10 times worse than anything that has happened in Tellico in 30 years. Housing developments are 20 times worse damage because they don't go away with time the damage is permanent. I think the driving forces here are developers looking to make a buck. They may even start to sell off the national forests for development if we the people don't fight.
  My Rant Off

The Tellico OHV area is located entirely in the Nantahala National Forest and the only real estate signs you will see near there are at the yellow gates into the Tipton Creek Valley.  This valley was homesteaded in the '60s long before the Nantahala was established and there are a number of private cabins there.  Several of them are owned by offroaders you will meet on the trails...