Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128640
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Cro ss Count ry Series aboard RM 250based machinery.
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In a move that shocked off-highway vehicle (OHV ) use rs and raise d the ire o f
loc al governm ent offic ials. th e fed eral
Bu reau o f Land Man ag em en t sa id it
wou ld ban OHVs from 49,305
acres of Southern Califo rnia desert by
Thanksgiving. according to the AMA. The
ban affec ts part of the Algodones Dunes
area tha t inclu de s th e Imp erial Sand
Dunes Recreation Area. known to OHV
enthusiasts as Glamis. The closure is an
out-of-court sett lement. part of a lawsuit
filed by preserva tionist groups in March
that alleges the BLM violated the federal
Endangered Species Act , according to
the AMA. The suit alleges the BLM failed
to consult wit h the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service on the effect s of the BLM -administ ered California De sert Con serv at io n
Area Plan on a number of threatened and
endangered spec ies . In announc ing the
Glamis closure, the BLM warned that settlement negot iations continue and further
restrictions may be impo sed o n public
use s in o the r areas o f the C alif o rn ia
des ert. " This land cl osure is o utra geous.' said Royce Wood. AMA legislative affairs specialist. ' It' s another example of preservationists using the threat of
lawsuits to shut down OHV riding areas
instead of trying to accomplish their goals
through any process that allows for public
de ba te . We ' ve seen thls sam e ta c tic
used in Kentucky and Utah in an effort to
bully government officials. These groups
hope that federal agencies charged with
administering lands for all Americans will
cave in to their special-interest demands
and reach an out-of-court settlemen t
rather than face drawn-out and expensive
court battles. W hat' s part icularly egregious about thts latest action is that it further restric ts OHV use in an already limited riding area . the A lgodones Dunes
area . Over th e ye ars. fe deral o ff icials
have cut OHV access further and further
in the California desert. and it' s time for
that to stop.' The BLM agreed to close
more than 49.000 acres in the 150.000 acre Algodones Dunes area in recent set tlement negotiatio ns with preservationists . the AMA says. The preservationists
allege the ban was needed to protect the
endangered Peirson's milk-vetc h plant. a
member of the bean and pea family. The
sett lement earned court approval November 3. said Roxie Tro st . BLM o utdoor
recre ation planner. The BLM put s the
land closure at 49 .305 acres. The BLM
plans to post closure signs by November
22 . just in time for the busy Thanksgiving
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Buddy Antunez (Suz) came away with
a couple of wins at the second round of
the Nat iona l Arenacross Se ries at the
Peps i A re na in A lb any , N ew Yo rk .
November 10- 11. Antunez topped both
125cc mains Friday and Saturday night.
w hile Nick Metcalf (S uz) and Josh
Demuth (Kaw) split wins in the 250cc
mains. Antunez. the defending champion.
currently owns the series points lead with
146. followed by Demuth with 131 and
Denny Stephenson with 111.
The Lake Elsinore G rand Prix was held
over the N ovember 11-12 weekend in
Lake El sino re. C al if o rn ia. and Mike
Kiedrowski (Suz) won the premiere
race - the Hamel 100. Form er Nat ional
Enduro Champion Steve Hatch (Suz)
fin ished seco nd, fo llowed by Scott
M ye rs (KTM).
Nick Wey