By Bryan Martin, CMC Assistant Director of Conservation
This spring, the CMC led a broad alliance of Colorado
recreation and conservation groups to pass House Bill 1069. The bill gives
state law officers authority to enforce off highway vehicle (OHV) rules and
regulations on federal lands in Colorado. The bill passed with bipartisan
support in both houses and was signed into law by Governor Ritter on Thursday,
March 20th at a signing ceremony in the Capitol.
In his speech before signing the bill into law, the Governor
said, “HB 1069 is a great example of how diverse stakeholders along with the
federal, state and local government can work together to address issues of
shared concern.” He continued, “The success of HB 1069 was grounded in the
unique collaboration among the hunting and angling, off-highway vehicle, and
conservation communities.”
Colorado Governor Bill Ritter greets CMC Conservation Assistant Director Bryan Martin
HB 1069 is the first law of its kind in the country.
Supporters include, but are not limited to, the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle
Coalition (COHVCO), the Colorado Wildlife Federation, the Colorado Mountain
Club, Trout Unlimited, The Wilderness Society, and Backcountry Hunters and
Anglers. These organizations recognize HB 1069 as an important step toward
ensuring the long-term sustainability of Colorado’s public lands. The bill will
protect the quiet, human-powered recreational experiences that Colorado
Mountain Club members seek when heading into the backcountry.
Unregulated OHV use has created user conflict issues on public
lands, with hikes and other quiet backcountry adventures being increasingly
interrupted by illegal OHV use. Moreover, misuse of OHVs has caused irreparable
damage to Colorado’s fragile ecosystems in alpine tundra and countless riparian
areas. HB 1069 aims to control hiker-rider
conflict and resource damage issues by increasing the pressure on OHV riders to
keep their vehicles where use has been designated.
In addition, Senate Bill 63 was signed by the Governor on
May 27th. This law will cap the noise emissions on OHVs and standardize the
testing process for state peace officers to enforce violations, which will make
it easier for penalties to stand up in court. The CMC supported the legislation
and negotiated the bill’s final language with the OHV community. The bill
appropriates $25,000 for equipment and training of state officers to enforce
the new law, and also funds an education program to inform OHV enthusiasts of
its requirements. The bill includes a “successor clause” that ensures that as
national standards require the engineering of quieter machines, Colorado’s law
will adopt the new (more restrictive) standards. Lastly, the bill reaffirms the
authority of local governments to establish “noise abatement” ordinances to
regulate noise in residential areas or during times of the day.
The Conservation department is proud to have forged a number
of strong relationships with key legislators and have built alliances with
diverse organizations throughout the state. We look forward to building on our
successes in 2009 and further solidifying the CMC’s role as a respected partner
in the establishment of public land management policy.