Grassroots Groups Decry Discriminatory Public Land Use Legislation

The Partnership for America grassroots alliance and 30 other groups, including the National Center for Public Policy Research, the National Grange, the Property Rights Alliance, the California Forestry Association, the Blue Ribbon Coalition, and numerous California sportsmen groups and individuals, delivered a letter to Congress today regarding the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act.

H.R. 3682 would designate certain federal lands in Riverside County, Calif., as wilderness and it would designate certain river segments in Riverside County as a wild, scenic, or recreational river.

Partnership Vice President Darrell Henry wrote: "We believe that this bill, if passed, would unduly restrict public access and this legislation needs to be fully evaluated and vetted with the local public and interested citizens before any further action is taken."

Henry noted: "Overall, a wilderness designation is the most restrictive form of designation the federal government can employ. By definition, wilderness designations do not allow mechanized vehicles in the area, including bicycles and wheelchairs. As a result, these restrictions effectively deny access to whole categories of citizens who have a right to use public lands and discriminates against certain constituencies by locking them out of these areas."

H.R. 3682, sponsored by U.S. Representative Mary Bono, was included in a legislative hearing today by the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.

Said Henry: "Often, wilderness proposals create burdensome regulations on the land that go far beyond what is necessary and unduly restrict access to the public. We hope that the local communities and users of these public lands are able to provide input on this legislation and that House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rahall considers these points for all wilderness designations legislation that comes before his Committee."

Along with the National Center for Public Policy Research, the National Grange, the Property Rights Alliance, the California Forestry Association and the Blue Ribbon Coalition, other groups joining the Partnership include the American Land Rights Association, the Sportsmen's Council of Central California, Public Lands for the People, Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep, the Off-Road Business Association, the Safari Club International Orange County California Chapter, the California Off Road Vehicle Association, the Center for Access and Resource Defense, the American Motorcyclist Association, the American Sand Association, Citizens for Balanced Use, the San Diego Off-Road Association, the California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, Tierra del Sol Four Wheel Drive Club of San Diego, Stewards of the Sequoia, the Southern California Chapter of the California Deer Association, the Southern Sierra Fat Tire Association, Ventura County MC, Coalition of Arizona and New Mexico Counties, the Idaho State Snowmobile Association, the Idaho ATV Association, Framing Our Community Inc, and many individuals and businesses from California and the West.

The full text of the letter can be seen by clicking here: Coalition Letter

About The Partnership

The Partnership for America is a broad-based alliance of people who support a clean environment and a healthy, growing economy. The Partnership's membership includes more than 600 companies, associations, coalitions and individuals who collectively employ or represent more than one million citizens across America in the following sectors: farm/ranching, coal, timber/wood products, small businesses, utilities, hard rock mining, oil & gas, construction, manufacturing, property rights advocates, education proponents, recreational access advocates, county government advocates, local, state and federal elected officials, grassroots advocates and others.

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com