Sand Dune Buggy group to hold protest rally for amendment of the Endangered Species Act

Posted 5/13/04

To Fellow Concerned Americans:

The American Sand Association is having a Protest Rally at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service(FWS) office in Carlsbad, CA. The date is set for Friday, June 11th. The Endangered Species Act need to be amended.

This ACT is broken, This ACT affects us ALL. For years we have talked about amending this ACT. Now is the TIME.

Rep. Richard Pombo the Chair of the House Resources Committee is
attempting to get this done, he needs our HELP. Last week, his committee began the first of several hearings on proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act. For the last 12 years, Pombo has been on a mission to rewrite the law, which he argues saves few species and tramples on the rights of farmers, ranchers and other landowners.

The ESA has become a most effective tool in the hands of the
preservationist and those intent on destroying the livelihoods of millions of Americans. Remember Klamath Falls!!!

This will be a NATIONAL campaign along with a letter generator hosted on several websites. The letter/phone/fax campaign we hope will cover ALL issues regarding "WHY" this Act must be reformed. Please get the date out for this protest now. Only 30 DAYS TO GO!!!

Since this ACT affects us ALL in different ways, please edit the story
below (OHV version attached) to fit your main concerns and issues on how this ACT affects you.

Please join us and spread this message out Far and WIDE. REFORM THE ESA

Thanks for your support,

Jim Colln
Board Member
American Sand Association
http//www.americansandassociation.org

HOW MUCH MORE LAND ARE WE WILLING TO LOSE???

We must face this question. Unless we REFORM THE Endangered Species Act (ESA) now, the possibility of losing your favorite riding area could be tomorrow.

Don't think so? Remember 17,000 acres open at Pismo Beach (now 1,500)? Remember the Kelso Dunes (87,000 acres) 100% CLOSED? Remember Rice Valley Dunes, Cadiz Dunes, Panamint Dunes, Eureka Dunes, Saline Dunes, Ibex Dunes, 1000 Palms Dunes, Borrego Dunes, Pinto Dunes, Whitewater Dunes, Chuckwalla Dune Thicket? All 100% CLOSED. This is only a PARTIAL list!

Remember when the Imperial Sand Dunes (ISDRA, Glamis, Buttercup) had 49,300 more acres to ride just a few years ago? The list of closures is long and anti-access activists want to see the list get longer. They are using the ESA to do it.

The (ESA) needs to be reformed before you lose YOUR favorite riding area. Don't wait until it happens. Imagine arriving at your favorite place only to find a CLOSED Sign. IT HAPPENS! All it could take is a newly listed bug, creature, or plant and YOU ARE OUT: all due to this poorly written and heavily abused Act.

On Friday, June 11th, come join hundreds of fellow OHV users and the Public to protest at the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) office in Carlsbad. This office has demonstrated their reluctance to use good science in listing species such as the Peirson's Milk-Vetch (PMV) at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area.

To make an impact, we need hundreds of trucks, motorhomes, toy haulers, trailers, jeeps, street-legal toys and NOISE to go with them. We need to assemble so that the media, BLM, and FWS get our message: THE ESA IS BROKEN AND WE WANT IT FIXED.

Our future recreation on public lands depends on this fatally flawed law being rewritten. For more information please see the ASA website at: http://www.asasand.org or Email to: volunteers@americansandassociation.org or call: 1-714-229-0286

Meet at one of the 3 following businesses at 10:00 AM on Friday June 11th for pre-rally information and instructions on OUR protest at the FWS office in Carlsbad.

IT IS TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE!!!

B&R Buggies, 1523 So.Coast Hwy, Oceanside (Oceanside Blvd exit off the I-5) Mech-Tech Motorsports, 1277 Simpson Way, Escondido (Near 78 / 15 Intersection) ACE Coolers, 7852 Raytheon Road, San Diego (Between 52, 163 and 805 FWY)