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DATE:
Friday, August 5, 2005
TO: INTERESTED SNOWMOBILERS
FROM: Christine Jourdain, American Council of Snowmobile Associations
As you probably know, the Highway Bill passed (finally!!)
last week out of conference committee. It appears it will be signed by the
President next week. There are a lot of details that are not readily available,
but we've been able to get some of the basic details.
The final amount for the Recreational Trails Program is $370 Million, which
breaks down:
2005 $60 Million
2006 70 Million
2007 75 Million
2008 80 Million
2009 85 Million
This is an increase of approximately 64% from the TEA-21 levels. Not as much as
we requested, but an increase, nonetheless, in a very tight budget.
A big win for motorized users, THANKS to the snowmobilers, is the deletion of
the 30/30 waiver provision, except for small states -- which are defined as
states less 3,500,00 acres.
Another addition is the authorization of funding for non-law enforcement trail
safety and trail-use monitoring patrol programs and trail-related training from
5% allowable for use on educational programs for safety and environmental
protection.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK: Yeah!! Another victory in Congress last week
when a rider was successfully attached to the Interior Appropriations bill that
directs the National Park Service to keep in effect this coming winter a rule
that authorizes use of up to 720 snowmobiles each day in the Park. This is in
effect, blocks the federal courts from barring the use of snowmobiles this
winter.
That does not mean the battle is over -- we're still there which does not please
many of the green groups. They're still doing their best to get the gates
closed and locked on us .... they continue to try to wear us down.
We need you to send a letter, very simple if you just click on our website,
www.snowmobilers.org. Print off the letter -- as many times as you need to
get signatures from all of your family members and friends, then send it in.
Time is of the essence, so please don't delay -- do it today.
If your snowmobile club has an upcoming event, take some letters with you. If
your family is having a family reunion, take some letters with you. Numbers
count -- and unfortunately we always lose there. With your added help, maybe we
can up our numbers this time around!!
Thanks to each and every one of you for your help!! Battles like these cannot
be won without the hard work and passion that every snowmobiler has!!
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