By Stuart Gosswein

The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for an off-road vehicle (ORV) management plan within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA). The Glen Canyon NRA encompasses over 1.25 million acres in Utah and Arizona. A general management ORV plan was first published in 1979.

A 2008 court settlement agreement requires an updated plan which the NPS has been subsequently pursuing. The EIS evaluates the impact of five ORV management alternatives ranging from no action to an ORV ban. The NPS has recommended Alternative E, a mixed-use plan for designating specific areas for ORV use and prohibiting use in other areas. Permits would be required for all off-road travel and motor vehicles could not exceed a sound level of 96 decibels when operated.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By Stuart Gosswein

The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for an off-road vehicle (ORV) management plan within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA). The Glen Canyon NRA encompasses over 1.25 million acres in Utah and Arizona. A general management ORV plan was first published in 1979.

A 2008 court settlement agreement requires an updated plan which the NPS has been subsequently pursuing. The EIS evaluates the impact of five ORV management alternatives ranging from no action to an ORV ban. The NPS has recommended Alternative E, a mixed-use plan for designating specific areas for ORV use and prohibiting use in other areas. Permits would be required for all off-road travel and motor vehicles could not exceed a sound level of 96 decibels when operated.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By Eric Snyder

President Obama used his power under the Antiquities Act to unilaterally expand Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Oregon and the California Coastal National Monument. Despite opposition from local residents and elected officials, the designations increase the monuments by 42,000 acres and 5,000 acres, respectively. President Obama has now designated or expanded 34 national monuments and set aside 550 million acres of public lands and waters as monuments, national parks and wilderness.

However, the fate of some of these designations is unclear, as western leaders in Congress are asking President-elect Trump to reverse many of these designations. No president has ever reversed the designations of their predecessors to date, although Congress may overturn or reduce the size of national monuments through legislation.

SEMA supports legislation to curtail the president’s power to unilaterally designate national monuments by requiring their approval by Congress and the impacted state legislature(s). The issue is consequential since national monuments automatically prohibit new roads or trails for motorized vehicles and require a new land-management plan be drafted that could lead to more road closures.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By Eric Snyder

President Obama used his power under the Antiquities Act to unilaterally expand Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in Oregon and the California Coastal National Monument. Despite opposition from local residents and elected officials, the designations increase the monuments by 42,000 acres and 5,000 acres, respectively. President Obama has now designated or expanded 34 national monuments and set aside 550 million acres of public lands and waters as monuments, national parks and wilderness.

However, the fate of some of these designations is unclear, as western leaders in Congress are asking President-elect Trump to reverse many of these designations. No president has ever reversed the designations of their predecessors to date, although Congress may overturn or reduce the size of national monuments through legislation.

SEMA supports legislation to curtail the president’s power to unilaterally designate national monuments by requiring their approval by Congress and the impacted state legislature(s). The issue is consequential since national monuments automatically prohibit new roads or trails for motorized vehicles and require a new land-management plan be drafted that could lead to more road closures.

For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.

By Stuart Gosswein

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to ban the production and use of trichloroethylene (TCE) as a vapor degreaser. This follows a recent EPA proposal to ban such TCE use when in aerosol form. TCE is a volatile organic compound that is primarily used to process refrigerants.  It is also used in some consumer commercial products as a metal degreasing solvent since it is relatively inexpensive, has a low fire risk, quickly evaporates and requires no rinsing.

Vapor degreasing is associated with a variety of occupations, including metal fabrication and plating, electronics assembly and repair shops. The EPA has identified some potential TCE health risks that can be addressed by switching to alternative chemicals.

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

By Steve McDonald

Legislation was introduced to provide that motor vehicles registered as pleasure cars may display only a single plate on the rear of the vehicle. Under Vermont law, “pleasure cars” are defined as most all power propelled vehicles, except for many work vehicles including farm tractors, vehicles running only upon stationary rails or tracks, motorized highway building equipment, road-making appliances, snowmobiles, tracked vehicles or electric personal-assistive mobility devices.

The bill will be considered by the House Transportation Committee.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By Steve McDonald

A House Joint Resolution to create a mileage-based user fee study committee to determine the feasibility of implementing such a program instead of the gas tax was introduced. The resolution would require a study of a mile-based user fee and require the committee to submit a report to the General Assembly by December 31, 2018.

In addition to creating privacy concerns, the results of the committee’s study could penalize national efforts to create a more fuel-efficient vehicle fleet by taxing drivers based on vehicle mileage. As gas tax revenues decrease due to hybrid and electric vehicle ownership, states are looking for new sources of funding for pet projects.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By Steve McDonald

A House Joint Resolution to create a mileage-based user fee study committee to determine the feasibility of implementing such a program instead of the gas tax was introduced. The resolution would require a study of a mile-based user fee and require the committee to submit a report to the General Assembly by December 31, 2018.

In addition to creating privacy concerns, the results of the committee’s study could penalize national efforts to create a more fuel-efficient vehicle fleet by taxing drivers based on vehicle mileage. As gas tax revenues decrease due to hybrid and electric vehicle ownership, states are looking for new sources of funding for pet projects.

For more information, visit the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By Steve McDonald

Legislation to provide for the issuance of a single rear-mounted license plate for motor vehicles that were originally equipped without a bracket, device or other means to display and secure a front license plate was introduced.

The bill will be considered by the Montana House Transportation Committee. 

For more information, go to the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. 

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

By Steve McDonald

Legislation to provide for the issuance of a single rear-mounted license plate for motor vehicles that were originally equipped without a bracket, device or other means to display and secure a front license plate was introduced.

The bill will be considered by the Montana House Transportation Committee. 

For more information, go to the SEMA Action Network (SAN) website. 

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.