ATVAM News - June 14, 2018 Newsletter of the ATV Association of Minnesota (Est
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ATVAM News - June 14, 2018 Newsletter of the ATV Association of Minnesota (Est. 1983) Send us your comments, club news, photos and article ideas. Email them to: [email protected]. Forward this email to club partners and business sponsors if they aren't ATVAM members already. ATVAM members should be receiving this newsletter and MN OffRoad magazine. Let us know if you're not. Please note: Send member renewals to new mailing address: ATVAM, PO Box 300, Stacy, MN 55079 E-newsletters are now archived on atvam.org to refer back to on topics. In This e-Newsletter: -ATV Legislative Update For Session Just Ended -DNR Moves "Free Wheelin' Weekend" To September -Side-by-Sides: 10 Years In The Making -Ribbon-Cutting Held For New ATV Park In SW Minnesota -Resources For Parents Of Children Who Want To Ride -Club Rides & Work Days Coming Up -Thanks For Supporting ATV Minnesota ATVAM Legislative Update For Session Just Ended By Ray Bohn & Tom Hackbarth ATVAM Lobbyists May 28, 2018 (also printed in the June/July Minnesota OffRoad magazine) While ATVAM initiatives faired very well on paper in the 2018 Legislative Session, because of the inability of the legislative majority and the governor to come to compromises on big ticket items, pretty much all was lost to the governor's veto of the Omnibus Supplemental Finance Bill. With a large percentage of policy language and all finance legislation placed in one large bill (990 pages - -- SF3656) instead of in singular subjects, it placed the entire bill in jeopardy of a veto on any single policy issue within the bill. While the governor can line-item veto finance provisions, he cannot line-item veto policy provisions. Unfortunately, the governor had numerous provisions that he disagreed on with the legislature, and vetoed the bill shortly after the session concluded. He also announced that he would not call a special session in an attempt to get agreement. That leaves us empty-handed, except for one provision in the DNR Lands Bill (SF3168) which was passed and signed into law that will allow the DNR commissioner the authority to lease lands from 21 years to 30 years. We needed this provision to begin spending funds from our $1 million bonding appropriation from last year's bonding bill for the Prospectors Trail project. OHV items included in the vetoed Supplemental Finance Bill included in the Environmental and Natural Resources Article 19 (Page 143) Sect 3: - $100,000 per year for Quad Cities Trail. -$200,000 from the ORV account for state touring routes. -$200,000 for comp master plan for ORVs. -$200,000 reimburse claimants for increased use of ORVs. -$315,000 from ATV, OHM and ORV account for matching funds for $850,000 bonding request. -$300,000 from the ATV, OHM, and ORV accounts for Prospectors Trail. -$100,000 from the ATV account for work on the Taconite State Trail. -$40,000 from the ATV account to develop a voluntary online training program for youth ATV training for ages 6-9. Sect 6 - Deleted language on Moose Trail to provide more flexibility in siting the trail. Sect 8 - Deleted ATVs from the snorkel prohibition provision. Sect 11 - Updated the ATV & Snowmobile DUI provisions to be consistent with auto Provisions (passed also in HF). Sect 12 - Changed the mandatory youth training certification provision to apply to 10- 12 year old youth, and instituted a voluntary online training program for youth 6-9 with parent or guardian present. Give the commissioner the authority to also develop a hands-on training program for youth 6-9 years of age. $1.5 million in bonding funds were provided for the Mille Lacs East ATV loop trail (HF1226). No bonding funds were provided for the Voyageur Trail in the bonding bill. Here is the URL for the Supplemental Finance bill, if you would like to view the vetoed bill: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF3656&version=latest&session =ls90&session_year=2018&session_number=0 DNR Moves "Free Wheelin Weekend" To September From a MN DNR press release, dated June 7th, (the day before Quadna Mud Nationals): Minnesota's "no registration weekend" for all- terrain vehicles (ATVs), which was scheduled for June 8-10, has been postponed until Sept. 7-9, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Minnesota DNR OHV Interactive Map shows all the State Trails, with details on parking, campgrounds, directions The change will and much more. See it at this link: allow for the https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ohv/interactive_map/index.html completion of new trails, including a 159- mile route that will connect several communities in northwestern Itasca County and a trail that will connect Balsam and Bigfork. On Sept. 7-9, Minnesotans with an ATV registered for private or agricultural use, won't need to pay the additional registration fee ($53.50 for three years) to ride the state's public ATV trails. Out-of-state riders can explore Minnesota ATV trails that weekend as well, without the need for a nonresident trail pass ($21 annually). This will be the fifth year Minnesota is providing ATV riders with free access to more than 3,000 miles of state forest and grant-in-aid trails. There are a variety of great ATV- riding opportunities in the state, according to Mary Straka, off- highway vehicle program consultant for the DNR Parks and Trails Division. Among them: The Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area, which is a 1,200-acre OHV park in Gilbert with 36 miles of scenic trails for riders of all abilities. The 100-mile trail system in Nemadji State Forest, which connects to the Matthew Lourey State Trail and the Gandy Dancer Trail. The 29-mile Spider Lake trail system in Foot Hills State Forest, where riders can curve around lakes and ponds, go up and down a variety of hills, and view overlooks from the ridges throughout the forest. The 200-mile Northwoods Regional Trail System in Aitkin and Itasca counties, where riders can use the Soo Line Trail to connect to great communities and trail loops. The DNR advises riders to keep safety in mind when out on the trails. In particular: Safety training is required for ATV riders born after July 1, 1987, and it is recommended for everyone that operates an ATV. Kids under age 18 must wear a DOT-certified helmet. Kids age 16 and under must fit the ATV they are operating and be able to properly reach and control the handlebars and reach the foot pegs while sitting upright on the ATV. Trail maps, updates on trail conditions, youth ATV Safety training and other OHV information can be found online at www.mndnr.gov/ohv . Ten Years In The Making 2008: 1 sport SxS 2018: 10o+ models There are almost 300 different utility/trail and sport SxS models available in 2018, and you could see a good many of them last weekend at the Quadna Mud Nationals. (Photo from Quadna Mountain Park Facebook page) Twenty years ago there were three Utility Vehicles (UTVs): John Deere Gator, Polaris Ranger and Yamaha Rhino. Today there are 179 different models.* Ten years ago, in 2008, the Polaris RZR, the first 50-inch sport side-by-side, came on the scene. Today, there are over 100 sport models to choose from. In that time, the average price of a sport SxS jumped from $10,000 to over $18,000.* Of course, along with it came huge advances in power, suspension and handling, not to mention length, width and weight. And the growth of a whole new industry of aftermarket equipment and accessories surrounding the SxS platform. Plus many organized SxS clubs and Facebook SxS rider groups across the country. Many of today's ATVs and SxSs, from the smallest to the largest, were at this year's High Lifter Quadna Mud Nationals, held June 8-10 at the Quada Mountain Park just south of Hill City. *Source: Powersports Business magazine ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As always, ATV Minnesota had a booth at Mud Nats, promoting Minnesota's outstanding trail systems, and dedicated, trail-building ATVAM clubs. From George Radke, ATVAM president: "ATVAM was there from Thursday morning through the weekend. We spoke with lots of folks from all over the U.S. and Canada. Many were looking forward to riding the trails in the area. Like a couple from Texas; they have some riding areas but not trails at home and they thought our trails were great! We made lots of great contacts and hope to see a lot of these folks back riding in Minnesota!" Thanks to the Radkes, the Devines and Bob Jacobson for visiting with riders at the ATVAM booth this year at Mud Nats! And thanks to the North Woods Quads for all the work they put into the event! Harlan Kingsley with North Woods Quads, working the ATV Pull. Ribbon-Cutting Held For New ATV Park In Southwest Minnesota As reported in the March ATVAM newsletter, Lyon County in far southwest Minnesota approved a plan for an ATV trail system located near Russell, with the Southwest Ridgerunners snowmobile club offering to add the trail's maintenance to its snowmobile trail work for the first year. The trail is expected to open for the July 4th weekend, as reported in the following article, dated June 4, 2018, in the Marshall Independent newspaper: RUSSELL - It was a work in progress for quite some time, but the Shady Oaks Native Prairie Adventure Park has gotten approval to be open to the public. Amidst the many activities that were part of the 130th annual Russell Bandwagon Days on Saturday was a ribbon-cutting ceremony that was meant to mark the opening of the all-terrain vehicle and side by side park in rural Russell.