June 20 Father's Day Feature, Muddy Run Raceway, Smoke Run, PA. Information: 814/378-5723, www.MuddyRunRaceway.com.
June 20 Mid States Mud Racing Association mud race, Valentine, NE. Information: www.msmra.com.
June 24-27 Vegas to Reno off-road race. Information: Best in the Desert, 702/457-5775, www.bitd.com.
June 25-26 Dog Days of Summer Diesel Truck Event, Aberdeen, ID. Information: Bully Dog Technologies, 208/397-3200, e-mail shawn@bullydog.com
June 25-27 3rd Poconos Big Boulder Jeep Jamboree, Blakeslee, PA. Information: Jeep Jamboree USA, 530/333-4777, www.jeepjamboreeusa.com.
June 26 3rd Annual Central North Carolina 4x4 Truck Show and Swap Meet, North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, NC. Information: www.CNC4x4.org, e-mail Craig Scibetta, kscibetta@hotmail.com.
June 26 MDR 400 off-road race, Lucerne, CA. Information: Mojave Desert Racing, 626/442-0320, www.mdrracing.com.
June 26-27 CORR Lucas Oil Series Championship Off-Road Racing, Crandon, WI. Information: 317/272-2827, www.corracing.com.
June 26-27 2004 Rockport Off-Road Park's Rockcrawl Challenge, Rockport, IL. Information: 217/437-JEEP (5337).
June 26-27 8th Annual Southeastern 4Wheel Jamboree, Anderson, SC. Information: 317/236-6515, www.familyevents.com.
Political & Environmental Watch From SEMA's Washington, D.C., office:*The two government agencies that manage the bulk of federal lands, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, are reviewing their off-highway vehicle use policies. Concerns have been raised over the number of unplanned roads and trails, erosion, lack of quality off-road recreation opportunities, water degradation, and habitat destruction. The issue is consequential since the number of off-highway vehicles has increased from 5 million in 1972 to nearly 36 million in 2000. The USFS has established a task force to develop a cohesive policy on off-highway vehicle use beyond the current state-by-state, forest-by-forest approach. The USFS has formed two OHV working groups. The first team will consider what policies and regulations need to be revised to restrict OHVs to designated routes. The other team will focus on implementing the new policy, prohibiting cross-country travel off-road activity, and marking the designated routes. The USFS has pledged to work with OHV and environmental groups on the topic. A draft rule is expected this summer. Meanwhile, the BLM intends to review its OHV policies for the same reason and has also pledged to work with all the players in the debate.
*Off-highway-vehicle enthusiasts can celebrate the fact that three bills (HR 1662, S 369, S 2009) have been introduced in Congress to reform the Endangered Species Act. Since the law took effect in 1973, the ESA has denied OHV access to thousands of acres of land and spurred numerous lawsuits and endless debates over ESA designations. The reform legislation would establish minimum requirements for listing animals and plants on the ESA, including an appraisal of the species' status, its historical and current range, population trends, and threats. The bills would also require more field-tested, peer-reviewed scientific data to support listings. While there have been recent Committee hearings on the topic, passage of the legislation is unlikely in an election year since the issue is politically charged. Nevertheless, there is a growing consensus among government, environmental, and private sector interests that there needs to be more collaborative, incentive-based approaches toward protecting habitat and species. These could include more local input in decisions and "safe harbor" agreements that encourage private landowners to participate in land set-asides.
For more information on these and other legislative items that affect your hobby, visit the SEMA Action Network's Web site at www.semasan.com.