The Whine of ATV’s

In 2000, the University of Vermont School of Natural Resources conducted exhaustive research on the Environmental and Social Effect of ATVs and ORVs, upon which the ANR based it’s 2001 recommendation that public lands not be made available for ATV use.  This study cited numerous environmental impacts beyond those that might be controlled by “good behaviors” on the part of the riders.  Without the benefit of contradictory evidence, and despite objections from both the general public and the environmental community, in January 2010, former Governor Douglas (aided and abetted by a more submissive ANR) went ahead and opened the door for ATV use on state lands.

Then-Senator Peter Shumlin never made a secret of his opposition to allowing ATV trails to cross state lands. He expressed this opposition even before announcing his candidacy and never wavered.  Why then does it come as such a surprise to some that one of his first moves as Governor is to rescind the limited permit for this activity ?

In today’s Free Press Danny Hale, chief executive of VASA, the Vermont All Terrain Vehicle Sportsman’s Association, is quoted as saying of Shumlin:

“This is just political payback for the people who voted for him,”

Say what?  So now it’s wrong somehow to live-up to your campaign positions…because the majority, who supported you based on your principles expect you to do so?  Not the best argument to make, Mr. Hale!  

Overlooking the unlikelihood that supporters of ATV use on public lands voted for Shumlin in the last election, ATV rider, Lloyd Church of Townsend, threatened political retribution of a different stripe:

“Two percent of the people put the governor in, so when he runs next year, talk to your neighbor. A three percent change could take him out,” Church told the meeting.

Governor Shumlin has expressed his willingness to meet with VASA to discuss the issue, and that’s all well and good; but 3,000 VASA members insisting that they have a “right” to use state lands for recreation, should not be overly indulged.  Of course they have a right to that use, but that right is subject to the same limits observed by all the non-ATV-riders in the state.  If my idea of recreation is to build the perfect campfire, that doesn’t give me the “right” to build one in the middle of the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail!

Impacts to the natural environment aside, the vast majority of Vermonters do not wish to ride ATV’s on state lands; nor, I’d wager to guess, are they particularly happy about encountering ATV’s as they hike or stroll through state lands.  The argument made by VASA that the elderly or disabled cannot access state lands unless ATV’s are permitted is simply disingenuous.  There are channels available by special permission for these populations to be transported onto state lands, on a case-by-case basis. Once there, most elderly and disabled users would find the experience much more pleasant without the threat of ATV’s bearing noisily down upon them.

So quit yer whining, VASA.  It’s not all about you.  The rest of us have rights, too.

About Sue Prent

Artist/Writer/Activist living in St. Albans, Vermont with my husband since 1983. I was born in Chicago; moved to Montreal in 1969; lived there and in Berlin, W. Germany until we finally settled in St. Albans.

14 thoughts on “The Whine of ATV’s

  1. I was hoping this wouldn’t have been taken back. I was waiting for the flood gates to open and the state contracts to go out for paving the Long Trail (sort of like the Blue Ridge and Skyline Drive) so I can drive from one end of the state to the other, enjoying in 3-4 hours what takes some folks 3-4 weeks… walking! How quaint and ‘Vermont’ is that.

    Between the soda tax and the ATV ban on public lands those crazy tree hugging local food eating walking and bicycling everywhere libruls are gonna make everyone skinny and healthy before long.

    No more fat and happy for you!

  2. How dare you restrict my freedom to infringe on everyone else’s!

    People that go to state parks to get away from ‘civilization’ should have to stand aside when ATVs blast through the trail, polluting noise from miles in every direction, raising clouds of dust and belching poison fumes for those evil liberal hikers to have to breathe, ruining all the fun for everyone that doesn’t drive these gas-wasting and earth destroying vehicles.

    How dare my children think they deserve a future, when I want to ruin the atmosphere now!

    Besides, I am so fat and lazy can’t walk more than 15 feet without needing to stop and catch my breath, so the only way I get to enjoy the wilderness is when I am bombing through it at 30 miles an hour, laughing at those non-motorized users diving out of my way.  

    Take that, stupid liberals!  How dare any of you think for a second that you have any rights at all, when my rights to ruin everything are clearly more important than your so-called rights!

    Didn’t you see the sign?  Take Back Vermont! That means to take it away from non-motorized users, too!

  3. The politics started with Douglas ignoring process.

    ANR Sec.Markowitz pointed out that the rule [disallowing ATVs] was not adopted in response to a law from the legislature.

    A bi-partisan legislative rules committee agreed unanimously that Governor Douglas did not have the authority to adopt the rule allowing ATV in the first place.Also a court challenge was underway.  

  4. “I’m really disappointed. I’m a taxpayer, too,” said rider Dan Healy. “We deserve to use state land like everybody else.”

    And that’s exactly how you can use it, Dan: like everybody else.

  5. I own and use an ATV. I bought it for utility. Instead of firing up the tractor for small tasks, I use the ATV. The ATV is much less damaging to the landscape and an added bonus is I don’t have to breath diesel exhaust.

    While I think ATV’s have their place, I simply do not agree with VASA and with creating a trail system across state lands. Make no mistake, ATV’s are damaging to the landscape. Illegal ATV use is rampant. The combination of the two is a recipe for disaster.

    The notion that legal trails reduces illegal use is complete nonsense.  A trail system is an enabler. It’s been shown over and over again that rules, laws, maps, and enforcement do not contain illegal behavior on trails like the ones proposed. VASA’s stance that people can reduce illegal use on their land by creating a legal trail defies common sense. Where’s the 3rd option: no ATV’s on your land?

    Even without illegal use and environmental issues, ATVs running through state lands would ruin the solitude and the experience that state lands provide. When visiting these places, people need to leave their ATV at home.

  6. want to start ‘VAST – Vermont Association of Sustainable Travelers’ for those of us that bike / walk (skate, bus, etc) and park the gas guzzlers as much as we can.

    But considering that one of the first things we did when we got to the moon was to unload the car and drive all over the place… (and play golf!) – I don’t have much hope for attracting thousands of people to the movement.

    Motor culture. Its embedded pretty deeply in some folks.

  7. The action taken by Gov. Shumlin and Sec. Markowitz to begin to reverse this rule is a great first step. It is extremely encouraging to see the administration take this position. I and others at the Conservation Law Foundation would like to congratulate the Shumlin administration on standing up for what a huge majority of Vemonters want – environmental protection of our treasured state lands.

    While all of this is very exciting, please remember that this is not the end of this issue! If you care about your state lands please submit a letter to the editor of your local newspaper voicing your support, call Sec. Markowitz (deb.markowitz@state.vt.us)and Gov. Shumlin to thank them, and comment on blogs. This is going to be test for the Shumlin administration of how strong public support for strong stances on environmental issues like this is. We must answer by showing our support with great enthusiasm.

    This is critical issue for all of those who care about environmental issues and environmental public policy in the future. I am very excited to see all of the support on this blog, particularly from responsible ATV users like Pete. Now we ask you all to take the next step and make your support public. All of your help is greatly needed, and greatly appreciated! Spread the word!

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