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CLOSURE AVERTED AT CLEAR CREEK MANAGEMENT AREA
 HOLLISTER, CA (Jan. 20) - Motorized
recreation will continue to be a significant use
at a popular California area, despite the desire
of some to eliminate that use entirely. The
Clear Creek Management Area (CCMA), managed by
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), has been
under attack for several years by anti-access
groups seeking to close one of the most popular
off-road riding areas in Central California and
an area identified as one of the best riding
areas in the entire United States.
In November, 2004 those groups filed a
lawsuit in federal court seeking the closure of
the area and challenging the BLM’s management of
the CCMA. The BlueRibbon Coalition, a national
non-profit recreation group (BRC), spearheaded
an effort by motorized recreation interests to
intervene in this case in order to help to
protect public access to the CCMA.
The lawsuit remains pending, and opponents to
vehicle access have filed numerous motions
seeking immediate judicial imposition of travel
restrictions, none of which have been granted.
"Recreationists appreciate the Court's
understanding of the bigger picture at the CCMA
and its appropriate deference to the ongoing
planning process," noted Paul Turcke, a Boise,
Idaho, attorney representing the Salinas
Ramblers Motorcycle Club, the American
Motorcyclist Association District 36, the
California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs,
the California Off Road Vehicle Association, the
Off Road Business Association and the BlueRibbon
Coalition in the lawsuit.
Before and during the lawsuit the Bureau of
Land Management has been working on a travel
management plan for the area. On January 13,
2006, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
released its Record of Decision restricting
vehicle travel in the CCMA to designated routes
and areas.
While the off-road community expressed relief
upon reviewing this latest federal management
action because it continues to allow
recreational use of the area, BRC and member
organizations are dissatisfied by the
accompanying planning process that failed to
incorporate many changes to the new plan
recommended by the OHV community. The riders had
provided input and suggested alternatives that
they hoped would provide greater resource
protection while also enhancing the recreational
experience. The organized recreation community
does not oppose the concept of restricting
travel to designated routes, but felt the
proposed plan went too far, unnecessarily
eliminating access to many desirable areas, and
could unjustifiably increase the likelihood of
accidents and injuries.
Don Amador, western representative for the
BlueRibbon Coalition, states, "Our work is far
from finished at CCMA and we encourage the BLM
to open a dialogue with the OHV community to
discuss the areas where this management plan can
be improved. It is far from perfect, but it
gives us a baseline network which we hope to
build upon to meet a legitimate and growing
recreation demand.”
”It is always difficult for riders and even
the agency to move from ‘open’ or unrestricted
travel management prescriptions to ‘limited’
plans where OHV use is allowed only on
designated routes. However, many successful
federal recreation programs have made such a
move including the BLM’s Cow Mountain Recreation
Area, the Stonyford OHV Area on the Mendocino
National Forest, and the Millican Plateau OHV
Area near Bend, Oregon,” Amador concluded.
Under the newly-released decision, travel in
the CCMA will be limited to about 270 miles of
designated trails and 480 acres of designated
"barrens." A hearing on "all pending motions" in
the lawsuit is set for February 24, 2006.
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