I wrote Duncan Hunter a month ago and asked for his position on S. 2921, the California Desert Protection Act of 2010.
Dear Michael,
Knowing of your interest in issues affecting recreational off-highway vehicles (OHVs), I wanted to update you on a couple of important items. It seems that no matter what efforts are taken to preserve and protect our natural resources, there are always some advocating for the closure of existing public lands as the only means of accomplishing this goal. I completely disagree with this approach and believe we must remain diligent in our efforts to ensure that our nation's public lands remain open and accessible to the American people for enjoyment and recreation.
As you may know, Senator Dianne Feinstein has introduced S. 2921, the California Desert Protection Act of 2010. This legislation would designate hundreds of thousands of acres in the California desert as a national monument, making it off-limits for recreation, development and even renewable energy projects. If this sounds familiar, it is because it has happened before. Senator Feinstein introduced, and Congress passed similar legislation back in 1994 and today there are currently over seven million acres of California desert designated as wilderness. This new legislation has the potential to affect many of the areas that are popular destinations for thousands of San Diego families. Places like Death Valley, Mojave Trails, Joshua Tree, Indian Pass, Buzzard Peak, Golden Valley, Kingston Ranch and San Gorgonio all will be affected should this legislation be passed into law.
Some OHV groups and organizations have offered support for this legislation as a compromise to keep other desert areas open to public use. We need, however, to be very cautious and prudent with our approach given it is almost impossible to reverse land use restrictions once they have been put in place. I remain concerned that legislation such as the California Desert Protection Act, and other bills like it, ignore the negative effects public land use restrictions have on accessibility for recreational users. Further many times such measures do not properly take into account the economic losses of communities whose local economies depend on these areas to generate revenue.
Another issue of importance involves the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which implemented new, stringent lead standards in accordance with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This legislation was originally designed to improve safety standards and protect people, particularly kids, from harmful substances. Unfortunately, the CPSC went way overboard by eliminating or severely limiting the availability of motorcycles, engines, brakes, wheels, tires, and suspension parts due to concerns over lead exposure to children. As a result, large inventories of products, which present no health risk to children, were rendered illegal and removed from the shelves of stores across the country.
The CPSC is empowered with the ability to grant an exemption under certain conditions. Despite being contacted by several Members of Congress, including myself, and affected small businesses and OHV users all across the country, the CPSC has yet to resolve this matter. While the Commission has granted a temporary stay of enforcement for youth-size OHVs, this action has provided only temporary relief from this overzealous regulation and is not a permanent solution.
That is why I have cosponsored H.R. 1587, legislation that does what the CPSC failed to do by granting an exemption for specific OHV products and materials that do not result in the absorption of lead into the human body. This action will maintain the intent of the CPSIA law to protect children, while also addressing the unintended consequences that have resulted since its passage. H.R. 1587 has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee for further consideration.
Please be assured that I will continue monitoring these important issues, working to ensure that our public lands remain open to off-roading and other outdoor recreational activity and that the rights of OHV users are protected. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let me know and I would encourage you to visit my website at
www.hunter.house.gov where you can e-mail me and register for regular e-mail updates and access other information about activity in Congress on the issues that are most important to you.
Sincerely,
Duncan Hunter
Member of Congress
Please visit my website at hunter.house.gov to sign up for my e-newsletter and receive electronic updates.
