Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 13:21:43 -0600
From: Wildlands CPR/ROAD-RIP <WildlandsCPR@wildrockies.org>
Subject: road ripper's alert
Howdy folks -
It's been quite a while since we've put out an alert on this e-mail
network. Sorry for neglecting it. But we have a bunch of information to
share with you and one alert as well.
In this "alert," you'll find the following:
1. Wildlands CPR job announcement
2. New information available on Wildlands CPR website
3. southern california road alert - letter writing request
Happy Ripping-
The folks at Wildlands CPR
____________________________________________________
1. Wildlands CPR Job Announcement
Job Description
ORV Campaign Coordinator
Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads (Wildlands CPR) revives and protects
wild places by promoting road removal and revegetation, preventing road
construction and limiting motorized recreation. We are a national
clearinghouse and resource center for information and resources to help
individuals fight roads and motorized recreation.
Wildlands CPR is looking for an energetic, motivated, self-directed,
experienced, ORV Campaign Coordinator to develop and implement a national
campaign to challenge off-road vehicle abuse of public lands. Working
together with several regional (e.g. MT Wilderness Society, SUWA) and
national (e.g. Wilderness Society, American Lands Alliance) organizations,
we are already involved in many aspects of this campaign and have a working
campaign plan, though it is still in the beginning stages. In addition, we
have a resource specialist developing activist tools for challenging ORVs.
A visionary ORV Campaign Coordinator will shape and develop this campaign
and Wildlands CPR's niche within it.
Specifically, the ORV Campaign Coordinator will:
1) Develop and implement an ambitious, multi-year campaign to limit ORV use
on National Forests, BLM and Park Service land;
2) Work with grassroots organizations and individuals throughout the nation
to help them participate locally and contribute effectively to the national
campaign to limit ORV use of public lands;
3) Plan and implement campaign-related media and organizing efforts; and
4) Work out of either the Missoula, MT or Boulder, CO offices of Wildlands
CPR; and travel extensively (up to 1/4 of time) to work directly with
grassroots and national organizations to plan and implement this campaign.
In addition to his/her main responsibilities, the ORV Campaign Coordinator
will also:
1) Work with the Director and Development Director to develop the major
fundraising strategy for this campaign;
2) Meet with foundations and major donors to articulate the nature and
strategic importance of this campaign; and
3) Provide articles for our print and e-mail newsletters regarding the ORV
campaign.
We desire the following experience and qualities in the ORV Campaign
Coordinator:
• At least 2 years previous experience with national or major regional
campaigns;
• Experience in collaboratively planning strategy for campaigns;
• Experience in public speaking/written communications;
• Knowledge/understanding of conservation biology;
• Ability and desire to travel as much as 1/4 of the year;
• Motivation and enthusiasm; and
• Demonstrated commitment to grassroots environmental work.
This is a permanent, full-time staff position, with health care provided.
Salary range $25-28,000 DOE. Send cover letter, resume and contact
information for three references familiar with your
campaign/grassroots/public work by September 15, 1999 to Wildlands CPR: PO
Box 7516; Missoula, MT 59807; 406/543-9551; WildlandsCPR@wildrockies.org
(hard copy applications preferred, though feel free to contact us by e-mail
for other questions).
__________________________
2. New information available on Wildlands CPR website
Jim Coefield just completed adding quite a bit of information to the Wildlands
Center for Preventing Roads website that may be of use to you. If you have
questions about this material, please direct them to
WildlandsCPR@wildrockies.org
The additions include the following:
There are three sections of Notes from their newsletter, the Road RIPorter,
Bibliography Notes, Legal Notes, and Field Notes. The Notes include full
citations, with bibliographies and legal references. The Field Notes are 8
1/2 x 11 PDFs that can be printed out and used by field activists for
monitoring and other purposes.
Here is a listing of what's available:
Bibliography Notes
(http://www.wildrockies.org/WildCPR/biblionotes/biblio-index.html):
* Road Removal Helps Restore Watersheds (report too). Oetzmann. v1.2
* ORVs Erode Fragile Desert Soil. Walder. v1.3
* Snowmobiles Stress Wildlife in Winter. Smith & Everett. v1.4
* Roads Impact Elk Habitat, Decrease Wildlife Security. Walder. v1.5
* ORV Effects on Appalachian Ecosystems (forest ecosystems).
Chinn, Fristch & Kalisz. v1.6
* Like Oil and Water: Roads and Tundra Don't Mix. Walder. v1.7
* Roads and Habitat Fragmentation (report too). Cottrell. v2.1
* Roads and Weeds: Partners in Crime. Macfarlane. v2.3
* Roads and Wetlands. Walder. v2.4
* Roads and Erosion (mass wasting/surface erosion). Bagley. v2.5
* Carnivores and Roads: Driving Away our Wild Cats. Lambertson. v2.6
* Roads and Exotic Plants, Pests and Pathogens (good). Ebersberger. v3.1
* Roads and Toxic Pollutants. Wood. v3.2
* Roads Kill: Grizzly Bears and the Effects of Human Access. Willcox. v3.3
* Tooth and Claw: Ecological Effects of Roads on Predators. Havlick. v3.4
* So Why Didn't the Toad Cross the Road (amphibians and rds.). Jensen. v3.5
* Think Like a River: The Cumulative Effects of Roads on Aquatic Systems.
Hitt. v3.6
* ORV Pollution. Smith. v4.1
* Roads: A Big Impact on Small Mammals. Randgaard. v4.2
* "Oh Deer" Mule Deer and Highways. Jensen. v4.3
Legal Notes (http://www.wildrockies.org/WildCPR/legalnotes/legal-index.html):
* Section 4(f) Can Protect Public Parks from Development. Belmont. v1.5
* "Ghost Roads" Lead Forest Service to Court. Bahr & Stotter. v1.6
* Riparian Zone Regs Ripe for Rippers. Broberg. v1.7
* A Brief Introduction to NEPA Act of 1969. Maddock. v2.1
* Legal Status of Snowmobiles and Their Effect on Bison in YNP. Barnes. v2.2
* Executive Orders and ORV's. Cottrell. v2.4
* RS 2477. Hoskisson. v2.5
* Protecting Public Lands from Motorized Recreation. Forsgaard. v2.6
* Lawsuit Dead End Road for Snowmobiles. Smith. v3.2
* Motorized Issues Ripe for Review. Maddock. v3.4
* Court Agrees with SUWA: Canyonlands NP Must Close Salt Creek to Jeeps.
MacIntosh. v3.6
* The Clean Water Act and Off-Road Vehicles. Smith. v4.2
Field Notes (http://www.wildrockies.org/WildCPR/field-notes/field-index.html):
* Motorized Vehicle Vandalism/Trespass Incident Report Form. v2.3
* Dr. Splatt: "Count two roadkills and call me in the morning."
(Roadkill Data Sheet). v3.1
* Blowing Smoke and Throwing Seeds: Spotting Pathetic Reveg Plans.
VanderMeer. v3.3
* Intro Guide to Wildland Road Removal. v3.5
* Travelway and Road Closure Inventory Form. Smith. v4.1
* Gallatin National Forest Trail User Survey. Roads Scholar Project. v4.3
10 reports (http://www.wildrockies.org/WildCPR/edu.html):
* The Ecological Effects of Roads
* Commonly Asked Questions about the Emergency Relief for Federally Owned
(ERFO) fund
* Fact sheet on Forest Roads
* Recreation Fee Demonstration Program: A Critique
* KUFM commentary 8-13-98 by Bethanie Walder
* KUFM Montana Evening Edition Commentary on wildland roads by Bethanie Walder
* Trends in Public Lands Recreation
* A Draft Review and Comment on: Forest Service Roads: A Synthesis of
Scientific Information, 2nd Draft, USDA Forest Service by Jack Wade
(ecological impacts)
* A Review and Comment on: Forest Service Roads: A Synthesis of Scientific
Information, 2nd Draft, USDA Forest Service by Daniel Brister
(socio-economic impacts)
* Glossary of National Forest Road Definitions
_________________________
3. Southern California alert
Letter Writing Alert
PRIVATE DEVELOPERS WANT NON-PROFIT STATUS
Hi everyone,
I am writing with an important request. California Transportation
Ventures, the developers who want to build the proposed 10-lane tollway,
State Route 125 South, are asking the IRS for Non-Profit status!!! They
have recently approached SANDAG and asked for a letter of support. SANDAG
agreed to send the letter saying that they deserve non-profit status
because the construction of the tollway will "lessen the burden of
government."
Well, it's a sham, and what better way to deal with this than to write
letters to the IRS ourselves. Please take a few moments to write a letter
to the IRS as an individual, or on behalf of your organizations, using the
following information.
If you need more information, please contact me at:
Allison Rolfe
(619) 223-9218
arolfe@sw-center.org
Please send two copies of you letter (one to each of the following
addresses (just to be sure)):
Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 192
Covington, KY 41012-0192
AND,
The Honorable Charles Rossotti
Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service
1111 Constitution Ave., N.W. Room 3000
Washington, DC 20224
Here are some talking points, and a sample letter below:
Please feel free to use any or all of these points, and create some of your
own! This is outrageous!
* Non-profit organizations receive this designation only if they meet the
standards of a "public benefit corporation." The proposed ten-lane tollway
will: pollute the Sweetwater Reservoir, increase air pollution, increase
congestion (because this project will create far more traffic than it will
alleviate), open up Otay Mesa to development, and sacrifice open space and
quality of life to sprawl. These are not in the public's best interest.
They do not constitute a "public benefit."
* Non-Profit status should be reserved for public benefit organizations,
rather than private for-profit developers that want to lower costs.
* A similar tollway in Orange County with similar projected costs
(approximately $350 million) is now $1.5 billion in debt because of low
ridership/usage. Bad investment ideas should not be bailed out with
taxpayer money.
* The proposed tollway will not "lessen the burden of government." The
first mile will be built with taxpayer money and will cost the government
$132 million.
* The IRS should not get behind a project which has been condemned
consistently by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.
* Allowing this for-profit corporation to use tax-exempt bonds will
decrease government revenue. How much will this cost the taxpayer?
* The IRS should not consider this application prior to the completion of
the environmental analysis. The proposed project has yet to meet the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and the California
Environmental Quality Act.
**SAMPLE LETTER** (just focus in on any one point, if you like)
Internal Revenue Service
P.O. Box 192
Covington, KY 41012-0192
RE: SAN MIGUEL MOUNTAIN PUBLIC TOLLWAY CORPORATION
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am writing to urge you to deny the application for tax-exempt status
under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code submitted by the San
Miguel Mountain Public Tollway Corporation. The "Public Tollway
Corporation" is in fact another name for California Transportation Ventures
(CTV), a private, for-profit corporation, seeking to build a ten-lane
tollway through the undeveloped portion of south San Diego County.
CTV has argued before local government bodies in San Diego, that their
application for non-profit status is justified on the basis that it
"lessens the burden of government." This argument is false. The tollway
will in fact create a financial burden for government. The government will
conservatively pay for 1/3 of this project which is expected to cost at
least $400 million. $132 million of taxpayer money has been earmarked for
the first mile of the road. Additionally, tax-free bonds would decrease
government revenue, costing government and taxpayers another untold sum of
money.
Not only is it untrue that this project "lessens the burden of government,"
other governmental agencies have consistently criticized the plan. The
Environmental Protection Agency has rated the environmental reports
"inadequate" twice, and has raised many serious concerns about the project.
The Sweetwater Authority, locally, has raised many issues about the
potential contamination of the Sweetwater Reservoir which would be likely
to result from the construction of the toll road. Should taxpayers
subsidize a road criticized by these agencies?
Letters on the record, public testimony, and the environmental documents,
themselves, identify many potential consequences of this tollway. They
include: the potential for polluted drinking water; increased air
pollution; increased congestion (because this project will create far more
traffic than it will alleviate); the opening up of Otay Mesa to
development, one of the last large undeveloped areas in San Diego; the
loss of open space and quality of life to be replaced by sprawl; and the
destruction of endangered species. These conditions are not a public
benefit. California Transportation Ventures should not be granted the
status usually reserved for "public benefit corporations," for the
construction of their environmentally devastating tollway.
I also strongly caution you against considering this application prior to
the completion of the environmental documentation for this proposed
project. No final decision has been made regarding whether this project
complies with the National Environmental Policy Act, or the California
Environmental Quality Act.
California Transportation Ventures has used AB 680 (Chapter 107, California
Statues of 1989) as a justification for their application. As they
describe it, AB 680 is "legislation designed to help increase the
development of needed transportation facilities within the State of
California." The key word in the previous statement is "needed." AB 680
specifically prohibits the construction of transportation facilities in
anticipation of future growth. It is only to be used to justify
transportation facilities that are needed to alleviate existing traffic.
The area through which the tollway is proposed to traverse is largely
undeveloped. It is east of the urbanized area. In fact, the tollway,
itself, will open this area up for development which would be prohibited
otherwise. The Environmental Protection Agency still questions the need
for this project, and several alternatives have yet to be analyzed.
A similar tollroad in Orange County, with similar ridership projections and
similar cost estimates is now $1.5 billion dollars in debt because
ridership turned out to be much lower than projected.
Thank you for taking the time to consider these comments. We urge you to
deny the application submitted by the San Miguel Mountain Public Tollway
Corporation/California Transportation Ventures (CTV).
Sincerely,
cc: The Honorable Charles Rossotti, Commissioner
Internal Revenue Service
1111 Constitution Ave, N.W. Room 3000
Washington, DC 20224
********************************************
Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads
Wildlands CPR
PO Box 7516
Missoula, MT 59807
406/543-9551
mailto:WildlandsCPR@wildrockies.org
http://www.wildrockies.org/WildCPR/