To Steve,
**A little disclaimer: Despite my "rah-rah USA-ALL" attitude, I know better than most the problems the organization had, has, and yet faces. Heaven knows I have my own weaknesses and problems. I know we have made mistakes, I know we could be better, some of our weaknesses can be fixed, some cannot without much more support from the public, we are working on improving and we have made progress**
This could take some typing...We have worked closely with Kane county on many different bills. The check off box for vehicle registration was my idea, and was pitched to Rep Mike Noel in Commissioner Habbeshaw’s office in the fall of 2005. Many bills have been bounced off of or came from those guys before we went public with them. We have worked most closely with Kane County on the ATV street legal bill, which has a HUGE impact on asserting RS 2477 claims, so even though it was an ATV bill it benefitted all. It will surely save us from having to litigate many routes that many of you will use. We couldn’t have got that type of protection of access if we filed many lawsuits and submitted millions of comment letters It was beautiful, we essentially saved the community hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential lawsuits and protected access and all it cost us was a few months of pay to me. On the street legal bill we worked specifically with Commissioner Habbeshaw, It was originally his idea and he provided the foundational language for that bill. Kane County and Mike Noel asked for our support and invovlment. We were given special unrestricted access to the bill and it's crafting and tweaking. We did a tremendous amount of research on surrounding states, we coordinated our work with state legislators and government officials in Arizona, we had an Arizona state senator ready to jump on a plane and come to SLC to testify on this bill since they passed a similar one many years ago. We tracked down the HEAD of the Wyoming Highway patrol who supported a similar bill in Wyoming and even helped write it. We did an incrediable amount of behind the scenes work. We also lobbied the bill to other groups as well as legislators. It was a massive and complex effort. It was impressive what little ‘ol USA-ALL accomplished. And believe me USA-ALL wasn’t just a part of that bill we were the central hub and driving force behind it. Kane County wanted the bill but lacked the resources to effectively lobby the bill. We were showered with appreciation from Kane County for filling the void. We couldn’t have done it alone but it would have been very difficult to do without us. SUWA had people on the hill and actively opposed the bill, we crushed them. They beat us in other arenas but Utah’s capital is our home field. The core group responsible for that bill includes very few individuals, (due to lurkers I won’t say who, but it included Mike Swenson and Mark Habbeshaw. Bottom line is this without Rep Mike Noel, Mark Habbeshaw, and Mike Swenson that bill, and other bills would not have been introduced let alone pass. I am not sure it would be a good idea to explain the legal thinking behind the ATV street legal bill, again due to lurkers, I know you may think that is convenient, but suffice it to say the bill gives the public additional access, additional loop opportunities, and it gives all counties an additional layer of legal protection because of the state definition of a street legal vehicle.
The level of cooperation between USA-ALL and the land use gurus of our state was extensive and it shows an important relationship between USA-ALL, Kane County and others. All those judging the legitimacy and effectiveness of USA-ALL should consider this cooperative relationship. I have talked with Commissioner Habbeshaw hundreds of times on the phone and in small meetings during the last 3 sessions, often we talk many times a day and coordinate our efforts. 2 sessions ago when the bill died due to lack of time I was at the capitol while Mark was on his home phone with me at midnight when the session ended. We both were very bummed. Mike Noel called me that same night\ morning at about 1:00 A.M as I drove home. We talked about the bill and how to pass it the next year, which we did. We communicate and work with these guys a lot. Consider last session when in a large press conference when Rep Noel was calling SUWA on the carpet. Rep Noel backed by 40-50 legislators asked me and my friend Rich(a USA-ALL board member) to speak for a minute to the press on behalf of the motorized community and disabled folks. He did this because he trusts us and USA-ALL is an important organization. I tell you these things to illustrate how tight I am with these guys. They wouldn’t have that type of relationship with me or USA-ALL if we weren’t a real and important player, if we weren’t effective in getting things done, and if they didn’t trust my judgment and knowledge.
USA-ALL hasn’t always had this relationship of trust with these guys. It has only come the past 3 or 4 years and it has been earned. That’s why it is maddening to me when people think we aren’t doing good things. Or they don’t trust us. If we were as bad as some folks suggest these 2 good men would not associate with us, they would find another organization to work with. USA-ALL's relationship with Kane County and the legislator from that county is extremely tight. For good reason. That relationship should lend us credibility among those who know what Kane County represents.
I don't know what more to say. People may think USA-ALL is good, bad, or ugly. But we have done some tremendous work for ALL of you, Kane County and Commissioner Mark Habbeshaw would unquestionably confirm this. If that is true then is USA-ALL the big phony, worthless organization that some folks think? If Commissioner Mark Habbeshaw and Representative Mike Noel both support USA-ALL (and they do big time) and endorse our efforts and others claim we are ineffective; who is right? Who has the more informed opinion? Who knows better what’s going on in the land use front than Mark H. and Mike N? Who knows better what USA-ALL is ACTUALLY doing? Why are we the “go to” organization for both of these guys when action is needed? Some questions for all to consider.
Bottom line is we must get beyond the problems of the past, USA-ALL is not going away, the speed by which we improve depends on all of you, if you withhold your support (not just monetary but verbal, and physical) to wait and see, that’s fine, I understand your hesitancy. But that support you are withholding is the capital we need to make the improvements you seek. I would suggest that rather than withhold support come and get involved with us, at the very least call me and express your concerns, you may find that we have made some good changes, more positive changes are in the works, and that we are genuinely a good organization that just wants to fight for you and others and enjoy public land.
For those on this forum who don’t know I’ll say this again, and I mean it. There is no more important type of access than a full size route. It allows for access to public land for the greatest number of people. Converting full size roads to ATV trails or single track trails is almost always a mistake. That being said all types of access must be preserved and even improved. We must ALL stick together on these issues. United we stand, divided we…
. Our position hasn't changed on letter writing. Our position was misunderstood when the aforementioned email went out. I do remember being particularly cynical about comment letters when I sent the email. We have always maintained they are an essential part of the process. A bit of a red herring but never the less essential. Simply put when Joe Public has limited time and resource and they ask me how they can the MOST effectively use their time; I am not going to say, "Write a comment letter." That isn't to say DON'T write one it just simply means that there are things folks can do to make a BIGGER difference in the process. I know this has been a sore spot with you and for that I am sorry. I don't say this or those things in the email (which is over a year old) disparagingly, I applaud your efforts to get letters written, and I am grateful that you and U4 stepped up when USA-ALL was struggling, that’s how it should work, we should have each other’s back, not undermining the other or competing against one another. I hope my point is made clearly. Here it is again: comment letters are good, comment letters are an important part of the process, but if you have limited time and resource and there is opportunity to spend your time and resource on more effective things you should go for the more effective choice IF you can’t do both. There are more effective things in influencing land management and protecting access than comment letters. 
