Groups Fear Order Paves Way for Motorization of America’s National Trails, Parks and Public Lands
Silver Spring, MD—Aug. 30, 2019— National trail advocates and conservation organizations blasted the Department of Interior today for Secretary Bernhardt’s new order that could open non-motorized trails to all classes of motorized e-bikes (electric motorized bicycles). Trail advocates and conservation groups point out that the order undermines agency regulations and management rules, fails to consider impacts to hikers, mountain bikers, horse riders and other recreationists, and may signal the beginning of the end for non-motorized backcountry trails, all while not including the public in the decision-making process.

“The Interior Department is rushing guidance on a use they haven’t properly evaluated for potential impacts to park natural and cultural resources, visitors or wildlife. Sadly, this new policy was created behind closed doors and with no public involvement,” said Kristen Brengel, Senior Vice President at the National Parks Conservation Association. “E-bikes have a place on national parks’ roads and motorized trails. But this announcement disregards well-established policies for how visitors can enjoyably and safely experience the backcountry in national parks. For generations we’ve agreed that there are some places so special that they should be protected for visitors to enjoy away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This new policy carelessly ignores those longstanding protections for backcountry areas.”

Earlier this summer hundreds of trail advocates and conservation groups sent a joint letter to federal land management officials opposing any effort to allow e-bikes on non-motorized trails.  The letter noted that non-motorized trails were created to ensure that the public could find recreational trail opportunities free from the ever-growing motorization. It pointed out that millions of public land users including hikers, backpackers, hunters, horse packers, climbers, mountain bikers and many more, value non-motorized trails for recreation. Opening non-motorized trails to motorized e-bikes would forever change the backcountry experience for many users.

“What has happened to the management of our public lands?” asked Darrell Wallace, Chairman of the Back Country Horsemen of America. “We’ve worked for decades to engage with these agencies, and other user groups, as partners in order to build and maintain a wonderful system of safe trails throughout the nation’s public lands. This abrupt change in long-standing policy came from below the radar—they didn’t bother to ask anyone’s opinion. What does this say to the thousands of volunteers who have played by the rules over the years? That the manufacturers of these motorized machines are more important than the citizens who use and maintain these trails, and the safety issues that accompany multi-use trails?”

Trail advocates and conservation groups are quick to point out that e-bikes should be welcomed on public lands but not everywhere and not on every trail. Conservationist and trail advocates are clear that e-bikes are motorized vehicles and should be managed as such. They point out that the existing motorized trail system provides plenty of opportunity for e-bikes use with tens of thousands of miles of trails on public lands, including many iconic trails, currently open to their use. 

“The outdoors are for everyone, whether enjoying human powered recreation or riding something with a motor. But sweeping changes to existing e-bike policy cannot be made without public input from all impacted user groups. Permitting e-bike use on trails that have been thoughtfully and specifically designated as non-motorized raises questions of safety and trail sustainability that must be considered,” said Tyler Ray, Director of Policy and Advocacy for the American Hiking Society. “Making this change behind closed doors undermines the long-standing collaborative relationships between trail users and federal agencies.”

“The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail is designated for hikers and horseback riders and goes through 48 wilderness areas. While the trail enjoys great protections, threats to those quiet, non-mechanized forms of recreation are ever present. Some people are working hard to open the PCT and all wilderness areas to mountain bikes. So far, Congress and federal land managers have rightly resisted these attempts,” said Mark Larabee, Associate Director of The Pacific Crest Trail Association.  “The Pacific Crest Trail Association is not opposed to mountain bikes or e-bikes, and we believe they should have their place on public land. But we believe reclassifying battery-powered bikes as non-motorized not only would be illogical, it would displace mountain bikes without motors. More importantly, it would be a paradigm shift in otherwise sound government policy that could affect trails and wilderness areas across the country.”  

“Let’s be clear e-bikes are motorized vehicles,” said Michael Carroll, Senior Director of the People Outdoors Program at The Wilderness Society.  “Secretary Bernhardt’s policy change paves the way for the complete motorization of America’s remaining wild places.  The Trump Administration has made it a standard practice to create new policies and management rules with industry behind closed doors and this is more of the same. This new policy will forever change the experience for backcountry trail users.  Families that have sought out non-motorize areas to hunt, fish, hike, camp and simply get away from the noise and chaos of daily life will now have their special get-away spots opened up to motors.”

CLICK HERE to see the original article on the American Hiking Society publication.

Contact:
Tyler Ray, American Hiking Society, tray@americanhiking.org, 301-565-6704 (x705)
Randy Rasmussen, Back Country Horsemen of America, WildernessAdvisor@bcha.org, 541-602-0713
Angela Gonzales, National Parks Conservation Association, agonzales@npca.org, 202-878-0359
Mark Larabee, Pacific Crest Trail Association, mlarabee@pcta.org, 503-880-5987
Michael Carroll, The Wilderness Society, michael_carroll@tws.org, 970-9469043

AUGUST 30, 2019: The Secretary of the Interior today signed Order Number 3376 that adopts the e-bike industry’s class structure and pushes land management agencies to open their non-motorized trails to this form of motorized recreation. The Order sets the path for agencies like the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management to allow all 3 classes of e-Bikes on trails that are currently designated for mountain bike use.

Fortunately, e-Bikes won’t be instantly added to trails on DOI lands. Each agency will first have to promulgate rules via the formal rule-making process, which includes public notice and opportunities for public comment. But the new policy to allow Class 1, 2 and 3 bikes on trails will be baked into the proposed rule changes.

E-bike designations (Class 1, 2 and 3) were written by a trade organization to do three things: (1) open previously non-motorized trails to motorized vehicles, (2) evade enforcement, and (3) sell more e-bikes. This class definition is being adopted by state and local legislators who don’t understand that opening a non-motorized trail to any class of e-bike, virtually opens the trail to all e-bikes. Here’s why.

THE CLASS DISTINCTION
Class-1 and Class-2 electric bicycles have less than 750 watts and cease to provide power when the bike exceeds 20 miles per hour. The only difference is that a Class-1 electric bike provides power only when the rider is pedaling while a Class-2 electric bike does not require any pedaling to dole out its power. That is done with a twist grip throttle or thumb push throttle. The Class-3 electric motorized bike cuts its power off when the bike reaches 28 miles per hour no matter how you are applying the power.

A TRADE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPED THIS CLASS STRUCTURE
E-bike trade organizations drafted the model legislation that adopts the class structure. Larry Pizzi, Vice President of the Bicycle Products Suppliers Association (BPSA) and chairman of the association’s eBike committee recently committed that, “2019 is going to be a watershed year in moving our 3-class e-bike legislation, nationally. Thanks to the contributing members of the industry for your support in funding this work and to Morgan Lommele and the team at People for Bikes for your dedication, now in our 5th year.”
Once the classes were defined, the trade organization made sure identifying the class of an e-bike was difficult for consumers and next to impossible for a land management agency when the bike is being motored along on a natural-surface trail or bike path.

PUT ON YOUR READING GLASSES
The legislation requires that “manufacturers and distributors of electric bicycles shall apply a label that is permanently affixed, in a prominent location, to each electric bicycle. The label shall contain the classification number, top assisted speed, and motor wattage of the electric bicycle, and shall be printed in Arial font in at least 9-point type.”
The text you are reading right now is 12-point type. But before you can read the tiny 9-point type, you have to find it. Good luck. Visit an e-bike retailer and try to find the label on a few different brands (or on different models from the same brand). Don’t feel bad if you can’t find the label. Retail sales staff had trouble finding them or couldn’t find them for me on some models. Clicking on the above photo will enlarge it so you can read the class sticker.
“Permanently affixed” turns out to be a sticker* and “prominent location” seems to be at the bottom of the seat tube* (an area tough to view if a rider is on the bike). The bike’s brand, model name and frame size are easy to find and read but this info is in larger type and positioned in what is truly a prominent location (like the bike’s head tube, top tube or chainstay).

DIY E-BIKES
States that adopt the model legislation overlook a large source of electric-motorized bicycles. Your garage! Kits are readily available from eBay and Amazon that convert the bicycle in your garage into an e-bike. Manufacturers like Bafang sell their kits direct to consumers. These kits can produce power way above the “legal” 750-watt limit and since the legislation is worded for “manufacturers and distributors of electric bicycles,” these kit sellers don’t need to comply to a class designation sticker.

CONSUMER DIRECT
Consumers can buy directly from a manufacturer and assemble an e-bike themselves. These bikes, sometimes imported directly from a foreign country to the consumer’s home, will not have the designation sticker and it is not hard to find models that exceed even the Class-3 definition.

E-BIKES THAT ARE BOTH
Samson Electric Bikes offer an attractive range of electric-motorized beach cruisers and mountain bikes. While not as technically sophisticated as a $10,000 super e-bike, they offer a feature that allows the bike to be ridden as a Class-1 or a Class- 2 e-bike. The rider simply programs the bike. Does that make it illegal to operate on trails that only permit Class-1 e-bikes because it could be ridden as a Class-2 bike? Or does the rider simply switch to Class 1 when they see a ranger?

HOT RODDING E-BIKES
E-bikes can be modified to exceed the limits set by the model legislation. That means the Class-1 e-bike you purchased can be fitted with an internal component that is undetectable. The bike will still have a Class-1 sticker on it (if the operator hasn’t removed it) although it could greatly exceed the speed and power limits. These modifications would not be visible to a ranger.

MANUFACTURERS ARE ALREADY GAMING THE SYSTEM
Luna e-bikes implies that their customers can ride their Class-3 bikes undetected on trails and Suru shows how a motorcycle-like bicycle is legally considered an e-bike under the model legislation.

LIMITING WATTS DOESN’T LIMIT POWER
The website ebikeschool.com explains that using wattage as the limit of an e-bike’s power is inaccurate and misleading. In their article, “The Myth of E-Bike Wattage” they explain that “limiting the wattage of e-bike motors doesn’t necessarily limit how powerful they can be. Even though a motor is marked as 250 watts (and even if it may actually be a true 250-watt motor), anyone could connect it to a 48V battery and run 20 amps through the motor to achieve 1,000 watts of power.”

OPENING OUR TRAILS TO MOTORIZED RECREATION
The belief that a land management agency can restrict their trails to only Class-1 e-bikes is a myth. Unsuspecting land managers who open their trails to Class-1 e-bikes are essentially opening their trails to all electric-motorized bicycles (including all bicycles converted with electric-motorized kits).

E-bikes are motorized vehicles and a developing technology that is generally inconsistent with a park experience. These motorized vehicles should be welcomed and encouraged on trails designated for motorized recreational activities. They need to be restricted from non-motorized, natural-surface trails.

Optibike claims their e-bike, that is sold consumer direct, has a “top speed of 36 miles per hour and hill climbing ability that is unmatched in the e-bike world.”

Can any park ranger identify the class of this bike? Probably not.

About the author: Jim “Jimmy Mac” McIlvain was Editor of Mountain Bike Action Magazine and Road Bike Action Magazine and a contributing editor of Electric Bike Action Magazine. He has been used as a resource by land management agencies in developing e-bike and mountain bike policy. He welcomes feedback or questions from land management agencies, retailers and riders who deal with e-bike issues. The Jimmy Mac On Two Wheels website is self-funded.
*Specialized, Trek, Cannondale, Haibike, Samson and Pedego retailers were visited for this story. Only Pedego displayed class identification that was easy to read and far larger than what is required by law. All labels were adhesive stickers.

CLICK HERE to see the original article on JimmyMac on Two Wheels.com

Published: Monday, July 29, 2019 in E&E GreenWire News

A fight is gearing up over the use of e-bikes on public lands trails. The National Park Service says it has no current policy governing the use of electric motorized bikes or e-bikes, but that's about to change. While details have yet to be announced, the park service says it will release a new policy sometime later this year.

Opponents are geared up for a fight.
In a letter to NPS (PDF) acting Director P. Daniel Smith sent Friday, a large coalition of horse riders, trails and green groups warned that "federal land managers simply do not have the resources to police e-bikes on trails."

"We understand that federal land management agencies are currently considering policy changes to allow e-bikes on non-motorized trails," said the letter, whose signers included the Wilderness Society, Back Country Horsemen of America and the National Parks Conservation Association. "Such a policy is ill-advised and would undermine nearly a half century of management precedents and practices."

The groups said e-bikes "have a place on public lands and generally should be allowed where motorized vehicles are permitted." But they added that the "existing motorized trail system provides plentiful opportunities for e-bike use with tens of thousands of miles of trails currently open to their use."

The letter, which was also sent to the heads of the Forest Service and BLM, said allowing the e-bikes greater access on public lands would "send agencies down a slippery slope towards allowing further motorization of trails and potentially the entire backcountry."

The National Park Service had no comment specifically on the letter.

"We are working on developing a national policy and will be happy to share those details once the policy is complete later this year," said NPS spokesman Jeremy Barnum.

CLICK HERE for original article in EE GreenWire News.
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Pt. Reyes National Seashore has updated their bicycle policy to add restrictions on electric motorized bicycles (e-bikes). The rules are posted on their website as follows:

Electric and motorized bicycles are prohibited (on trails).
Only human-powered bicycles are allowed on park trails where bicycles are permitted (list of trails where bicycles are allows are listed on the website). Electric and motorized bicycles are prohibited on all park trails, but are permitted on any road which is open to the public to drive their automobiles.
​
Yield to all other Users
Horseback riders have right-of-way on the trails with hikers coming second. Bicyclists must yield to both of these trail user groups. Be aware that many horses are easily spooked when approached from behind. Reduce your speed when approaching horses or hikers. When approaching from behind, announce your presence. Stop on the downhill side of the trail while horses pass. The speed limit on all trails, even when headed downhill, is 15 mph. Be courteous. If trails are dry and dusty, slow down even more so as not to leave hikers in a cloud of dust.

To see the complete list of bicycle rules for Pt. Reyes National Seashore, CLICK HERE.

Even though it is out of our reporting area, Mother Lode Trails reports on Pt. Reyes NS because so many of our area's trail users travel to the coast in the summer for hiking, biking and horse back riding.

​​To provide additional time to review and provide comments on the ASRA Draft GP and APL Draft RMP and the associated DEIR/DEIS, the public comment period has been extended until September 17, 2019.

Copies of the documents are available for download and a list of locations for viewing printed copies are available at www.parks.ca.gov/PlanASRA
Documents: Auburn State Recreation Area Preliminary General Plan (ASRA Draft GP)/ Auburn Project Lands Resource Management Plan (APL Draft RMP) and Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (DEIR/DEIS)

Comments on the GP/RMP or EIR/EIS should be provided by September 17, 2019. Please send or email written comments to:

• EMAIL:
  plan.general@parks.ca.gov
  
  
• MAIL:
  Bureau of Reclamation
  C/O Bonnie Van Pelt
  7794 Folsom Dam Road
  Folsom, CA, 95630
  
  
• FAX:
  916-537-7035

More information is available at www.parks.ca.gov/PlanASRA, in the California State Parks Notice of Availability, and in the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Notice of Availability.

Mother Lode Trails posts events regarding Pt. Reyes National Park because so many in our area visit there to hike and ride. Marin County is holding another one of their popular "Slow and Say Hello" events at Pt. Reyes National Seashore this weekend. Slow and Say Hello Outposts are hosted by Trail Partners of Marin - dedicated to promoting safe and environmentally sustainable sharing of trails. Trail Partners is a collaboration of the Marin Horse Council, Marin Conservation League and the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, and a supported organization by the National Park Service.​

The sign is the rule in on public lands: 10 to 15 MPH maximum speed on any shared use trail, and 5 MPH on blind corners or hills, or when encountering or passing other trail users. Trail Partners of Marin have found that if all trail users abide by this trail rule, there are very few conflicts or injuries. Slower speeds means successful trail sharing by everyone.

Drop By for a Visit at the Trail Partners'  Slow and Say Hello Outpost at the Bear Valley Trail Head in Point Reyes National Seashore this Saturday, August 31, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Trail Partners will be partnering with the National Park Service. The Slow and Say Hello Outpost will be conveniently stationed at the end of the Bear Valley Parking Lot , next to the Morgan Horse Ranch.  Take our quiz and win a great prize while enjoying a refreshing glass of ice water and a Clif bar.

​To learn more about this successful program, CLICK HERE.

UPDATE 8/25/19
After trimming by Gold Country Trails Council members, the bypass around is short and safe with decent footing.  They recommend using the bypass rather than staying on the trail.

Some riders may want to dismount and lead their horse, or choose to remain mounted on the bypass. 

UPDATE: 8/23/19

Report from Tahoe National Forest Mounted Patrol from Skillman Horse Camp today. Coming back along the Hallelujah heading west, just past intersection where it branches off to Towle Mill and begin the downhill zigzag, encountered a large dead tree across the trail.
Clipped enough so that we could bypass by leading our steady mounts over around.  Passible for hikers and experienced trail horses, but but it may not be ideal for green trail horses.

Patty Neifer is one of the hardworking volunteers of Sweep Riders of the Sierras who works into the night and early morning making sure everyone is off the trail at the end of the Tevis Cup ride. 

She lost an Easyboot Glove horse boot on the trail after the river crossing and back up to Lower Quarry vet check.

Please call Patty 916 934 9050 if you have found her boot.

All trail users (this means YOU) need to support the Placer County Master Trails Plan in the works right now. Ultimately, it will be up to the Board of Supervisors to give their approval. Normally everyone supports trails and access to open space. In this case there is an active NIMBY group who are determined to stop the Plan in the name of property rights. Supervisors are sensitive to public resistance and if you want this plan to be approved, it's time to do something.
SIGN THE PETITION TO SUPPORT PLACER COUNTY TRAILS PLAN 

None of this Plan takes any land away from any land owner. The land owners object to traffic on rural roads, fire danger, the usual arguments against all trails all over the nation. If a few land owners had their way, there would be no public trails or public lands anywhere for our citizens.

You can help by writing letters, emailing and calling your Supervisor, but there is a very easy way to do something right now.
SIGN THE PETITION TO SUPPORT PLACER COUNTY TRAILS PLAN 

Sign this pro trails, pro open space access petition. Make sure your trails groups and buddies know about this petition and sign it. All runners, hikers, bikers, equestrians, dog walkers, bird watchers, anyone who USES and VALUES our trails and open space in Placer County needs to sign. You don't need to be a resident of Placer County, but anyone who supports Placer County trails.

SIGN THE PETITION TO SUPPORT PLACER COUNTY TRAILS PLAN 

It's easy, just CLICK HERE.

Or place this URL in your browser: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Support-Placer-Trails 

Thank you.

​State officials say they will begin work Monday cleaning up a rock slide that forced a nearly three-year closure of a section of the paved American River bike and recreation trail alongside Lake Natoma in Orangevale.
The work will take place three miles upstream of Hazel Avenue and will require extending the existing trail closure from that point east approximately one mile.
The project also will involve work stabilizing the Orangevale Bluffs above the trail, officials said. The asphalt trail itself is probably crushed, in which case it will have to be repaved, state parks Superintendent Rich Preston said.

State officials say the project will take several months, and be finished sometime this fall.

The land and rock slide occurred during January and February of 2017. The state has kept a section of the trail closed since then, while officials determined how to stabilize the hillside above it. The slide area is about 100 yards long, Preston said.

The closure will affect trail access from the Hazel Avenue overpass, Sunset Avenue and Main Avenue intersection, the Mississippi Bar area, as well as access points to the east off of Greenback Lane.
Cyclists, runners and others can continue to use the recreation trail that runs along the opposite, southern side of Lake Natoma.
The project was delayed when a pair of bald eagles returned to nest in the pines above Lake Natoma for the third successive year.
The eagles left in July, state parks superintendent Preston said, and may come back in November or December, if they follow their typical pattern.
“As bald eagles are a federally protected species, the geo-technical firm was unable to complete its assessment until the eagles vacated the area, which occurred in late July 2018,” Preston said earlier.

The lack of progress has prompted complaints from cyclists who have been waiting for a fix on the popular and scenic section of the trail that runs for 30-plus miles from downtown Sacramento to Folsom Lake.


https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article234084432.html