http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090325/ap_ ... frMmdp24cA

If they have their way, we will have no place to fly. Oh I worry about the pristeen places. Notice in the article about Owahee canyons. Does that cover Owahee Res strip. If they wanted to close it, Oregon could care less.

Tim

Ever notice if a bill is not something they want to pass it can be tied up in committees and hearing indefinitely. That is what happened to this legislation during the Bush Presidency.
Now we have the perfect storm so to speak. The green nazi's have there man in the white house and they have the votes in both the house and senate.
If you enjoy using public land for anything but hiking or horse back riding you are now going to lose ground. I know there are some exceptions but generally there is going to be less public land for those of us who use gas powered toys to recreate.
I just came back from riding the Imperial sand dunes by Glamis, Ca. probably 75-80% of what was once open is now closed. We are talking hundreds of square miles of sand. The groups who got it closed don't even go out there. You can't access it without a vehicle.
These groups just want it closed for plants and animals. It is so disheartening.

RB

Tim,
I don't know where this is going, but because of the Chukar Flats airstrip issue with the BLM I've been talking to Ore Pilots Assocation. There is a backcountry strip committee being formed by OPA to address these types of strips in Oregon. I'm of the belief that if we can offer info to the agencies that are managing these areas and do so as a large group of organized pilots, it may benefit GA down the road. I've been a member of OPA for some time now, but have seen very little that OPA has done for the unpaved airports in Oregon. But, talk is cheap, so I raised my hand and hope to help on this new committee. Time will tell....

Bill, I am a OPA member also. I have emailed the BLM about Chuckar Flats. If I can do more let me know.

Rob

Rob,

Thanks a bunch and I'll let you know as I learn more about it...

I think they are talking about a different stretch of the Owyhee River that where the landing strip is on Pelican piont, called Owyhee Reservoir State Airport. That strip is in Oregon and they are talking Idaho Owyhee Canyons. That would be up above what they call the Three forks of the Owyhee River. I am not sure where the land grab is they are talking about though. I tried to save Red's Wallowa Horse Ranch a number of years ago. I went to a meeting of the OPA and we sent letters to the Forest Service and then Sen. Robert Smith and look where it got us. Bob