Bicycle-Friendly Bill Needs Your Help

Action Alert

For Immediate Release
06-25-07
Contact: Drew Vankat, Policy Analyst

303-545-9011

IMBA has long championed land preservation that allows continued bicycle access. We know that our quiet, muscle-powered activity is compatible with wild places. Now, thanks to the hard work of local riders, the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act will protect valuable trails and preserve important backcountry mountain biking experiences.

With your help, we can pass this bill into law and help set an example for singletrack preservation in your favorite riding area.

On Thursday, June 28, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources will vote on the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act. Your immediate action is necessary.

Action Steps

Find your U.S. Representative and call or email with your support of H.R.1011, the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act. If you live in the district of a Representative listed below, who will be voting on Wednesday, your action is especially important.

Insert the talking points at the end of this alert into your email or phone conversation. Be sure to highlight any personal experiences you've had in this area.

Members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources

Dale E. Kildee, Michigan
Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa
Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii
Solomon P. Ortiz, Texas
Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey
Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands
Grace F. Napolitano, California
Rush D. Holt, New Jersey
Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona
Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam
Jim Costa, California
Dan Boren, Oklahoma
John P. Sarbanes, Maryland
George Miller, California
Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts
Peter A. DeFazio, Oregon
Maurice D. Hinchey, New York
Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island
Ron Kind, Wisconsin
Lois Capps, California
Jay Inslee, Washington
Mark Udall, Colorado
Joe Baca, California
Hilda L. Solis, California
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota
Heath Shuler, North Carolina
Jim Saxton, New Jersey
Elton Gallegly, California
John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee
Wayne T. Gilchrest, Maryland
Chris Cannon, Utah
Thomas G. Tancredo, Colorado
Jeff Flake, Arizona
Stevan Pearce, New Mexico
Henry E. Brown, Jr., South Carolina
Luis G. Fortuño, Puerto Rico
Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington
Bobby Jindal, Louisiana
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Tom Cole, Oklahoma
Rob Bishop, Utah
Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania
Dean Heller, Nevada
Bill Sali, Idaho
Doug Lamborn, Colorado
Kevin McCarthy, California
Mary Fallin, Oklahoma

Talking Points - You can cut and paste these into your comment letter

As an avid mountain biker, I am writing to ask that you please support H.R.1011, the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007. This bill includes several vital provisions to protect mountain bike access.

The bill will protect nearly 12,000 acres in two National Scenic Areas, where mountain biking will be allowed to continue. Local riders negotiated to maintain access to popular singletrack in the Seng Mountain and Bear Creek areas while still affording the land a high level of protection.

The bill also includes important language stipulating the construction of the Rye Valley Trail, a new shared-use route to provide mountain bikers an alternative to the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail (VHHT). Shared-use trails are an important part of this legislation.

More than 200 stakeholder groups have come together to support protecting these important places.

The two National Scenic Areas and the provision to build the Rye Valley Trail are essential to the support of the mountain bicycling community. Our quiet, human-powered, low-impact use is compatible with these wild areas and we want to preserve non-motorized backcountry trail experiences.

Thank you for consideration of this letter and I hope you will support H.R.1011.

Why Support This Bill?

Protects the Land: In addition to preserving important mountain biking trails and the land around them, negotiations also produced the creation of 40,000 acres of new Wilderness, where bicycling will not be allowed. These new Wilderness areas do not contain important singletrack, but will preserve more Virginia backcountry, and local mountain bikers and IMBA support the collaborative approach that led to their creation.

Preserves Trail Access: Because the federal government has interpreted Wilderness to mean no bikes, mountain bikers are forced to advocate for other ways to preserve access to their favorite trails. The Virginia bill includes 12,000 acres of National Scenic Area designation that allows mountain bikers to continue riding some of the best trails in the area

Includes Provision for a New, Sustainable Trail: The bill calls for construction of the Rye Valley Trail, a sustainable reroute of the badly eroded Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, a popular mountain biking and horse route.

Additional Information

IMBA's Virginia Land and Trail Preservation Campaign

IMBA's Land Preservation Policies

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	Bicycle-Friendly Bill Needs Your Help Action Alert For Immediate Release 06-25-07 Contact: Drew Vankat, Policy Analyst 303-545-9011 IMBA has long championed land preservation that allows continued bicycle access. We know that our quiet, muscle-powered activity is compatible with wild places. Now, thanks to the hard work of local riders, the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act will protect valuable trails and preserve important backcountry mountain biking experiences. With your help, we can pass this bill into law and help set an example for singletrack preservation in your favorite riding area. On Thursday, June 28, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources will vote on the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act. Your immediate action is necessary. Action Steps Find your U.S. Representative and call or email with your support of H.R.1011, the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act. If you live in the district of a Representative listed below, who will be voting on Wednesday, your action is especially important. Insert the talking points at the end of this alert into your email or phone conversation. Be sure to highlight any personal experiences you've had in this area. Members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources Dale E. Kildee, Michigan Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii Solomon P. Ortiz, Texas Frank Pallone, Jr., New Jersey Donna M. Christensen, Virgin Islands Grace F. Napolitano, California Rush D. Holt, New Jersey Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Guam Jim Costa, California Dan Boren, Oklahoma John P. Sarbanes, Maryland George Miller, California Edward J. Markey, Massachusetts Peter A. DeFazio, Oregon Maurice D. Hinchey, New York Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island Ron Kind, Wisconsin Lois Capps, California Jay Inslee, Washington Mark Udall, Colorado Joe Baca, California Hilda L. Solis, California Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, South Dakota Heath Shuler, North Carolina Jim Saxton, New Jersey Elton Gallegly, California John J. Duncan, Jr., Tennessee Wayne T. Gilchrest, Maryland Chris Cannon, Utah Thomas G. Tancredo, Colorado Jeff Flake, Arizona Stevan Pearce, New Mexico Henry E. Brown, Jr., South Carolina Luis G. Fortuño, Puerto Rico Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington Bobby Jindal, Louisiana Louie Gohmert, Texas Tom Cole, Oklahoma Rob Bishop, Utah Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania Dean Heller, Nevada Bill Sali, Idaho Doug Lamborn, Colorado Kevin McCarthy, California Mary Fallin, Oklahoma Talking Points - You can cut and paste these into your comment letter As an avid mountain biker, I am writing to ask that you please support H.R.1011, the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007. This bill includes several vital provisions to protect mountain bike access. The bill will protect nearly 12,000 acres in two National Scenic Areas, where mountain biking will be allowed to continue. Local riders negotiated to maintain access to popular singletrack in the Seng Mountain and Bear Creek areas while still affording the land a high level of protection. The bill also includes important language stipulating the construction of the Rye Valley Trail, a new shared-use route to provide mountain bikers an alternative to the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail (VHHT). Shared-use trails are an important part of this legislation. More than 200 stakeholder groups have come together to support protecting these important places. The two National Scenic Areas and the provision to build the Rye Valley Trail are essential to the support of the mountain bicycling community. Our quiet, human-powered, low-impact use is compatible with these wild areas and we want to preserve non-motorized backcountry trail experiences. Thank you for consideration of this letter and I hope you will support H.R.1011. Why Support This Bill? Protects the Land: In addition to preserving important mountain biking trails and the land around them, negotiations also produced the creation of 40,000 acres of new Wilderness, where bicycling will not be allowed. These new Wilderness areas do not contain important singletrack, but will preserve more Virginia backcountry, and local mountain bikers and IMBA support the collaborative approach that led to their creation. Preserves Trail Access: Because the federal government has interpreted Wilderness to mean no bikes, mountain bikers are forced to advocate for other ways to preserve access to their favorite trails. The Virginia bill includes 12,000 acres of National Scenic Area designation that allows mountain bikers to continue riding some of the best trails in the area Includes Provision for a New, Sustainable Trail: The bill calls for construction of the Rye Valley Trail, a sustainable reroute of the badly eroded Virginia Highlands Horse Trail, a popular mountain biking and horse route. Additional Information IMBA's Virginia Land and Trail Preservation Campaign IMBA's Land Preservation Policies


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