Pasted immediately below is a press release issued today by the recreation industry front group known as "Americans for Responsible Recreational Access". They are, predictably, spewing forth ARC's message about keeping the national parks open for motorized recreation.
That, however, is only half the story.
Pasted below that is a primer I wrote in 2000 in which I announced the creation of this new wreckreation voice, explained that it was being operated by an anti-environmental public relations firm, and then exposed its direct connections to the American Recreation Coalition.
The ARC has become a ventriloquist. Their voice now comes from mouths other than their own. Yet when you carefully examine the dummy whose mouth is moving, you will generally find ARC's arm up its backside.
Scott
--- begin quoted ---
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060822/dctu024.html?.v=68
Press Release Source:
Americans for Responsible Recreational Access
Group Urges Park Service to Keep Doors Open for Recreation
Tuesday
August 22, 11:26 am ET
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans for Responsible
Recreational Access today urged the National Park Service not to
exclude the millions of Americans who wish to pursue recreation
activities in the national parks. ARRA was responding to proposed Park
Service management policy changes that became public recently.
"Rather than welcoming outdoor enthusiasts and striking the proper
balance of conservation and recreation, the proposed policies have the
potential of shutting out many Americans from the parks they love,"
said ARRA Executive Director Larry E. Smith.
Smith said the number of visitors to the National Parks has dropped in
recent years, in part because of a growing sense that recreation is not
welcome. "Just when the Park Service should be working to reverse this
feeling of exclusion, it seems intent on putting up more barriers," he
added.
"The Park Service should come to its senses before these draft policies
become a permanent blight on the regulatory landscape," Mr. Smith said.
"Let us hope the agency can ultimately see that responsible outdoor
recreation and the parks can live in harmony."
Americans for Responsible Recreational Access is based in Washington,
D.C. It represents the millions of Americans who enjoy the great
outdoors and who believe public lands and waterways should remain open
for recreational pursuits. Check out their website at
http://www.arra-access.com.
Source: Americans for Responsible Recreational Access
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Silver"
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Sent: Thursday, July 06, 2000 1:34 PM
Subject: Americans For Responsible Recreational Access
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THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WRECKREATION NEWS!!!
The wreckreation industry has just formed a coalition which is calling
itself: "Americans For Responsible Recreational Access". The founding
members of ARRA are the American Horse Council, American Council of
Snowmobile Associations, the American Motorcyclist Association, the
Motorcycle Industry Council, the Personal Watercraft Industry
Association, and the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America.
Every company listed above is a member of the American Recreation
Coalition. It is inconceivable that ARC is not directly involved in
this effort!!!
ARRA's mission appears to be to PROMOTE MOTORED ACCESS to public lands and to ADVOCATE IN SUPPORT OF RECREATION USER FEES.
ARRA new web site is extremely informative and is a must read for
activists working on the Industrial Strength Recreation Issue
http://www.responsiblerecreation.com/
The formation of ARRA surely must remove any remaining doubt that
Recreation Fee-Demonstration Program is an integral part of the
American Recreation Coalition's efforts of Commercialize, Privatize and
MOTORIZE recreational opportunities on America's Public Lands.
Scott
Below is a recent News Release from ARRA.
Background Information can be read at: http://www.responsiblerecreation.com/back.htm
--------begin quoted ----------
http://www.responsiblerecreation.com/pr_062100.htm
Americans For Responsible Recreational Access
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: JuliAnne Forrest
Kim Hale
Edelman Public Relations
202-371-0200
RECREATION LEADERS UNITE TO FORM AMERICANS FOR RESPONSIBLE RECREATIONAL ACCESS
Group to educate Americans about the potential threat from Administration plans to limit use of public lands
Washington, DC, June 21 - Leaders of national recreational
organizations and trade associations today announced the formation of
Americans for Responsible Recreational Access (ARRA). The alliance has
been formed to ensure that Americans are not arbitrarily denied the
right to use and enjoy the public lands that belong to all citizens.
The broad-based membership of ARRA has joined together in response to
unprecedented efforts by exclusionary activist groups and the current
Administration to bypass established federal law and procedures for
land designation and regulation. ARRA's education program will focus on
the potential impact of the numerous Administration proposals to limit
access to public lands.
"Every member of this alliance wants to protect our public lands. We
are committed to responsible use, not abuse," said Mr. Tom Crimmins,
spokesman for ARRA. "But the American public needs to know that its
natural desire to enjoy outdoor recreation may be thwarted if these
initiatives are implemented. These rulemakings are being railroaded,
circumventing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the
public input process, because the Administration knows the American
public won't stand for having its desire for responsible access to
public lands denied."
ARRA supports responsible and open consideration of multiple-use of
public lands based upon environmentally sound principles, and opposes
efforts to short-circuit the established procedures for land use
designation, usage and preservation.
"Everyone wants to protect the environment," said Crimmins. "But what
many people don't understand is that the rulemakings could limit access
not only to truly pristine areas, but also to areas that have been
commonly used for multiple-use recreation for decades. Not only could
they result in locking out a variety of popular recreational
activities, but in denying any access at all to many senior-citizens
and disabled Americans, who can't access the beauty of our national
lands on foot."
ARRA members agree that no individual or group has a right to
exclusive, unregulated use of our national heritage. But the alliance
opposes closure, or extreme regulation, that denies responsible access
to public lands appropriate for recreational pursuits.
Denying outdoor enthusiasts access to public lands runs counter to the
very mission of the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, which
are both charged with managing for multiple-use programs. Many local
and state experts who have asked for "cooperating agency status" have
been denied participation in the rulemaking process. Although the
policy states that local authorities will have final say in land
closures, during implementation, many of the determining factors will
be mandated at the Federal level, pre-empting any local input.
"ARRA wants an open dialogue of cooperation, not confrontation," said
Crimmins. "Environmentalism begins with education, by instilling a set
of values that reinforce responsible use of our public lands. Banning
land usage is not a solution - it will only deny Americans the ability
to enjoy the great outdoors. And that could reduce the revenues coming
to the U.S. forest and park system from park entrance and user fees,
further depleting the budget to maintain our public lands."
The founding members of ARRA are the American Horse Council, American
Council of Snowmobile Associations, the American Motorcyclist
Association, the Motorcycle Industry Council, the Personal Watercraft
Industry Association, and the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America.
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- Land management 
