10
September / October 2013
- 45TH INTERNATIONAL SNOWMOBILE CONGRESS JUNE 6-9, 2013 AT GREEN BAY, WI Len Neisler
tions must challenge. This is not going away and we must act so that it does not affect us riding in Michigan’s UP. Yes, this legal challenge does impact us. his ISC was one of the most productive events that I have had the privilege to attend. It was especially exciting for us to have three ISA members attending: Dan Blaney, Craig Erickson and Len Neisler. It would have been better for me if Dorthy was physically able to also attend. There was a casino attached to the hotel which afforded many a break from the many meetings. The visit to the Green Bay Packers home, Lambeau Field, was the offsite event on Thursday evening. It offered at a lot of history of the AFC and NFL in the Green Bay Packers history museum. It is amazing that this team’s home is in one of the smallest populated areas and yet it has one of the most amazing histories having won the most Superbowls. The Midwest Chapter (MWC), American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA) and International Snowmobile Congress held their meetings with me representing the ISA as your delegate and Craig Erickson serving as alternate delegate. One of the most important agenda items at the MWC and ACSA meetings was legal action is not going to stop and fighting for the right to ride is not going away. Currently, the Winter Wildlands Alliance has brought suit about snowmobiling in Idaho in which the Judge has issued action that the winter use regulations in the national forests are not consistent throughout the National Forests and that snowmobiling should not be allowed until the National Forest Service makes changes is all use regulations involving all the National Forest. This means that all National Forests plans of administration in snow and non-snow areas must include information about use of snowmobiles on the lands. There was a one year time line placed into action requiring this to be done. It is a legal battle in which the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, ACSA, MWC, Blue Ribbon Coalition and State snowmobile associa-
T
Further discussion about the cost of fighting the legal suits took place with MWC and ACSA taking action to increase the ACSA Legal Defense Fund through messages to State Associations and publicly to obtain donations for the fight. We need to make our owners of snowmobiles in Indiana aware of this serious situation. The Michigan Huron Manistee (Meister Lawsuit) has come to an end with Mr. Meister withdrawing his lawsuit challenging the decision of the courts to accept the DNR Use Plan allowing snowmobiling to continue as is. The National Forest Service Signing Changes Update was given by Dexter Meadows who informed us that after much input from ACSA and the International Association of Snowmobile Administrators (administer trail systems in National Forests) the signage will become similar to what Michigan has implemented. They want uniformity throughout trail systems. This has been an on-going debate for several years with the Forest Service thinking that trail signage fo ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????]???????????????????????=IX????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????M?????????
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Q????????????????????????????????????????????????]??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Q?????????????5????????????Q????????????????????
M?????????????5???????????????????????????????
M?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
M?????????????????????????????????????????M????????????????????????????????M???????????????????????((