Campfire Ban Lifted at Naches: 8/13/09
Naches Naches District Ranger Randy Shepard announced today that, recent weather systems have brought a moderate amount of rain and cooler temperatures to the east-side of the Cascades allowing for the decision to lift the campfire ban. Effective at 0001 hours, Friday, August 14th, campfires will be allowed on the Naches Ranger District.
By no means should anyone drop their guard when it comes to fire as conditions for a potential wildland fire are still high and warrant everyones attention. Keep your fires small, in an established fire pit and makes sure it is dead out before leaving your campsite, cautioned Shepard.
The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL), will change to Level I effective at 12:01 a.m. on August 13, 2009. You are allowed to cut all day under IFPL I. This IFPL Level may be only temporary as indications are it could change back to Level II by mid-next week according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, said Information Specialist Doug Jenkins.
Remember, fire danger remains high and every precaution should be taken to insure you are not responsible for a wildland fire. If you run across an unattended fire or you spot smoke report it to 911. Be sure you have a location and if you see suspicious activity make note of it as well as license plate numbers. Do Not put yourself in Harms Way.
Douglas S. Jenkins
Information, Public Affairs, Education
Okanogan - Wenatchee National Forest
Naches Ranger District
1-509-653-1411 Fa x number 1-509-653-2638
email, dsjenkins@fs.fed.us

Juniper Forest

Juniper Forest update (we like to call it a Forest in stead of Dunes since bike flags are not required in the Forest):
Make sure to know the rules so you are not a statistic. Club members are always looking into the current situation and any information will be posted here! If anyone wants to share information on Juniper access, send the webmaster an email.

September 22, 2009 BLMs Oregon State Office is proposing supplementary rules for BLM-managed public lands within Oregon and Washington. These proposed rules revise existing rules and relate to several types of activities. BLMs proposed rules relating to OHV use are as follows:

You must wear an industry approved safety helmet when operating an OHV on all BLM lands or lands leased by the BLM and roads within the Juniper Dunes area.
You must not carry a passenger when operating an OHV on BLM public lands unless the OHV is designed by the manufacturer to carry a passenger.
You must not operate an OHV without a safety flag while on BLM lands in the Juniper Dunes. All such vehicles must have a whip mast and a 6 x 12 red/orange safety flag. Flags may be of pennant, triangle, square, or rectangular shape. Safety flags must be attached within 10 of the tip of the whip mast with club or other flags mounted below the safety flag or on another whip. Masts must be a minimum of 6 feet in height/length or industry standard height/length.
You must not operate an OHV without a safety flag on Peterson Road, Juniper Road, Smith Canyon Road and Wilderness Road.
You must not race or drive recklessly or carelessly on Peterson Road, Juniper Road, Smith Canyon Road or Wilderness Road.
Comments on the proposed rules will be accepted until November 20, 2009. Comments may be submitted by email to orwa_prop_rule@blm.gov with Attn: Law Enforcement in the subject line or by mail to:

Office of Law Enforcement
BLM, Oregon State Office
P.O. Box 2965
Portland, OR 97208

September 1, 2009: The BLM ammounced that their plans to add toilets at Juniper have changed. The first proposed location would not support the equipment needed for installation. The second proposed location would not allow a toilet to be constructed because it violated the Area of Critical Environmental Concern rules. Politics and poor planning reign!!

August 2009: Fire Restrictions are in place on all BLM Land except Juniper Dunes. Although there are currently no Campfires of Cigarette Smoking allowed due to the extremely dry conditions. Lets be extra careful out there....

June 2009: The BLM has made their statement known that the Juniper Dunes area will soon be getting a restroom. They are planning to have it installed in June. It has come to our attention that the BLM would also like input on their new plans for restrooms...We will let you know where you can send your input in the next letter following Junes meeting.

December 2008: No real change in status. No reports of riders being hassled when in compliance with requriements for quite some time. Help ensure our riding does not get threatened. Review the BLM Emergency Rules (See link). Respect the adjacent land owner's property. Keep the speeds down on Petersen Road. Review the map of Juniper from the spokane WA BLM web page (See link). 2008 saw the usual fire danger restrictions in mid to late summer. Riding should be great for the winter.

BLM Juniper Emergency Restrictions

BLM map of Juniper

November 2007: Peterson road leading to Juniper has a nifty sign posted.

Bike flags for Duniper compliance are available at Tri-Cities Cycle Supply on Columbia Drive in Kennewick 582-6718.
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October 11, 2007: Tri-City Herald article: Representative Doc Hastings is pushing a bill authoring the Bureau of Land Management to sell 622 acres within the Wells Hydroelectric Project Area in order to raise money for public land access. Access to Juniper could be a beneficiary, but would have to compete with other state-wide BLM land access issues. The road to Juniper, Peterson Road, is privately owned by several owners.

September 18, 2007, Tri-City Herald: Franklin County seeks grant for Juniper Dunes access. The county is willing to own, upgrade, maintain road to popular area but wants federal money to help. Franklin County has applied for a federal grant that could solve the lack of public access to the Juniper Forest Area. (Mid Columbia Section page B1) Reporter Annette Cary 582-1533: acary@tricityherald.com
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August 13, 2007: Bike Flag height guidance. The following guidance came from a reputable source:

Any law enforcement officer who has authority on this particular BLM regulation (BLM Law Enforcement Rangers for the most part) have law enforcement discretion. What we are looking for is the user's intent to comply with the regulation and its safety objectives.

If for example, I determine that the user has made his ATV/ORV significantly more visible by attaching the safety flag and is obviously trying to comply with the regulation - compliance has been achieved and no citations are necessary.

The safety flag/mast can be attached anywhere on your machine that you want to do so that in your mind it is a safe method of attaching, is the most convenient for you and still meets the intent of the safety regulation.
Some users have mounted it on the fender, some users mount it through their hollow axle if they have one, some will go from axle through the fender,etc.

Again, if I see a safety flag that is above the ATV/ORV (including motorcycles/dirt bikes) and above the rider, I see a user that is more visible than he/she would have been without the safety flag.
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August 12, 2007: Tri-City Herald Editorial: "When it comes to protecting public access to Juniper Dunes in Franklin County, the Bureau of Land Management is about as effective as a Chihuahua on a leash. Once again, access to the federally owned wilderness area has been blocked, and yet again the bureau has to be prodded into action.

Just like always.

It started late in 2004, when the principal access road to the dunes was blocked by a neighboring farmer. He said he was tired of careless users trashing his private road and creating....
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June 10, 2007: Juniper Dunes Cooperative Agreement Clarification

SPOKANE - The recently signed cooperative use and lease agreement between the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and a local land owner (Mr. Steven DeRuyter), which allows public use of a portion of Peterson Road to access BLM lands in the Juniper Dunes area of Franklin County, Washington, only applies to the portion of Peterson Road which is owned by Mr. DeRuyeter. The remainder of Peterson Road, to the south of the lease agreement portion, is privately owned, and there the BLM does not have an agreement in place for public use. Anyone wishing to use the southern portion of the road must obtain permission from the other private land owners.

In April 2007, BLM announced the completion of a cooperative use and lease agreement with Mr. DeRuyter which would allow the public to use a portion of Peterson Road which was previously blocked by a locked gate. This agreement only covered the portion of the road owned by Mr. DeRutyter. The BLM is continuing to work with Franklin County, local landowners, and the recreation community on a long-term strategy to secure permanent public access to the area.

Juniper Dunes has been a popular regional outdoor recreation area for decades. Its amenities include large sand dunes, a designated wilderness area, important nesting areas for several species of hawks, and a large area open to off-highway vehicles.

More information, to include a map of the area, is available on the internet at http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/spokane/newsroom.

Scott Pavey
Planning and Environmental Coordinator
BLM Spokane District Office
1103 N Fancher Rd
Spokane, WA 97212
(509) 536-1200
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Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area is open however the following notice was issued by BLM on May 24, 2007:
Emergency Restrictions in Effect for Juniper Dunes

Emergency restrictions are now in effect for use of public lands in the Juniper Dunes area of Franklin County, northeast of the Tri-Cities,Washington. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is implementing these restrictions to provide for public safety, reduce conflicts with adjoining landowners, reduce damage to adjoining private lands, and improve the experience of visitors.

The restrictions are:
* Approved Safety Helmets must be worn by all ATV/ORV operators and riders on all BLM public or leased lands and roads within the Juniper Dunes area any time the ATV/ORV is being operated. (ATV = All Terrain Vehicle) (ORV = Off Road Vehicle)
* No operator of an ATV/ORV shall carry a passenger while operating on BLM public lands and roads, except that a passenger may be carried if the ATV/ORV is designed by the manufacturer to carry a passenger.
* Safety Flags are required on ALL vehicles operating off road on BLM lands in the Juniper Dunes. All such vehicles will have a whip mast and a 6 X 12 inch red/orange flag. Flags may be of pennant, triangle, square or rectangular shape. Safety flags must be attached within 10 inches of the tip of the whip mast with club or other flags mounted
below the safety flag or on another whip. Masts will be either minimum of six feet in height/length or industry standard height/length.
* Safety flags are required for all ATV/ORV vehicles on the Peterson Road, Juniper Road and Wilderness Road but are not required for street legal four wheeled passenger vehicles on those roads.
* ATV/ORV's and other off road vehicles must have current and valid State registration and tabs/stickers visible on the ATV/ORV.
* Wood pallets can not be used for any type of fire on BLM public lands or roads in the Juniper Dunes area.
* Personal identification including but not limited to driver's licenses must be on person at all times for the operator of the ORV while the ORV is in use.
* The three access roads (Peterson Road, Juniper Road and Wilderness Road) are for general vehicle access only and are not to be used for racing, back and forth driving or other unsafe acts.

The emergency restrictions went into effect on May 18, 2007, and will remain in effect through December 31 2007, or until BLM develops related supplemental rules. The restrictions are pursuant to the Code of Federal Regulations 43 CFR 8364.1. Violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment of not more than 12 months, or both.

BLM would also like to remind the public that, in accordance with the Wilderness Act of 1964, no motorized or mechanized vehicles may be used at any time within the Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area. Exceptions are authorized only for law enforcement, fire, search & rescue, medical emergencies and other situations involving extreme conditions.

For more information, contact the BLM Spokane District Office at (509)536-1200, email or_spokane_mail@blm.gov, or visit the District website at http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/spokane.

Other Political Information News

Off Highway Vehicle Users, OHV Political CLOUT is Free!

It stands for Constituent Legislative Online User Target. It's a database system for active Off Highway Vehicle users, indexed by their personal WA State representatives and senators.

This is a tool to make you, as a rider, aware when anything regarding OHV use in Washington state affects your personal legislator, and provides an easy means to send that legislator a personal message.

Read more about it by clicking on the link below.

CLOUT