CMC prevails
in lawsuit

By Vera Smith

After almost three years in court, the Colorado Mountain Club prevailed in a lawsuit involving off-road ve­hicle use on the Routt National Forest. The club, with a CMC mem­ber from Steamboat Springs as an individual plaintiff, and three other conservation organizations in­ter­vened in a lawsuit filed by the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition against the Forest Service.  The ORV group argued that the Forest Service did not have the authority to restrict motorized vehicle travel to designated routes to protect the natural environment. 

A federal judge in Denver District Court handed down the important decision reinforcing the Forest Service’s ability to restrict off-road vehicle use in order to prevent environmental damage.  The Forest Service sought to end cross-country travel by motorized vehicles on a portion of the Routt National Forest, instead limiting motorized vehicles to designated routes.

 “This is a victory for the Forest Service and the public.  Coloradans have a right to expect that the Forest Service will rein in inappropriate dirt bike and all-terrain vehicle use,” stated Vera Smith, Conservation Director for the Colorado Mountain Club. P