BRC News

Last 5 Releases	Date
Recreation Group Files FOIA Appeal To Department of The Interior Regarding National Monuments	03/17/2010
Recreational Groups Prevail In Travel Management Suit	03/11/2010
Motorsport Fabrication Services Promotes Access and Responsible Recreation	03/02/2010
Obama Secret Plan for Monuments Compels Congressional Action	02/19/2010
Coalition Opposes Plan to Lock Up Public Lands in Southwestern South Dakota	02/03/2010

Recreation Group Files FOIA Appeal To Department of The Interior Regarding National Monuments

March 17th, 2010

Contacts:

Don Amador, BRC Western Representative
- Phone: (925) 625-6287
- Fax: (925) 625-5309
- Email: brdon@sharetrails.org
- Webpage: http://www.sharetrails.org/staff/#DonA

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BRC's Don Amador on Designated OHV Trail in the Middle of a National Monument Proposal for the Snow and Goat Mountain Area on the Mendocino National Forest
Click image to enlarge.

Map of OHV Trail System in Heart of N. California Monument Proposal
Click image to enlarge.

OAKLEY, CA (March 17)—A national recreation group exercised its appeal rights today by filing a Freedom of Information Appeal to the Department of Interior (DOI). The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) is taking this action because the agency stated they found no records or communications regarding the designation of a national monument in the heart of a popular destination OHV area in the Mendocino National Forest.

BRC is concerned the agency arbitrarily restricted its search to the "Secretary's Immediate Office and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks." The initial FOIA request was for the DOI in general and did not specify the search be limited to the physical space of the Secretary's Office.

Don Amador, Western Representative for the BlueRibbon Coalition, states, "BRC is concerned the DOI's 'no records' response does not comply with President Obama's promise of transparency as articulated in the early days of his presidency."

"Our members who recreate at the Stonyford OHV Area deserve to see any information that pertains to the potential designation of this popular recreation site as a national monument. I hope the agency complies with the spirit and intent of this appeal and searches its relevant departments and agencies for the requested materials," Amador concludes.

A copy of the FOIA Appeal may be viewed at: http://tinyurl.com/FOIA-Appeal

# # #

The BlueRibbon Coalition is a national (non-profit) trail-saving group that represents over 600,000 recreationists nationwide The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) season is beginning. Federal employees, please mark BlueRibbon Coalition and Check #11402 on your CFC pledge form to support our efforts to protect your access. Join us at 1-800-258-3742 http://www.sharetrails.org