By summer, approval could be granted and construction finished on parts of the park, opening up a large swath of land for legal recreational vehicle use. BLM and county officials say the park would keep off-roader aficionados from destroying other areas, but environmentalists say that's not necessarily so.
"If they're going to set up these sacrifice areas, you'd think they'd set up more restrictions on other BLM land," says Liz Thomas, a staff attorney with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. "We're not seeing that."
Under the deal now close to completion, Uintah County would get nearly 1,229 acres to build the sports park - called the Buckskin Hills Recreation Area - and then private groups would be responsible for constructing the various parts, such as a place to ride dirt bikes or to fly ultra-light aircraft, ride go-carts or run remote-controlled cars and planes.
An environmental assessment of the land sale found no reason to block the deal, and few negative comments about the proposal came in during a public review. It's located about 4.5 miles from Vernal.
Bill Stringer, head of the BLM's Vernal office, says there are plans to restrict access for off-road vehicles on some 1.5 million acres and creating this sports park will give those who want to use ATVs or motorbikes a place to go.
"That fits into our scheme to a large degree because you give people a place to go," Stringer says. "When you start limiting use, and you want to avoid the outlaws or frustrating those folks, [you need to] give them a place to go."
That place is burgeoning as a go-to spot for recreation in Uintah County. Across the road from the proposed sports complex is 1,079 acres set aside for a shooting range, which Uintah County's grants administrator Heather Hoyt says will be one of the premier ranges in the state. That land as well came through another lease-to-sale deal with the BLM.
A sports complex, she says, will be a good way to bring tourists and their wallets to the area. "We've already had a lot of interest in the project," Hoyt says. "We've had a motocross area in previous years. They've brought quite a few people and I think this will do the same."
Still, environmentalists see this as a continuation of a trend to open up recreational land that doesn't curtail off-road vehicles in other areas.
"I haven't seen any evidence that any of the land management agencies are trying to discourage off road vehicle use any way," says Dan Schroeder, an off-road vehicle activist and Sierra Club volunteer. "If they were actually closing one area while they creating a play area somewhere else, I guess I'd take them more seriously. "
SUWA's Thomas says the recreational parks often turn into "training grounds" generating more off-road vehicle traffic.
Stringer disputes that.
"From my standpoint, when we identify areas and prepare them" for such projects "we remove pressure from resources that are not necessarily hardened," he said.
Will it stop more off-road abuse? "It certainly promises to help."
tburr@sltrib.com
