First Quarter, 2003:
. Finally - a HUGE WIN for OHV recreation! During January, 2003, U.S. Fish and Wildlife issued a decision to withdraw its proposed listing of the Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard (FTHL) to the Endangered Species List. During July, 2002, ORBA President, Roy Denner called together OHV Leaders to suggest that a herpetologist be hired to study the status of the FTHL. This reptile had been proposed for addition to the Endangered Species List. The impact of such a listing would have closed a large part of the Mojave Desert to vehicle access. A qualified herpetologist was hired and his report, accompanied by a legal comment letter from ORBA attorney, David Hubbard, was submitted to the Department of the Interior.

Fourth Quarter, 2002:
. During November, National BLM Director, Kathleen Clarke joined ORBA President Denner for a visit to the Imperial Sand Dunes where she experienced a dune buggy ride in the dunes that she stated was "awesome". Also enjoying the experience were BLM State Director, Mike Pool and CA Desert District Manager, Linda Hansen.

. ORBA's President conducted a seminar in November on federal environmental law and federal land management policies that are impacting the automotive equipment after-market industry. The presentation was held in Las Vegas at SEMA's huge 3 million square foot annual convention. The seminar was well received and accolades were received from SEMA.

. Records of Decision have been filed with the Federal Register for two major land use plans prepared by the BLM - the NECO Plan and the NEMO Plan (actually Environmental Impact Statements - not land management plans). Comments from the BLM's own Desert Advisory Council, as well as comments from the recreation community, have been summarily rejected in these final plans. ORBA's attorney has filed protests against these plans and is prepared to stop their implementation. The BLM does not have any budget or even a fraction of the manpower to implement these plans. Failure to implement will result in many, many new lawsuits by the enviro-extremists. The BLM's only recourse will be more emergency closures of public lands.

. ORBA has moved to a new facility located at 11487 Woodside Avenue in Santee, California 92071. Our new fax number is 619-596-5826 and our new email address is ORBA@sbcglobal.net.

. Meetings were held between the BLM and OHV Leaders invited by ORBA to address the challenge presented to BLM by ORBA's President. The challenge involves the suggestion that, if the environmental organizations will pull their budgeted dollars for litigation over the Desert Tortoise issue, ORBA's President will solicit the OHV community to provide matching funds. The collective funds would then be used to hire qualified tortoise biologists and epidemiologists to perform a serious scientific study to assess the tortoise situation. OHV leaders proposed that a simple starting effort would be to share the cost to accumulate and organize a large volume of data that already exists but that has never been collated. Similar meetings were held between the BLM and leaders of environmental organizations where environmentalists stated that they are not interested in cooperating with the OHV community on this proposed effort.

. Enviro-extremist organizations have petitioned U.S. Fish & Wildlife to list the Andrew's Scarab Dune Beetle as an endangered species. They claim that this beetle exists only in the Algodones Sand Dunes. If listed, this insect could bring about closure to an area that many consider to be the most popular OHV area in the world. ORBA's attorney has filed a FOIA request with Fish & Wildlife to obtain all documents pertaining to this insect. The OHV community will work very hard to prevent this listing - much the way it participated in the prevention of the listing of the Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard.

Third Quarter, 2002:
. During September, ORBA's President organized a second trip to Washington, DC. 21 Congressional offices were visited. Follow-up meetings were held with Assistant Secretaries of the Interior, Craig Manson, (Fish & Wildlife) and Rebecca Watson, (BLM) to report that actions by federal agencies were still opposing OHV recreation. As a result of this trip, a letter to the Secretary of the Interior complaining about federal land management policy was co-authored by Congressman Duncan Hunter, California and Congressman James Hansen, Utah. This letter was signed by 17 other Congressional Representatives.

. ORBA President Denner participated in a meeting of OHV Leaders with the National Director of the BLM, Kathleen Clarke. Denner reported on the "Management by Closure" approach still being implemented by the Bureau of Land Management for federal lands.

. ORBA board member, Howard Hughes, owner of Off-Road Warehouse, joined ORBA President Denner on a radio talk show "Business on Air" to describe how important off-road recreation is to the economy.

. ORBA's President met with the President of SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association), a large national vehicle trade association - similar to ORBA but supporting the speed/hotrod industry. SEMA officials agreed to provide ORBA with booth space and a seminar facility during its upcoming convention in Las Vegas. SEMA recognizes the overlap between the speed/hotrod industry and the off-road recreation industry.

. ORBA's President was invited to represent the OHV community at a meeting in Las Vegas with representatives of federal land management agencies who are concerned about the Mojave Desert Tortoise - a federally listed endangered species that is responsible for the closure of millions of acres of public lands to vehicle access. Co-chaired by Mike Pool, State BLM Director and Steve Thompson, multi-state Director of Fish and Wildlife, the meeting was attended by field managers and biologists from several federal agencies from several western states. An important outcome of the meeting was that attendees agreed that disease is the most significant impact to the tortoise and predators are the second most significant impact. Impacts from vehicle use are relatively insignificant. Closure of all public lands will do nothing to curtail the major problems for the tortoise.

. A BLM Desert District Advisory Council (DAC) meeting was held this quarter where the BLM reported that its new desert management plans have been finalized wherein motions passed 10 to 2 by the DAC have been rejected. OHV areas will still be closed due to "under-utilization"! ORBA's President Denner stated publicly that it is clear that the BLM is supporting the enviro-extremist agenda rather than the multiple-use approach for public lands. He also warned that litigation, which works so well for the enviro-extremists, will be pursued strongly by the OHV community also!

Second Quarter, 2002:
. ORBA's President, and several ORBA members, attended an intensive 3-day meeting in Ontario, California with OHV leaders from all over California. The purpose of the meeting was to attempt to develop a united input to the draft Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Management Plan. Major concerns were identified and subcommittees were established to summarize input to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP). A follow-up meeting was scheduled to pull together the subcommittee recommendations.
. ORBA President, Roy Denner, led a delegation of OHV leaders to Washington, DC to meet with Congressional Representatives and Department of the Interior Executives to discuss land planning activities taking place in the BLM's California Desert District. As expected, Washington decision makers were not totally aware of the unbalanced land management plans that are closing millions of acres of public lands to OHV recreation. After a breakfast meeting in Washington with Congressman Duncan Hunter, he drafted a letter that was read at an ISDRA scoping meeting in San Diego. His letter emphatically supports OHV recreation and public use of public lands. The letter is displayed elsewhere on this website.
. At the BLM's scoping meeting, where input was taken from the attendees, ORBA's President Denner pointed out that the new plan for the ISDRA does not address widespread socioeconomic impacts across California and other nearby states that can result from the plan's proposed actions. In the plan, as drafted, socioeconomic impacts are considered to take place only in Yuma and Imperial Counties. Federal law requires that indirect socioeconomic impacts be considered.

First Quarter, 2002:
. ORBA President, Roy Denner, and San Diego Off-Road Coalition Chairman, Jim McGarvie, met with Linda Hansen, the new Manager for the BLM's California Desert District. Ms. Hansen indicated that she is in favor of multiple use on public lands and recognizes the need for OHV recreation opportunities. Denner and McGarvie expressed concerns about past management decisions for public lands in the California Desert that they described as "management by closure." Both OHV leaders offered to support Hansen if she truly moves in the direction of multiple and balanced use of public lands in the California Desert. Time will tell if a new approach will actually be implemented.
. ORBA President Denner spoke at a California State Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission meeting in El Centro. The event was the dedication of the Herman Schneider bridge which connects the sand dunes area north of Fwy 8 to the sand dunes area south of Fwy 8. Before his demise, Schneider had asked Denner to pick up on his efforts to support OHV recreation in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.
. ORBA members, including ORBA's President and several Board members, attended Legislative day in Sacramento. This annual event has been very effective and many California Legislators know about ORBA and other California OHV organizations. ORBA's Lobbyist in Sacramento, Pete Conaty, has done an excellent job of educating legislators about the importance of OHV recreation in California. He has also done a great job of educating OHV leaders about the importance of politics to OHV land use efforts.
. ORBA President Denner debated the Chairman of the Center for Biological Diversity on a San Diego radio talk show program. After the debate, the talk show host commented that "it was pretty obvious that the dirt bike guy won the debate." Further evidence of this lies in the fact that the CBD Chairman refused to participate in a subsequent debate on San Diego talk radio. It was an easy win for Denner - all he had to do was offer specific facts to shoot down the CBD guy's exaggerations and lies.
. Denner also did a live TV spot on San Diego's Channel 39 standing in front of a member company's sand rail. In spite of the host being on the green side, the short spot gave Denner a chance to promote the family nature of OHV recreation.
. ORBA President, Roy Denner, attended a rally in Hanford, California, in support of keeping the Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area open to OHV use. The Oceano Dunes is the last three miles of California beach that allows OHV use and the enviro-extremists are suing to close it. On behalf of ORBA, Denner contributed $4,300 to help the Friends of Oceano Dunes with their battle.
. Denner, and several other ORBA members attended an Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission meeting in Sacramento. OHV representatives attending pushed for law enforcement in the ISDRA on holiday weekends to be turned over to the Imperial County Sheriff. The sheriff was given a grant of $500,000 to do the job.
. Denner attended the Indianapolis Motorcycle Dealer Show - the biggest event of its type in the country. Many attendees were already ORBA members and proudly displayed "ORBA MEMBER" signs. With the help of ORBA board members, John Pederson and Rocky Trevino, many new important contacts were made and several new members were enrolled.
. Board members, Jim McGarvie and Rocky Trevino, helped Denner educate the motorcycle racing community about ORBA at the Adelanto Grand Prix.
. Thousands of jeep enthusiasts attended the Tierra del Sol Safari event at Truckhaven. ORBA member signs were evident and ORBA's President had an opportunity to inform the 4-wheel drive community about ORBA.
· Most of the vendors displaying products at the San Diego Off-Road Exposition were ORBA members. ORBA signs displayed on their booths were everywhere. Several new vendors joined ORBA.
· ORBA President and several ORBA members attend and speak at California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission meeting in Ontario, California. Imperial County Sheriff's Department awarded a grant of $500,000 to assist with law enforcement in the Imperial Sand Dunes on holiday weekends.
· ORBA hosts an Educational Seminar in San Diego for members and other interested business managers. Attendees were updated on the wide range of actions by government agencies that are having a huge negative impact on OHV Recreation. Speakers include attorney, David Hubbard, and Barry Jantz, Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Jay LaSuer.
· ORBA President participates in Technical Review Team meeting in El Centro for Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. Denner reports on motions passed by the Desert Advisory Council recommending that desert management plans include a provision for mitigating impacts on recreation.

Fourth Quarter, 2001:
· ORBA President represents ORBA at California State Assemblyman Jay LaSuer's fund raiser dinner. LaSuer is a staunch supporter of OHV recreation.
· ORBA President - Vice Chairman of the BLM California Desert District Advisory Council - attends DAC meeting in El Centro, California. Has motion passed 11 to 2 to include a provision for mitigating impacts on recreation in new desert management plans, including the Imperil Sand Dunes Recreation Area Management Plan. Also has motion passed 11 to 2 to eliminate proposed OHV area closures from the Northern & Eastern Colorado Desert District Plan.
· ARIZONA ACTION - ORBA attorney, David Hubbard, submits legal position letter opposing the expansion of the Sunset Crater National Monument. The proposed expansion would shut down the Cinders OHV park.
· ORBA members show up in force at Congressman Duncan Hunter's fund-raising dinner to show individual support. Hunter is a long-time OHV backer.
· ORBA assists American Sand Association with funding to file petition to remove the Pierson Milk Vetch Plantfrom the Threatened & Endangered Species List. This is the plant responsible for the closure of 50,000 acres to OHV use in the Imperial Sand Dunes.
· ORBA President, Roy Denner, represents ORBA at Technical Review Team meeting in El Centro for the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.
· ORBA attorney files appeals against closures of over 800,000 acres in the California Desert District to OHV Use. 25,600 acres closed to camping east of Glamis just before Thanksgiving weekend.
· ORBA President works with Imperial County Board of Supervisors, Imperial County Sheriff's Office, and Director of California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division to acquire grant for Sheriff to assist with law enforcement in Imperial Valley Sand Dunes on holiday weekends.
· ORBA President debates Conservation Coordinator for the Sierra Club on KPBS Radio. Chairman for the Center for Biological Diversity calls in to program to object to being called an "Environmental Extremist." Denner reiterates the accusation!
· Orange and white ORBA Member signs once again are displayed widely at the Pomona Off Road Exposition. ORBA membership count passes 85 after this show!
· ORBA initiates effort to obtain low cost workmans' compensation insurance for members.

Third Quarter, 2001:
· Attorney, Hubbard, submits legal position letter opposing Environmental Assessment proposing to close camping area east of Glamis.
· ORBA President chairs BLM California Desert District Advisory Council Meeting in Desert Hot Springs, California. Approximately 170 OHV enthusiasts in attendance. Much controversy over impacts on OHV recreation being proposed in new BLM land management plans.
· ORBA member signs prevail at the 3rd annual Super Sand Sports Show at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Many exhibitors join ORBA's ranks during the show. Membership exceeds 70 companies.
· Thousands of attendees at the Super Sand Sports Show sign petition recommending that ORBA President, Roy Denner, be reappointed to the Bureau of Land Management's California Desert District Advisory Council.
· Several ORBA members speak at the scoping meeting for the new management plan for the Imperial Sand Dunes in San Diego. Over 400 OHV enthusiasts turn out for this meeting. Name of the plan has been changed from the Recreation Area Management Plan (RAMP) to the Resource Management Plan (RMP). ORBA President openly criticizes the name change at the meeting as a sign of what's to come for this area.
· ORBA president interviewed by the Motorcycle Industry magazine about the new Off-Road Business Association.
· Article "Trails end for OHV Recreation" by ORBA President is published in the San Diego Union Tribune on Thursday, August 16th. (See complete article on ORBA website.)
· ORBA President speaks at KTM Sportmotorcycle, USA dealer's meeting in Pennsylvania. KTM dealers from around the country sign up as members.
· Letters of recommendation to reappoint ORBA President, Roy Denner, to the Bureau of Land Management's California Desert District Advisory Council submitted to the BLM by:
- U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter
- 36 California Legislators as co-signers
- ORBA Attorney David Hubbard
- Jim McGarvie, Chairman of the San Diego Off-Road Coalition
- Ed Waldheim, Chairman of the California Off-Road Vehicle Assoc.
•Attorney Hubbard issues legal opinion letters on several of the EA's announced by the BLM describing them as illegal and not properly supported with data.
•ORBA meeting in Fullerton where KTM Sportmotorcycles USA, Inc. presented ORBA a check for $10,000 to become a member of ORBA at the maximum level.
New website at www.orbanet.org presented by off-road.com, ORBA website developers.
•ORBA member signups resulting from the Fullerton meeting bring the total number of members up to 52.

Second Quarter, 2001:
•Funds approved to develop ORBA website.
•ORBA meeting in Temecula attended by about 70 off-road business owners including many members. Assemblyman Dennis Hollingsworth talked about the negative impacts resulting from the Endangered Species Act. Lobbyist Conaty presented his letter signed by 54 State Legislators. Attorney Hubbard released his 29 page legal opinion letter attacking the BLM's NECO Plan. Many attendees joined ORBA at that meeting.
•Funding approved for attorney, Hubbard, to respond to five Environmental Assessment re-ports, announced by the BLM, that call for "Emergency Closures" of trails and OHV areas in the California Desert District.
•Financial support provided to help the off-road community pay for the part-time services of a proven lobbyist in Sacramento to promote off-road interests among California Legislators.
•Funding approved to have attorney, Hubbard, prepare a legal opinion letter on the BLM's NEMO (Northern & Eastern Mojave) Plan - also disastrous to OHV recreation as drafted.
•ORBA was incorporated as a non-profit business association whose charter is to promote the success and profitability of its business members.
•ORBA Board of Directors established - made up of seven leaders in the off-road industry in Southern California.
•ORBA meeting in San Diego attended by approximately 40 business owners. Since that meeting most of those attendees have become members of ORBA.
•Environmental Attorney David Hubbard retained to question totally unbalanced land manage-ment plans being drafted by the U.S. Bureau of Land Manage-ment. Funding approved to have Hubbard prepare a legal opinion letter on the BLM's NECO Plan which, if implemented as drafted, will have a disastrous impact on OHV recreation.