Next Wednesday, MFPC will be testifying in strong opposition to LD 276 “An Act Regarding Inland Fisheries and Wildlife” which would replace the weight and width allowance for ATVs that can be registered in Maine with three classifications of manufacturers specifications based on width and configurations.
This bill completely ignores the work of the Public Access to Private Lands Working Group, which was tasked with reviewing public access issues broadly, who presented a report back to the IFW Committee earlier this session.
Unfortunately, even though it is abundantly clear that law enforcement and landowners are not supported at the level needed to deal with issues that are driven by the increase in pressure on the state ATV trails in recent years. This bill would have serious repercussions for landowners that allow motorized access on their land. Law enforcement issues also remain unresolved, which would lead to even more unresolved conflicts. This bill would likely result in a complete reshaping of how landowners approach motorized access to private land, and would mark the end of the unified statewide network that was the result of the 2020 ATV Taskforce.
According to a survey of our membership last year, this bill, would likely lead to the closure of at least 600 miles of trails on private lands. This would be a an unfortunate and impactful outcome for recreators, landowners and law enforcement alike, so preventing this change remains a top priority for MFPC.
Please consider joining us to testify in opposition to this bill or reaching out to the IFW Committee. If you need assistance submitting or preparing for testimony, please reach out to us.
Online testimony may be submitted at the link below by selecting “Public Hearing,” “Inland Fish and Wildlife,” and February 25, at 1:00PM: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/ To reach out the the members of the committee, please use the below contact information: