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Measure would force New Jersey owners to register off-road vehicles
By EDWARD VAN EMBDEN Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New legislation awaiting approval from the governor would require owners of off-road vehicles to register their rides or face fines.
The bill was introduced in summer 2008 with the intention of curbing illegal riding and the damage legislators and environmentalists say has been done to private property and protected land.
The state Assembly and Senate both passed the bill earlier this week.
Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck Chiarello sees the passage as a victory a long time in the making. Chiarello and the New Jersey Pinelands Commission have supported the legislation since its inception.
"I've been involved with this for a long time because Buena Vista has had an ATV problem," he said. "And it seems to be an important step in reining in some of the problems that are out there. These are vehicles just like any other vehicles, they cause damage to property."
Off-road vehicles is a catch-all term that describes not only large-scale vehicles such as trucks, but all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, snowmobiles and similar transports.
The legislation, if approved by the governor, would require that insurance be obtained for the vehicles as well. Another stipulation is that all riders under the age of 18 take a safety training course alerting them to the dangers associated with riding these types of vehicles.
The bill also includes language that prevents modification to vehicles that would result in undue noise and safety concerns.
Some provisions are required before the bill could take effect. The state Department of Environmental Protection must find and designate open land that would be available to off-road vehicle riders.
Riders would have three months after that piece of land is secured to make the necessary adjustments. The measure further stipulates that the DEP must find two more appropriate sites to accompany riding within three years of finding the first piece.
Jaclyn Rhoads, director for conservation policy with the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, said she expects there will be a push back initially. Some will be reluctant to register their vehicles, despite threats of fines, especially if they ride on protected lands, she said.
But eventually, she said, all new off-road vehicles purchased from dealers would require registration as part of the purchasing process.
The off-road vehicle problem is especially significant in the Pinelands National Reserve, she said, because of all the connected forest. While the thousands of acres may seem like a great place to ride, they are undeveloped for a reason. Off-road vehicles pose a threat to endangered species of flora and fauna and the ecosystem as a whole, she said.
By EDWARD VAN EMBDEN Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New legislation awaiting approval from the governor would require owners of off-road vehicles to register their rides or face fines.
The bill was introduced in summer 2008 with the intention of curbing illegal riding and the damage legislators and environmentalists say has been done to private property and protected land.
The state Assembly and Senate both passed the bill earlier this week.
Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck Chiarello sees the passage as a victory a long time in the making. Chiarello and the New Jersey Pinelands Commission have supported the legislation since its inception.
"I've been involved with this for a long time because Buena Vista has had an ATV problem," he said. "And it seems to be an important step in reining in some of the problems that are out there. These are vehicles just like any other vehicles, they cause damage to property."
Off-road vehicles is a catch-all term that describes not only large-scale vehicles such as trucks, but all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, snowmobiles and similar transports.
The legislation, if approved by the governor, would require that insurance be obtained for the vehicles as well. Another stipulation is that all riders under the age of 18 take a safety training course alerting them to the dangers associated with riding these types of vehicles.
The bill also includes language that prevents modification to vehicles that would result in undue noise and safety concerns.
Some provisions are required before the bill could take effect. The state Department of Environmental Protection must find and designate open land that would be available to off-road vehicle riders.
Riders would have three months after that piece of land is secured to make the necessary adjustments. The measure further stipulates that the DEP must find two more appropriate sites to accompany riding within three years of finding the first piece.
Jaclyn Rhoads, director for conservation policy with the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, said she expects there will be a push back initially. Some will be reluctant to register their vehicles, despite threats of fines, especially if they ride on protected lands, she said.
But eventually, she said, all new off-road vehicles purchased from dealers would require registration as part of the purchasing process.
The off-road vehicle problem is especially significant in the Pinelands National Reserve, she said, because of all the connected forest. While the thousands of acres may seem like a great place to ride, they are undeveloped for a reason. Off-road vehicles pose a threat to endangered species of flora and fauna and the ecosystem as a whole, she said.
