FROM: Carla Boucher, Attorney
UNITED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ASSOCIATIONS

May 31, 2005

WHAT COULD YOU DO WITH $3 MILLION IN YOUR STATE ON 4X4 TRAILS?

Build new trails, maintain existing trails, improve trails and trailheads!

The House of Representatives approved record-breaking amounts of funding for recreation trails through the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). However, the Senate cut that funding, on average, by more than $3 million per state for a total cut of over $161 million in 5 years. In the next 2 weeks the House and Senate will work to resolve the difference in funding. We need your help in urging the Senate to adopt the House funding level in the final bill.

Arizona Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs: Funding cut by Senate = $3.5 million

California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs: Funding cut by Senate = $11.6 million

Colorado Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs: Funding cut by Senate = $3.0 million

Florida Four Wheel Drive Association: Funding cut by Senate = $6.1 million

Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association:

Funding cut in MI by Senate = $3.0 million
Funding cut in OH by Senate = $3.8 million
Funding cut in IN by Senate = $2.7 million
Funding cut in IL by Senate = $4.2 million

Indiana Four Wheel Drive Association: Funding cut by Senate = $2.7 million

Middle Atlantic Four Wheel Drive Association:

Funding cut in MD by Senate = $2.3 million
Funding cut in PA by Senate = $3.9 million
Funding cut in DE by Senate = $1.7 million
Funding cut in NJ by Senate = $2.6 million
Funding cut in VA by Senate = $2.8 million

Midwest Four Wheel Drive Association:

Funding cut in IL by Senate = $4.2 million
Funding cut in IA by Senate = $2.7 million
Funding cut in MN by Senate = $3.7 million
Funding cut in NE by Senate = $2.2 million
Funding cut in ND by Senate = $1.9 million
Funding cut in SD by Senate = $2.0 million
Funding cut in WI by Senate = $3.5 million

Montana Four Wheel Drive Association: Funding cut by Senate = $2.8 million

Nevada United Four Wheelers Association: Funding cut by Senate = $2.2 million

North America XJ Association (representing all 50 states): Funding cut by Senate = $161 million

NorthEast Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs:

Funding cut in MA by Senate = $2.6 million
Funding cut in NH by Senate = $2.1 million
Funding cut in CT by Senate = $1.9 million
Funding cut in NY by Senate = $3.9 million
Funding cut in VT by Senate = $1.9 million

Oklahoma Four Wheel Drive Association: Funding cut by Senate = $2.8 million

Pacific Northwest 4 Wheel Drive Association:

Funding cut in WA by Senate = $3.7 million
Funding cut in OR by Senate = $2.7million
Funding cut in ID by Senate = $2.7 million

Rustbelt 4x4 Trailriders Association:

Funding cut in OH by Senate = $3.8 million
Funding cut in MI by Senate = $3.0 million
Funding cut in PA by Senate = $3.9 million

Southern Four Wheel Drive Association:

Funding cut in NC by Senate = $3.7 million
Funding cut in SC by Senate = $2.5 million
Funding cut in TN by Senate = $2.9 million
Funding cut in GA by Senate = $4.2 million
Funding cut in KY by Senate = $2.8 million
Funding cut in AL by Senate = $3.4 million

Southwest Four Wheel Drive Association:

Funding cut in KA by Senate = $2.6 million
Funding cut in LA by Senate = $3.3 million
Funding cut in MO by Senate = $3.1 million
Funding cut in NM by Senate = $2.8 million
Funding cut in OK by Senate = $2.8 million
Funding cut in TX by Senate = $7.1 million

Virginia Four Wheel Drive Association: Funding cut by Senate = $2.8 million

Wisconsin Four Wheel Drive Association: Funding cut by Senate = $3.5 million

More information about funding levels by state is available at the United website at www.ufwda.org.

Please, send the following letter, or one in your own words, to your U.S. Senators urging them to adopt the House-passed funding level for the RTP program in the HR 3 conference report for the final version of HR 3.

If you need help finding the name and/or address of your U.S. Senator go to:

www.senate.gov and enter your zip code. A list of your two Senators will appear. Please write to both of them. If you do not have access to the Internet and need help you can contact me by phone or e-mail at: (757) 546-7969 or legisadvoc@ufwda.org

Letters must be sent by June 6, 2005.

Please copy all letters to Carla Boucher (For reasons of following up as the UNited Legislative Advocate)

legisadvoc@ufwda.org
or
P.O. Box 15696
Chesapeake, VA 23328

[form letter to be sent to your U.S. Senator]

Senator [Senator’s name]
[address]

[date]

Dear Senator,

I live in your state and am an avid four wheel drive vehicle user. I am contacting you to ask that you ensure that the House-passed funding level for the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is included in the HR 3 conference report for the final version of HR 3.

The RTP is a proven success, leveraging federal funds with volunteer labor, state trails funding generated through registration fees and gas taxes and private funds. The program relies on user fees paid by recreationists like me. However, under the current RTP, and under the Senate-passed version of HR 3, recreational trail users are unfair “donors” to other transportation programs, receiving just 18% of the taxes paid. Adopting the House-passed funding levels in the final bill will address this unfairness.

Please ensure that the final version of HR 3 includes the House-passed funding for the RTP program. This is a very important issue to me and I appreciate your attention to this matter.

Yours truly,

[Your name]
[Your address]