Future Looks Bright for ATVs and Dirtbikes In Nebraska

By Dan Nitzel, NOHVA Business Manager

          While there is a huge amount of doom and gloom in National politics and with the economy, the future has never looked brighter for recreational ATV and dirtbike riders in Nebraska!  There are a great many positive things going for us right now.  All of the positive things are occurring because people are making things happen by becoming involved in developing new places to ride in our state, and helping to maintain the areas we now have. 

          Just this year, two new private places to ride opened in Eastern Nebraska, Rally Point Ridge located four miles from Dawson Nebraska and Big Elk Park located three miles east of Macy Nebraska.  While this writer has not had time to visit these areas, I have talked to people who really enjoyed them.

          There is talk about a new OHV park being planned in eastern Nebraska by the State.  NOHVA members formed a new chapter based in metro Omaha to help push the development of new places to ride in that area. 

          Work is underway for the new OHV Park at the Harlan County Reservoir near Republican City Nebraska.  When completed the park will be over 500 acres. 

          Plans are in the works to develop an ATV and dirtbike trail system at the Nebraska National Forest near Hasley.  While we can’t offer details at this time, the intent is to develop a sustainable trails system that minimizes conflicts with other forest users yet provides an enjoyable experience for ATV riders. 

          This year a new entrance trail was constructed at the Headworks OHV Park near Genoa.  It is a vast improvement over the old trail and is a work in progress as we experiment with different surface materials. 

          NOHVA was the proud recipient of a grant from Yamaha to cover most of our insurance costs in 2009-2010.   The intent of the insurance is to help shield land owners and volunteers from liability, thus providing an incentive to keep existing areas open.  NOHVA works out various agreements for several riding areas in Nebraska to help pay for the insurance depending upon the situation.  The grant will help us avoid an increase in membership fee’s as we strive to keep the fee’s reasonable.  Also the Yamaha grant will help free up funds for trail projects and insure the continuance of our refund of membership fees to local chapters.   The membership refunds are designed to empower the local chapters and fund their own projects and activities.

          After about 15 years of working on and off on the paperwork, NOHVA is now an IRS certified 501c7 non-profit association!  It took me several months to complete the paperwork.  Most groups hire an Attorney to complete the forms.  Instead, I decided to dig into the project and get it done while saving us $1500 to $2500.  Our application was so complete and accurate, we were approved by the IRS with no follow up letters concerning the operation of our association.   There are several advantages to being an IRS certified non-profit.  It helps us with grants as we have proven to the Federal Government that our organization meets the criteria to be non-profit.  The criteria includes rules on how we can use our funding for the public good, and includes strict accounting procedures. 

          Maybe in 2009 we can convince State Senators that we need a trail funding mechanism or figure out a way for local riding areas to cover expenses and not have to worry about liability.  Currently if a use fee is charged by a land owner to people to ride in their property, their exposure to liability greatly increases.  We believe that land owners should be able to charge a reasonable fee to cover insurance and expenses with out added liability exposure.

          We do face some challenges.  One challenge involves efforts to register and license ATVs.  Will this be required and what impact will have on recreational trails users and competitive riders?  NOHVA will be there to represent these riders. 

          Another challenge involves the continuance of the federal Recreational Trails Program or RTP.  The Bush administration is currently trying to cancel the program.  With the huge federal deficit now occurring, there is no telling what the future of the program will be.  The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is an assistance program of the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).  Federal transportation funds benefit recreation by making funds available to the States to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses. The RTP funds come from the Federal Highway Trust Fund, and represent a portion of the motor fuel excise tax collected from non-highway recreational fuel use: fuel used for off-highway recreation by snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, and off-highway light trucks.  The RTP returns a portion of federal gasoline taxes generated by non-highway motorized recreation to the states for trail-related purposes. Under current legislation and if the program continues, Nebraska is slated to receive over $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2009.  Of that total, one-third to two-thirds can be used for motorized trail projects.  If this program ceases, it will be a big blow to us here in Nebraska and to trial nationwide.

          In closing, what really makes an organization like our own successful are our members.  NOHVA has an incredible following in Nebraska.  We would not be where we are today and the existing areas we have to ride would not exist if it were not for our volunteers and the land owners that cooperate with our chapters. 

          Let’s all work together to make 2009 an event BETTER year for recreational ATV and dirtbike riding in Nebraska!

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This page was updated on Saturday, March 07, 2009