CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Legislation which would require the Division of Natural Resources and the Division of Highways to map and inventory all trails and roads on public land in West Virginia has advanced from the Senate Natural Resources Committee to the floor.
Senate Bill 676 originally passed to the floor last Friday on a roll call vote 6-5, but was recalled due to a procedural technicality. It advanced a second time on Monday on a voice vote after the procedural error was corrected.
The measure would require the DNR to create a digital database identifying all roads on state property, such as state forests and wildlife management areas. The agency would also have to publicize the identification of the road, its location, condition, and what kind of surface. The agency would also be charged with designating whether it was permissible to travel with a motorized vehicle.
“It’s my understanding it allows the DNR to do the appropriate thing and I have no concern the Division of Natural Resources would affect any egress or ingress of our landscape in a negative way,” Maynard told members of his committee.
The Senator has already received concerns from constituents about the idea. Some suggest it’s a way to allow for running four wheelers and other ATVs and UTV’s on trails within state parks, forests, or Wildlife Management Areas. Maynard assured the committee that is not the case.
“In our state code ORV’s are defined as a full sized vehicle like a Jeep or a custom built off road vehicle,” he said. “There is no concern for anything related to ATV’s or side-by-sides in this bill.”
The explanation still left open the possibility of off road riding trails within some of those sensitive areas. Currently the off-road full sized vehicles are allowed to run certain stretches of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System and on private lands where permissible. There is no allowance for any type of off-road vehicles on state property.
The measure narrowly passed on the voice vote and is now on the Senate floor where it will be up for second reading Tuesday.