Because the Forest Service doesnt have enough to handle already...

[Sportfaller]

Black Hills National Forest officials are working hard to provide a safe environment for motorized vehicle users.

Special Order 113 was signed by Forest Supervisor Craig Bobzien. It states that any motor vehicle that emits a sound in excess of 96 decibels for vehicles manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 1998, and 99 decibels for vehicles manufactured before Jan. 1, 1998, are not allowed on the Black Hills National Forest within Custer, Fall River, Lawrence, Meade and Pennington Counties in South Dakota, and Crook and Weston Counties in Wyoming.

"This limits unnecessary noise in the forest," Bobzien said.

Bobzien's management objectives for this Special Order were stated in the Black Hills National Forest Travel Management Plan Record of Decision, dated March 2010.

"I decided to establish sound limit levels for motorized vehicles using the Forest. A level of 96 dB(A) is the standard level the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) has adopted for sanctioned events," Bobzien said.

"The 96 dB(A) sound limit was proposed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and was the subject of a number of comments," Bobzien said. "I believe this will allow most stock vehicles to use the motorized system, and that it can provide a reasonable limit on vehicle noise close to lands of other ownerships."

Special Order 113 is in effect until Dec. 31, 2015, or until rescinded for motorized vehicles.

Persons EXEMPT from the order:

(1) Persons with a Forest Service permit specifically authorizing the otherwise prohibited act or omission.

(2) Any Federal, State or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force engaged in the performance of an official duty.



To read Special Order 113 or for more information on the Black Hills National Forest, go to www.fs.usda.gov/blackhills

Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/black-hills-national-forest-fficials-work-toward-safe-environment-for/article_7365855f-d73a-53a7-b7b8-7e03c0d77e7e.html#ixzz1lKAMXfiL

[jacin theis]

so, our fees will now go to buy noise meters instead of trail managment and improvement? nice.

[Sportfaller]

just what i need on my logging jobs... some yahoo running around with a db. meter checking how loud the skidders are! 

I've been hearing roumors that the EPA is going to outlaw 2 strokes too, can you immagine 4 stroke chainsaws? maybe we'd have to go back to electric like the very first powersaws!


I'm not going to worry much, I rode all last year with no trail permit, (the 2012's are out btw) and never was checked, let alone even saw the FS "enforcers".  Try and catch me suckers!

[loingrader]

how much money will it cost to enforce this rule on the 6 guys riding with loud bikes on the dirt?

but if you are one of the 100,000 harley bikers riding thru the NFS on pavement, with excessively loud pipes, that's ok.

Black Hills National Forest officials are working hard to provide a safe environment for motorized vehicle users.

i feel "safer" already

[Hank]

Ah yes, more government meddling at the cost of taxpayer dollars that don't exist.   Big surprise!

[loingrader]

can you immagine 4 stroke chainsaws?

OT but i've got a Stihl trimmer that's 4 stroke and it works awesome.  Takes a half second to get wound up but once it's at speed it does great.  With a blade it will cut thru 2 inch saplings just as fast as you can fling it.

Obviously a trimmer is a far cry from a chainsaw but I bet the tech will be there eventually to make it work.

But, how much do all the chainsaws in the world really add to emmissions?  I'd venture to say basically zilch

[Sportfaller]

there are still a TON of old 2 stroke detroit diesels running around, miniscule comparitivly.

[plumber mike]

The problem with laws like these is that the average forest user doesn't have a Db meter, and therefore has no clue if their bike meets that standard or not. I remember pulling my work truck into the weigh station on i90, because I had no clue how much it weighed. As it turns out I was 1500# overweight, and the guy was going to write me up! I told him NO WAY! I had no way of knowing until I pulled in what my weight was, and now that I know I can correct the situation. I told him he could give me a ticket next time....if I was overweight. He agreed, thankfully. Hopefully, the forest service won't get too high and mighty about it, unless they offer a place to check sound levels.

I'm not too worried.As Sportfaller already said, there is really no enforcement to speak of. Plus, they will be so worked up that I don't have a spark arrestor, that the noise wont matter