San Diego - Jan. 7, 2003 - On Jan. 3, 2003, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) of the Department of the Interior issued a decision to withdraw its proposed rule to list the Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard (FTHL) as threatened, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The California off-highway vehicle (OHV) community applauds the decision, which was based partly on scientific research commissioned by the group.

In July of 2002, Roy Denner, President and CEO of the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), called together leaders of California OHV recreation groups to discuss the proposed listing of the Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard. These OHV leaders agreed to hire a qualified herpetologist to study the data available on the FTHL. This study, which showed that there is no new evidence to suggest that the FTHL is threatened or endangered, was submitted to the Department of the Interior. Subsequently, the Service determined that threats to the species are not as significant as earlier believed and current data does not indicate that threats to the species and its habitat are likely to endanger the species in the foreseeable future throughout its range.

"California OHV leaders are pleased that the Department of the Interior is basing decisions on the de-listing, or listing, of species of concern like the Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard on empirical scientific evidence," said Denner. "When we commissioned the study we wanted to find out what the true situation was with the lizards and were prepared to stand behind whatever the herpetologist discovered."

This is not the first time the California OHV community has provided resources to study plants or animals that were previously thought to be endangered. A similar biological study of the Peirson's Milk Vetch (PMV) plant was paid for by the OHV community, but not before thousands of acres were closed based on the improper listing of the plant.

"Studies show clearly that the Peirson's Milk Vetch (PMV) plant - the listed species responsible for almost 50,000 acres of closures in the Imperial Sand Dunes (Glamis) - should never have been listed as endangered in the first place," explains Denner. "If the OHV Community had been organized two years ago the study would have been completed before, not after, the closures to vehicles were implemented in the most popular OHV recreation area in the world."

The OHV Community has initiated litigation to have the PMV removed from the Endangered Species List based on this new data.

Jim McGarvie, past Chairman of the San Diego Off-Road Coalition and a Board member of ORBA, explains the significance of using current data to make decisions on access to public lands. "The millions of families nationwide who enjoy off-road vehicle access are delighted to see the new leaders of the Department of the Interior rely on solid, peer-reviewed, science to support decisions made regarding species and the environment. OHV enthusiasts believe that species that are truly endangered absolutely need to be protected. Conversely, species of concern need to be monitored carefully, not treated as if they are already listed, especially in the absence of any concrete data."

The Off-Road Business Association is a non-profit association of business owners who have united to preserve the interests of off-highway vehicle enthusiasts.