$3,950 raised
·52 donations
Help Preserve Bingo Basin
Donation protected
Updated 8.05.18:
Waiting for word from the town, we are optimistic that there is a positive outcome here worthy of our continued energy to protecting the forest and prevent unnecessary disruption in an ecological important area. This has been a long and challenging process that is not over yet. Most pressing now is a need for further financial support to cover the accrued litigation fees.
**A new way to give**
The Vermont Natural Resource Counsil (VNRC) is graciously offering to act as a fiscal agent. This means that you can make a donation to this cause through the VNRC.
Two Easy Steps
1) make your donation online here: https://secure.everyaction.com/-lVnXN0oeES-bbbxvdRfbg2
2) email Brian Shupe at [email redacted] with a note stating your donation is for “Bingo Basin.”
The funds raised have gone to the legal assistance necessary to appeal and question the Town's decision to deny our request. We have further litigation fees owed and need help to see this through. At a minimum we are asking for your help to raise the remaining $1400 of our $5000 goal. Beyond this, we do have further need and certainly welcome further generosity.
A big question to return to is, "How is the Select board's position to say no to our request consistent with the 115 signatures of support from people in the community way back in December, 2017?"
Video of Bingo Basin Public Hearing - Dec. 4, 2017
You can view the public comment to the Select Board at the Public Hearing brought to the town by said signatures here: https://www.orcamedia.net/show/december-4-2017-ros
We are most thankful for all the community support to research, stay informed, show up and financially support this cause–An effort to protect an untraveled road that runs on our land and through nearby National Forest Service woods from development and motorized vehicle travel particularly by snowmobile in winter time.
***************************************************************************************************************************
For many decades, the Bingo Basin has been a quiet, peaceful, wild area in the heart of central Vermont. Much of the land here is protected by the Green Mountain National Forest and is the southern access point to the Joseph Battell Wilderness Area. This is an ecologically sensitive area home to many native species of plants and animals, who’s ecosystem in many areas around the state has been steadily declining. Due to environmental concerns, off-road motor vehicles like dirt bikes, ATVs and snowmobiles have been banned from use in the area. However, many people, from the local community and beyond, use this area to spend time in nature, in a way that is consistent with the protection of this ecosystem, by camping, hiking, and cycling in the summer, or snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the winter. There also are some private properties in the basin, summer camps and homesteads, including our own, which abide to limited winter access by motorized vehicles, walking or ski to their properties when there is snow. These private properties are mostly off the grid, and past the last telephone wires with owners seeking to live harmoniously and respectfully with nature.
The issue today is that a parcel of private land, deep in the Bingo Basin, and completely surrounded by National Forest, has recently been sold. The new owners have been granted vehicular access to their property along Forest Service Road 62 during the summer months, but denied motorized access along that road during the winter, because the area is designated for non-motorized recreational activities only. The new land owners are now asserting that they can use Pine Gap Road, a stretch of abandoned class 4 road, to access their property with snowmobiles in the winter months. This portion of road has not been used or maintained in half a century, and has significant water erosion, trees down and new trees growing. In the spring part of it looks more like a river than a road. The use of motor vehicles in those areas would cause significant erosional disruption to the watershed, as well as noise pollution disturbing local wildlife and residents, and could potentially damage historic dry-stack stone walls and foundations near by the road. If snowmobiles are allowed to drive on this road for any purpose, it would set a precedent that anyone can use this area for motorized recreational vehicles. This is counter to the ideals of ecological preservation that have been implemented in this area on a local, state, and federal level.
This issue also has personal importance for our family, as the old road passes across our homestead. In a place where for decades there has been quiet and serenity, there could now be high performance snowmobiles driving directly across our yard, right outside our kitchen window. Our family has taken the initiative to hire legal assistance to understand this issue, how it relates to our property, our neighbors and the health of the surrounding ecological area. Our first action was to bring a petition to the town to question the new property owner’s request and ask that the town discontinue this piece of “road,” in lieu of the complications and expense projected and unforeseen in resurrecting it.
Our neighbors, and other concerned citizens from the community formed the “Friends of Bingo Basin,” a group dedicated to preserving the ecology and serenity of this wilderness. The first action of this group was to follow our petition to the town government with their own to also discontinue this portion of Pine Gap Road and prevent any motorized use. This issue has since had two public hearings, been a subject at ongoing selectboard meetings and many people from the community have been vocal in showing up to these events and writing to the local newspapers sharing what this area means to them, the community and the value to the town in protecting it as a quiet and ecological sanctuary.
Both petitions were denied. Unsatisfied with this and left with no answers, wondering what does this mean and what will happen, we filed to appeal the decision and now are utilizing legal help to fully understand and resolve this dispute. We are taking on this expense because of our own interests, as well as the interests of the community. Not only will this protect the environment, the privacy rights of local residents, and the community’s recreational area, but it will also save the taxpayers money on the upkeep of the road, and the watershed protection that is mandated by state law. Does the town have greater interest in developing this area on the ridge of the basin? Is this a favorable change for this area, people, wildlife, and basin?
Our family’s resources are unfortunately very limited, and we need help to defray the cost of legal fees. Please consider contributing if you care about protecting wild areas, and upholding the rights of local citizens and communities. Thank you for your time and consideration!
Contributions can also be written out to Emma Wade and sent to 262 Pine Gap Road, Rochester VT 05767. If you are not able to donate, we also welcome contributions in other forms of support.
With Gratitude,
Emma Wade, Orion Lakota & Mason Wade
Waiting for word from the town, we are optimistic that there is a positive outcome here worthy of our continued energy to protecting the forest and prevent unnecessary disruption in an ecological important area. This has been a long and challenging process that is not over yet. Most pressing now is a need for further financial support to cover the accrued litigation fees.
**A new way to give**
The Vermont Natural Resource Counsil (VNRC) is graciously offering to act as a fiscal agent. This means that you can make a donation to this cause through the VNRC.
Two Easy Steps
1) make your donation online here: https://secure.everyaction.com/-lVnXN0oeES-bbbxvdRfbg2
2) email Brian Shupe at [email redacted] with a note stating your donation is for “Bingo Basin.”
The funds raised have gone to the legal assistance necessary to appeal and question the Town's decision to deny our request. We have further litigation fees owed and need help to see this through. At a minimum we are asking for your help to raise the remaining $1400 of our $5000 goal. Beyond this, we do have further need and certainly welcome further generosity.
A big question to return to is, "How is the Select board's position to say no to our request consistent with the 115 signatures of support from people in the community way back in December, 2017?"
Video of Bingo Basin Public Hearing - Dec. 4, 2017
You can view the public comment to the Select Board at the Public Hearing brought to the town by said signatures here: https://www.orcamedia.net/show/december-4-2017-ros
We are most thankful for all the community support to research, stay informed, show up and financially support this cause–An effort to protect an untraveled road that runs on our land and through nearby National Forest Service woods from development and motorized vehicle travel particularly by snowmobile in winter time.
***************************************************************************************************************************
For many decades, the Bingo Basin has been a quiet, peaceful, wild area in the heart of central Vermont. Much of the land here is protected by the Green Mountain National Forest and is the southern access point to the Joseph Battell Wilderness Area. This is an ecologically sensitive area home to many native species of plants and animals, who’s ecosystem in many areas around the state has been steadily declining. Due to environmental concerns, off-road motor vehicles like dirt bikes, ATVs and snowmobiles have been banned from use in the area. However, many people, from the local community and beyond, use this area to spend time in nature, in a way that is consistent with the protection of this ecosystem, by camping, hiking, and cycling in the summer, or snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the winter. There also are some private properties in the basin, summer camps and homesteads, including our own, which abide to limited winter access by motorized vehicles, walking or ski to their properties when there is snow. These private properties are mostly off the grid, and past the last telephone wires with owners seeking to live harmoniously and respectfully with nature.
The issue today is that a parcel of private land, deep in the Bingo Basin, and completely surrounded by National Forest, has recently been sold. The new owners have been granted vehicular access to their property along Forest Service Road 62 during the summer months, but denied motorized access along that road during the winter, because the area is designated for non-motorized recreational activities only. The new land owners are now asserting that they can use Pine Gap Road, a stretch of abandoned class 4 road, to access their property with snowmobiles in the winter months. This portion of road has not been used or maintained in half a century, and has significant water erosion, trees down and new trees growing. In the spring part of it looks more like a river than a road. The use of motor vehicles in those areas would cause significant erosional disruption to the watershed, as well as noise pollution disturbing local wildlife and residents, and could potentially damage historic dry-stack stone walls and foundations near by the road. If snowmobiles are allowed to drive on this road for any purpose, it would set a precedent that anyone can use this area for motorized recreational vehicles. This is counter to the ideals of ecological preservation that have been implemented in this area on a local, state, and federal level.
This issue also has personal importance for our family, as the old road passes across our homestead. In a place where for decades there has been quiet and serenity, there could now be high performance snowmobiles driving directly across our yard, right outside our kitchen window. Our family has taken the initiative to hire legal assistance to understand this issue, how it relates to our property, our neighbors and the health of the surrounding ecological area. Our first action was to bring a petition to the town to question the new property owner’s request and ask that the town discontinue this piece of “road,” in lieu of the complications and expense projected and unforeseen in resurrecting it.
Our neighbors, and other concerned citizens from the community formed the “Friends of Bingo Basin,” a group dedicated to preserving the ecology and serenity of this wilderness. The first action of this group was to follow our petition to the town government with their own to also discontinue this portion of Pine Gap Road and prevent any motorized use. This issue has since had two public hearings, been a subject at ongoing selectboard meetings and many people from the community have been vocal in showing up to these events and writing to the local newspapers sharing what this area means to them, the community and the value to the town in protecting it as a quiet and ecological sanctuary.
Both petitions were denied. Unsatisfied with this and left with no answers, wondering what does this mean and what will happen, we filed to appeal the decision and now are utilizing legal help to fully understand and resolve this dispute. We are taking on this expense because of our own interests, as well as the interests of the community. Not only will this protect the environment, the privacy rights of local residents, and the community’s recreational area, but it will also save the taxpayers money on the upkeep of the road, and the watershed protection that is mandated by state law. Does the town have greater interest in developing this area on the ridge of the basin? Is this a favorable change for this area, people, wildlife, and basin?
Our family’s resources are unfortunately very limited, and we need help to defray the cost of legal fees. Please consider contributing if you care about protecting wild areas, and upholding the rights of local citizens and communities. Thank you for your time and consideration!
Contributions can also be written out to Emma Wade and sent to 262 Pine Gap Road, Rochester VT 05767. If you are not able to donate, we also welcome contributions in other forms of support.
With Gratitude,
Emma Wade, Orion Lakota & Mason Wade
Donations
Organizer
Emma Wade &Orion Lakota
Organizer
Rochester, VT