We reported earlier on the Senate passing the Recreation Passport legislation which should provide a stable, sustainable funding source for our state parks (including linear trails), state forest recreation, and more.

While the House speaker initially held up the House vote, it eventually went forward and passed. However, the House passed a different version of the legislation, which now much be reconciled with the Senate version.

According to a report in the Free Press, “Republican State Rep. Arlan Meekhof from West Olive tells The Muskegon Chronicle the bill has bipartisan support and should be passed in January by both legislative chambers.” That article incorrectly says that if passed by both houses and signed by the Governor, it would take effect in April.

If signed into law, the starting date would be October 1st, 2010.

The DNR provided this clarification:

We had several media outlets erroneously report on Monday, Dec. 28, that the Governor signed legislation to create the State Park Passport, the $10 fee added to Michigan license plate renewals that would take the place of the Michigan State Park Motor Vehicle Permit window sticker. This is not true.

Senate Bill 388 originally was a bill to create the State Park Passport; however, the Legislature substituted language in the bill to simply extend the expiration date on the Motor Vehicle Permits to the end of March 2010. This gives them more time to work on the agreement to create the State Park Passport – which has NOT been approved by the Legislature yet.

I would respectfully ask for a correction from any media outlets that reported this, as many DNR offices are getting calls from angry state park users who already purchased a 2010 Motor Vehicle Permit and want a refund. The State Park Passport ($10 license plate fee) has not been approved yet. And if it is approved, it would not take effect until Oct. 1, 2010. In order to enjoy a state park or state recreation area in 2010, people will need to purchase a 2010 Motor Vehicle Permit window sticker, as they have in the past. They are available at any state park, or online at www.michigan.gov/dnr.

You can also keep on top of this critical funding issue at www.OurMichiganParks.org.

Senate Bills 388 and 389, also known as the recreation passport bills have passed the Michigan Senate and reported out of House committee. They need to be voted on by the entire House. We believe we have the votes, but the Speaker Andy Dillon is not letting it go to a vote.

We need Michigan residents to call him, especially those within his district, annd ask that he call for a vote on Senate Bills 388 and 389. His phone number is 517.373.0857.

It might take a minute but it means preserving our state parks for generations to come.

The state park funding (aka Recreation Passport) legislation, Senate Bills 388 & 389 , were adopted by the full Senate this morning with a vote of 24-11 and? 23-12?respectively. Now both bills go to the full House for a vote in the near future.

This vote was a major step forward towards sustainable state park funding.

There’s no knowing how the House will vote, though we did seem to have good support for similar legislation in the House’s Great Lakes and Environment committee.

It is expected that Senate bills 388 and 389 for the Recreation Passport will be voted on by the Michigan Senate and House this Thursday, November 12th, 2009.

There is a summary analysis on-line as well. This analysis provides all the details of what these bills would do if passed and signed into law. There’s also additional information (as well as media coverage links) on the Citizen’s Committee for Michigan State Parks web site.

We urge you to please contact your state senator and state representative and ask that they support these bills to help fund our state parks.

This funding is absolutely critical as the state parks have been kept afloat for years by relying on previous fund balances. Those fund balances are now drained. We should also note that since 2004, no state taxpayer money has gone towards our state parks.

This funding would also be a huge boost to Michigan trails, not only in state parks, but in state forests as well. Those trails are significantly unfunded.

Make sure you stop by the M.T.G.A. booth at the RiverDays event this weekend on the RiverWalk

The Metro Times has a new article, Rolling on the Riverwalk, which provides an overview of Tri-Centennial state park construction and how it fits in with the Detroit RiverWalk.

In the current era of uncertainty in the auto industry, the Riverwalk is promising a bright future for human-powered movement.

And on a related note, today the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is celebrating the 90th anniversary of Michigan State Parks. There will be a cake cutting at Tri-Centennial State Park at 4pm today, June 20th. So come downtown, enjoy the RiverWalk, Dequindre Cut, and have some cake.

The Detroit News has an article, Michigan ramps up roads and trails to make bicycling easier.

The Michigan Department of Transportation now maintains more than 2,560 miles of paved shoulder with bicycle access. The state also has more than 1,394 miles of rails-to-trails — abandoned railroad tracks that have been converted into biking, hiking and walking trails. Combine those rails-to-trails with trails through parks and public land, and downtowns and neighborhoods, and the stretch increases to more than 2,000 miles, said Nancy Krupiarz, executive director of the Lansing-based nonprofit Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance. Additional bike-hike trails and greenways are expected.

This article wraps up with a great quote about biking from Rochester resident Colleen Brown.

“It’s like being a kid again. I always tell people that no matter how bad you feel, get on a bike. Ride around the neighborhood, feel the wind and sun on your face. You see the world differently. When you bike you can stop and smell the roses.”