Support House Bill 1316, a compromise to allow OHRVs back on the ice at the Hoit Road Marsh State Wildlife Management Area. The marsh is contained within one square mile of undeveloped public land. Only one house is visible from the ice, and it is a half-mile away. The compromise permits recreational OHRV use from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. three days per week, and hunter and fisherman use at any time.
Compromise opponents have claimed that this bill is a complete ban repeal “to return racing to the ice.” There never has been racing at the marsh: no start-finish line, flagmen or timekeeping. Opponents have made some fantastic accusations of OHRV noise. The woman who lives closest to the marsh (a quarter-mile) testified what little noise there was didn’t bother her and supports the compromise. The person who lives across the street from her testified she could never hear the OHRVs from inside her house.
Recently an engineering sound-level survey was conducted at Turtle Pond in Concord. Seven OHRV motorcycles that used to ride at Hoit Road Marsh simultaneously circled an oval and measurements were made at several locations. Outside a house a half-mile away, the sound from the motorcycles could not be detected. At a house 1,000 feet away they could not be detected inside, and barely detected outside. A single passing car was louder. At 300 feet the noise level was equivalent to standing in a laundry room with a washing machine.
JOHN MESICK
Loudon