Snowmobile Program News
What's New?
The Down East Sunrise Trail is closed for mud season to all uses except walking. It is closed to ATV use and will likely be closed to ATV’s for mud season until approximately May 15th, 2012.
Capital Equipment grant applications are due April 15th. Your groomer operators are now required to pass the Groomer Operator Awareness quiz to qualify for this grant.
Please contact our office at shannon.ayotte@maine.gov or 287-4957 if you need the DVD and tests so your club will be in compliance.
CMP Maine Power Reliability Project Hotline 1-866-914-1944
New Capital Equipment and Municipal Grant Rules Questions and Comments
Question: Does the required list of landowners have to include map and lot numbers?
Response: No, the list should include the name, address and telephone number of the landowner whose land the trail passes and have granted permission.
Question: Are land use permits eligible for reimbursement under the Municipal Grant?
Response: The DOC, ORV Division can reimburse for administrative fees but cannot reimburse for use of land. The landowner may not be protected by the State of Maine Landowner Liability Laws if the landowner charges for recreational use of their land.
Question: Concerned with the timing of the Snowmobile Capital Equipment Grant and how it may affect the USDA grant?
Response: USDA has two cycles with October being the end of the fiscal year. USDA grants are based on the number of applications and funding available. The funding target is approximately 50%. Requests over 100K are heavily scrutinized.
Question: Can the application date of the Capital Equipment Grant be moved from April 1st to January 1st in order to know that the equipment purchased would be eligible for the grant but not necessarily know the amount to be awarded until general notification in July?
Response: The reasoning behind the April 1st date is because the Snowmobile Advisory Committee wanted the ability to review the applications prior to acceptance.
Question: Is there going to be an age restriction on individuals that may operate trail groomers?
Response: Age restrictions for groomer operators are not in the rules. The DOC, ORV Division is a loaning agency (informal lean); it is up to the receiving managing entity (According to Risk Management). The State of Maine Department of Labor stated that 16-17 year olds are not prohibited from operating groomers or attaching drags but are restricted from maintenance on equipment.
Question: Will the Municipal Grant program open in order add more municipalities?
Response: No, the Division cannot currently fund the number of participating municipalities. It would be unfair to accept more at this point in time and would shift limited resources.
Question: Can the “Maine Trail Groomer Operator Awareness Training” be broken down into units that would be appropriate for those with large groomers and small groomers?
Response: No, the ‘Maine Trail Groomer Operator Awareness Training” is more applicable in general concepts that are appropriate for all groomers regardless of size and tries to inform participants how to safely groom trails as well as what one can do to prepare for a breakdown or accident.
Question: Can the Snowmobile Advisory Committee meetings be scheduled and advertised to allow others to attend and participate?
Response: The Division advertises the meetings on the ORV Division website, notifies the MSA and known interested parties of upcoming meetings. By law meetings are scheduled on a biannual basis and/or depending upon management issues. If someone wants to be notified they can be put on an interested party list.
Question: Can grants be sent to participating organizations in July in order for applicants to be granted permission to conduct early season brush removal, bridge repairs and other pertinent trail work?
Response: Preseason routine trail work has been allowed on a regular basis for this program following public meetings conducted in 2007. Work requiring preapproval would include the construction of a new bridge or trail or the use of heavy equipment for trail development or improvement.
Comment: The rules as presented are not making it easier for clubs; there are a number of new mandates such as a mandatory trail groomer test.
Response: Areas that are new are the Groomer Awareness Training for Capital Equipment grants and requiring groomer fire insurance. Best management practices (BMPs) have been required since the beginning of the program through LURC/DEP and local ordinances
Is your club looking to buy or sell a groomer or drag? Please contact our office to let us know. We hope to facilitate in clubs helping each other by connecting those clubs looking to buy or sell grooming equipment and keep more equipment in Maine. Call us at 287-4957.
Bob White (email link) is the Spatial Database Manager for the Maine E-911, he is asking for your help to add trails to the Maine E911 system. Please contact him directly for questions about this program at 207- 624-9483.
The Maine Information and Analysis Center (MIAC), also known as the Fusion Center, is a cooperative effort between the Maine State Police and the Maine Emergency Management Agency, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The MIAC exists to evaluate information and intelligence about potential terrorist activity in Maine. The MIAC ensures that critical information is shared promptly with all appropriate agencies.
MIAC is asking for your help! REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY! (CLICK ON LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION)
GROOMING EQUIPMENT IS EXEMPT FROM SALES TAX THROUGH TITLE 12 PUBLIC LAW #429. PLEASE USE THE FORM BELOW WHEN PURCHASING YOUR EQUIPMENT (THIS SHOULD GO THROUGH THE DEALER) AFFIDAVIT OF EXEMPTION
FOR QUALIFIED SNOWMOBILES AND TRAIL GROOMING EQUIPMENT SOLD TO INCORPORATED NONPROFIT SNOWMOBILE CLUBS USED DIRECTLY AND EXCLUSIVELY FOR GROOMING SNOWMOBILE TRAILS
GROOMER OPERATOR AWARENESS TRAINING
After much anticipation and many long hours of work, we are happy to provide an updated Groomer Operator Awareness Training program in the State of Maine. We encourage you to have each of your groomer operators view the DVD (available through the Off Road Vehicle Division), complete the quiz and submit it to us for correcting and we'll send a completion certificate for your club to keep on file. GROOMER OPERATOR QUIZ (pdf file, please print) To qualify for a Capital Equipment grant, your operators must take and pass this quiz.
The DVD provides basic information and awareness to ensure your operators are efficient, safe and prepared. All Trail groomers and potential trail groomers should watch this DVD then take the quiz. In order to receive the certificate of completion of the training program, you will need to return the quiz from each operator to the Off Road Vehicle Division, the address is at the top of the quiz. Once we have scored the quizzes your operators submit, we will return a certificate for each successful person (MUST answer 56 questions correctly to pass). This training is now be required as part of the grant process.
CONTACT US:
Department of Conservation
Bureau of Parks & Lands
Snowmobile Program
22 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0022
Tel. No. (207) 287-4957
Toll free (in state): 1-800-462-1019
Fax (207) 287-8111
TTY (207) 287-2213
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Email:
- Scott Ramsay; Director, Off Road Vehicle Division (Snowmobile Municipal Grants)
- Shannon Ayotte; Planning & Research Assist., Capital Equipment Grant Program, Web Site questions, general information regarding Off Road Vehicle Division
- Joe Higgins; Recreational Safety & Vehicle Coordinator (Snowmobile Clubs)
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The Maine Snowmobile Trail Signing Guidelines are now available! Please refer to these guidelines when marking your trails...
Snowmobile Sign Guidelines Brochure
If you are unable to open the link to the PDF File above (it will take time to open, since it is a large PDF) please contact our office at 287-4957, we will be happy to mail a hard copy to your club.
REMINDER: Landowner permission is REQUIRED in order to operate an ATV on trails (on agricultural lands it must be in writing). This is for ALL ATV riders, including club members who may be doing clean up or maintenance on trails from the Snowmobile season. Be sure to pick up trail signs along public roads as well as private roads (as requested by landowner). Keep our trails neat! |
