Room block expanded for annual conference: The Zermatt Resort has let us know that you have filled the initial room block for the NOHVCC/INOHVAA Annual Conference. We are so pleased to have such excitement built up around the conference, but obviously this presented us with a good problem to have; we needed more lodging. Working with Zermatt we have expanded the room block by an additional 30 rooms, but that is as far as we can go. So if you have not registered for the conference and secured a room at the hotel we recommend you do so as soon as possible. You can register for the annual conference here.
NOHVCC goes to Juneau: Recently Marc Hildesheim and Laura Feist of NOHVCC traveled to Juneau, AK to consult on the 35-mile OHV Area Project. NOHVCC staff spent three days in the field with representatives from the City and Borough of Juneau, The Juneau Off-Road Association (JORA), and Trail Mix; the local non-profit partner for trail construction in Juneau. Discussions were held on trail alignment, special design consideration for OHV trails, and construction topics.
When this riding area opens it will be the first of its kind in Southeast Alaska. While there has been a need and desire for OHV recreation opportunities, there hasn’t been a designated location for motorized recreation. Through some very dedicated and persistent staff members at the city, especially friend of NOHVCC Michele Elfers, and equally dedicated volunteers from JORA the riding area is one step closer to being a reality. NOHVCC appreciates the opportunity to contribute to this project and hopes that our recommendations and information sharing will be valuable to the ongoing process. We wish our friends up north the best of luck in the next phases of their project.
INOHVAA has a new website: The International Off-Highway Vehicle Administrator’s Association (INOHVAA) has activated their new website (see it here). INOHVAA is a very close partner to NOHVCC and are the co-hosts of the annual conference in Midway, UT in 2023. A core group of administrators from INOHVAA have been working very hard to restore the organization after the pandemic and this new website is just another step in the right direction. We look forward to hearing from INOHVAA at the conference and in the near future.
Waiver of Buy America Requirements for De Minimis Costs and Small Grants
FHWA published the Waiver of Buy America Requirements for De Minimis Costs and Small Grants.This notice is the waiver. There is no need for waiver applications for projects that meet the criteria of this waiver.
The waiver is applicable only to awards that are obligated or subawards that are made on or after the effective date of the waiver, August 16, 2023. The waiver is applicable to subawards only if the subawards are made by a pass-through entity for a specific project. Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers continue to be subject to the FHWA Buy America EV Charger Waiver.
PLEASE NOTE: If the total amount of the project is below $500,000, the Buy America requirements for iron, steel, manufactured product, and construction materials is waived. If the total amount of the project is over $500,000, the allowable threshold for noncompliant products is the lesser of $1,000,000 or 5% of total applicable costs for the project. However, if the noncompliant products include iron, steel, manufactured products, the FHWA’s threshold amount of 0.1% of the total contract amount or $2,500 applies.
NOHVCC supports American business and products, however the Buy America Requirements have provided serious challenges in the trail world where equipment and materials needed for maintenance and trail construction could not be found that met the requirements of this provision. We commend the many individuals and organizations who have worked in partnership with congress and many other groups to find a workable solution in this instance. Thank you all for your hard work in ensuring that land managers and volunteers alike could continue to provide high quality trail experiences.
NOHVCC is looking for suggestions on renaming our NOHVCC Update. Please send any suggestions you may have to [email protected].
