Press Release
Dr. Rainer Huck and co-plaintiff John Anderson filed The American Public Lands Equal Access Lawsuit in Federal District Court against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) stating the agency has systematically eliminated access not only for elderly, disabled and handicapped persons, but for the general public as well; people who either choose or need the assistance of motorized travel for access. Reportedly, the lawsuit seeks redress for generations of biased and discriminatory management practices.
According to the lawsuit, the rampant elimination of public access via motor assisted travel illegally discriminates against the majority of Americans. Plaintiffs assert that all Americans, regardless of religion, age, race, health, strength, economic standing and especially those who are handicapped or disabled, have Constitutional and other legal rights to access public lands held under the jurisdiction of the BLM on a basis equal to those who have the strength and ability to travel by muscle power.
“I believe that public access to public lands is a critical issue. We cannot allow our most vulnerable people to be shut out of these national treasures,” said Rainer Huck. “I have been fighting against the BLM’s closure agenda for 40 years, during which time motor assisted access has dwindled from 95% to less than 5% now.”