Utah is home to over 190 Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) consisting of over 780 square miles of habitat. These WMAs are throughout the state and were purchased over the years to provide wintering ranges for wildlife. Additionally, they provide outdoor enthusiasts with opportunities for hunting and fishing. Most of the funding for these strategic properties comes from the extremely successful Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937. In August the Utah Wildlife Board agreed to ban e-bikes, beginning on November 7th, on all WMAs. Prior to this change, e-bikes were illegal only in waterfowl management areas.
E-bike sales and usage has skyrocketed over the previous decade and has become a topic in many western states on where they can and should be allowed. In sensitive habitat areas, especially riparian, e-bikes can quickly cause damage that may take years to get back to their natural state. WMAs have always been classified as “no motorized vehicles” and with this change, e-bikes fall into this category within WMAs.
Likewise, E-bikes have been outlawed in Wilderness Areas for quite some time. Additionally, the USFS has reclassified E-bikes. Because of this, E-bikes are allowed on Motorized roads and trails. It is also believed at some point in the future another funding and rule battle will be coming in an attempt to reclassify them regarding non-motorized trails.
The official Utah Game and Fish press release can be found here on the change. Likewise, here is another recent article on the Pittman-Robertson Act you can read about.
